The Problem With West Side Story
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 พ.ค. 2024
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Two Puerto Rican film critics -- Kristen Maldonado and Josie Marie Meléndez -- share their thoughts on West Side Story, both the original and new 2021 remake, and why it continues to fail in its representation of Puerto Rican culture.
Join me in the comments below to continue the conversation.
► TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
3:41 - Cast and Performances
7:29 - Musical numbers
11:05 - Puerto Rican representation
14:38 - Latino stereotypes, gentrification, and trauma
22:08 - Accents and accessibility
24:51 - Was this a successful remake?
27:57 - Showcasing authentic Latino experiences
30:44 - Inherent racism in West Side Story
33:59 - Final thoughts
35:49 - Outro
#WestSideStory #PuertoRican #VideoEssay
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I just saw the film and love this discussion and it kind of knocked my rose colored glasses off lol Great points made! I never felt this was a film for the latinx community. Just a musical like was mentioned. But it was a great passion project to see in theaters. I couldnt agree more about Ansel! He never dissapeared into character and suffered the talk singing syndrome lol
Thank you, I really appreciate your comment and that you found insight in what we discussed!
@@Themin1 Definitely. He was the weakest link.
Latinx no es una palabra
What does the X in the term Latin X stand for?
A genre classification does not grant the producer and directors the right to be blatantly offensive via agenda-motivated distortions. Members of the chosen culture have the right to expect a reasonably accurate depiction.
West Side Story never was a latino film. It was simply a romantic musical FEATURING latin American characters. María, Ana, Bernardo and Valentina are prominently featured latin American characters in the remake.
I guess making a film about Chinese Americans and choosing to use Japanese actors with Japanese accents when genuine Chinese actors were available is also OK right? After all its just a musical.
Ansel Elgort isn’t actually Polish, isn’t that the same thing?
@@radrook7584 You're not being realistic. I used to go to castings and you would be surprised how hard it is to fill a room with just one ethnicity. Ethnicity is already hard enough and then if you have to integrate dancing and singing it becomes even harder to get everyone.
Kristen, I enjoyed this conversation! I’ve been curious about the 2021 version. Although I learned about some of the discrimination Puerto Ricans experienced during the mid 1900s in high school, I genuinely didn’t know how bad it was. I learned so much from this conversation.
Thanks Havilah, I'm really glad to hear that you took something away from this discussion. I learned so much too from this convo with Josie.
The ironic thing about the Irish Italian German American negative reaction to Puerto Rican immigration to the USA is that you folks invaded our island first and forced us into having to leave it.
About the pushing out of prior residents who were not Puerto Rican, I lived that situation as a Puerto Rican starting in 1955. An entire significant portion predominantly Italian neighborhood in Newark NJ was levelled in order to make room for Columbus Homes Apartments for low income families who included a significant number of Puerto Ricans. The former residents of those levelled Italian Irish sections were very angry with the government and took that anger out on us and it definitely wasn't via dance fighting in the streets.
Thank you so much for this! Loved this review. You mirrored so many of my own thoughts. Really appreciate you, ladies!
Thank you Lucy!!
I think there was a light skin bias in casting Maria, but Rachel Zegler crushed it regardless. I think it's an upgrade over the original movie, even if it's not perfect. To me, West Side Story is all about the spectacle of the music and the dance numbers, and the story falls apart after the Rumble. I constantly had to jump through hoops why Maria slept with Tony, and then why Anita didn't rip Maria to pieces after catching them.
💯
I honestly think its her voice that landed her the role cause she sounds amazing
They slept together so soon was because that’s what happened with Romeo and Juliet. They had to consummate their unorthodox marriage. And from a “love” standpoint, when you love someone unconditionally, you forgive them. … and if those reasons don’t answer the question, she was 17-19 years old… a teenager. The decisions I made at that age.
She didn't crush anything. Spielberg used her to get your racist notion across just as the original did. Funny that you don't see the darkening of the skins as bias. BTW Maria is never shown having sexual intercourse with Tony. in the original. Neither are shown in bed together with their cloths off. So that is your imagination. About Anita's reaction, I agree with you, It is essentially unbelievable and an insult to Puerto Rican culture to suggest that a Puerto Rican girl would still love a man who just murdered her brother and that Nardo's girlfriend would calmly go along with the whole thing. It is as if they are depicting Puerto Ricans as being amorally selfish.
A light skin bias by those racists? Really? LOL! The question is why they didn't force Natalie Woods to smear her face with dark brown shoe polish as they did with Moreno, a light skinned Puerto Rican. That is the real question.
You guys had so many of the same thoughts that I did exiting the theater. I really thought they were going to change the r*pe scene, and I also really thought they might change the ending to give the jets some comeuppance. The ending of the story where everyone just gets along really hasn't aged well and especially doesn't work in this movie where how horrible the jets are is really highlighted. But I also loved the cinematography, choreography, etc. and it was definitely better than the original. Great video!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, Rachel!
I really appreciate this discussion. I've always wondered how Puerto Ricans feel about this musical. I know that Rita Moreno had problems with the accent she was told to use in the song "A Boy Like That" because it sounded more Mexican than Puerto Rican and the music to "America" also didn't sound Puerto Rican. I haven't seen this latest version yet. I know Ms. Moreno is a producer on this so maybe she insisted that changes be made that address her complaints.
Thanks for checking out our convo! I don't know if I feel those complaints were addressed in this new version either to be honest.
I don't really think she had any choice at all in the way this one was made. If she did, then they would have chosen Puerto Rican actresses instead of a Columbian Polish actress and an Predominantly African American Actress with a father who was partially Puerto Rican to Play Anita and Maria. As these ladies tell us, there were plenty of genuinely Puerto Rican actresses applying for the role and this dude felt that he had to go out of his way to avoid using all of them. He is clearly hell bent on propagating stereotypes just as the first film was. Nothing else that he hypocritically did in the film compensates for this garbage.
@@radrook7584 Spielberg chose the best actors who auditioned for the roles.
I doubt he cared about their ancestry. And I doubt you knew their ancestry until you were told. These men and women were good actors, singers and dancers. Most are unknowns. He followed the original stage musical's book by Arthur Lawrence.
@@Grisostomo06 Well, I guess we differ in opinion about the advisability of his choices and the motives. There are two female Puerto Rican movie critics who agree with my assessment and point out even more. So I guess they disagree with you as well. BTW At no time did I focus on their dancing or singing abilities. Those are completely irrelevant to the issues I and those two critics brought up. So your objection constitutes Strawman.
@@Grisostomo06 Spielberg could have chosen genuine 100% Puerto Rican Anita and Maria and did not do so because he has a racist agenda just as the first ones had a racist agenda when they forced Rita Moreno to smear her face with Brown shoe polish to make her look the way that they believe all Puerto Ricans SHOULD look.
I don't think West Side Story was ever intended to tell anyone's cultural story. It was intended to retell the story of Romeo & Juliet in a different time and place. William Shakespeare, an Englishman, borrowed a story that took place in a land (Italy) that was as foreign him as the characters in it. West Side Story's creators were four Gay, Jewish men with very little personal connection to the cultures presented in the story other than living in New York during the 1950s and being on the margins of mainstream Americans at the time. So of course, it's unrealistic to believe they would get everything right. I think their purpose was to bring their creation from the stage to the big screen so that more people could see it. It was supposedly a step up from the Broadway stage. Do you think the Jets were portrayed accurately? Do you think 1950s White Teens looked like that?
I think those who believed the Jets in the new version were made to look better than the Sharks are poorly mistaken. After the opening brawl Lt. Schrank explains how all the upper crust Whites had already moved leaving behind the alcoholic and drug addicted Whites and their children, meaning the Jet boys. At the end of the Jets Song, look where they are: posing proudly on top of a mound of rubble from demolished buildings. Spielberg and Kushner are telling the audience, 'look how pathetic they are. They think they are hot stuff and what do they have -- nothing!'
By contrast Spielberg's Puerto Ricans have a lot going for them. They have businesses. They have community. Bernardo is a prize fighter. He's got serious aspirations for himself and Anita. He plans to marry off his sister Maria to Chino who has aspirations of becoming an accountant or an office machine repair guy. Meanwhile, Riff has sex with Graciela in an abandoned crane with his fellow Jets standing around outside. When the Sharks and their girlfriends take to the streets to sing and dance to "America" the whole Puerto Rican community came out as little kids joined in the dancing.
If you ask me, Spielberg gave far more positive recognition to the Puerto Ricans and Latinos than any was ever given to Whites in both movies combined. But I don't see this as any reason to give a criticism.
Oh, and about Tony. It's not the actor. It's the role. Richard Beymer had the same problem and so did stage Tonys. It's a shit role. He's the romantic lead, but he's overshadowed by scene stealing supporting cast.
You'd have to re-write the script to bring a stronger Tony portrayal. I think Ansel Elgort did about as good a job as anyone could.
100 percent agree with everything.
Really loved this discussion! Thank you all for your input.
Thank you!!
As a Puerto Rican I was deeply offended by the film. Great review 👍🏼
Thanks
i think the idea is that it portrays racism, so it should be offensive. I am not puerto rican and i found the film upsetting, for the racism it depicts. i didn't like the stereotypes in the original or the updated film but in the end, the theme is about how pointless hatred is, and how much it ends up hurting everyone.
I’m not trying to say any group had it worse than the other, but I disagree that everything the sharks felt just automatically “outweighs” what the jets went through especially because the jets lost 2 people compared to the sharks’ 1 (not that it ultimately boils down to who lost more people). But in my opinion it’s a little more nuanced than that and I think the line where Tony tells Maria that at least she has hope and family while Riff has nothing else kinda illustrates their different challenges. I saw the movie twice, and one scene I really saw differently both times was when Anita identifies Bernardo’s body. The first time, obviously it’s devastating to watch her face when she sees her true love dead and any sense of hope is lost, but what hit me the second time was that Riff has no one to even identify his body and so his only purpose in life was to live and die for the jets and that he was destined all along to be another homeless kid whose body ends up unidentified in the moratorium. Once again, I still haven’t made a determination on “who had it the worst”, but frankly, I don’t think it matters because the theme of violence leaving no innocents and no one unscathed definitely rings true.
Thanks so much for your enlightening discussion, Kristen and Josie. I've always adored this musical, and I'm really anticipating seeing this remake, especially for the performances, songs and Spielberg at the helm!
Thanks for checking out the video, Trina! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the film after you see it.
Great talk! Putting my review today.
Awesome looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Great discussion!!
Thank you Sonia!
20:00 I think that the rape scene was needed because it causes Anita to become so angry at the Jets and Tony and Maria that she lies and says that Maria was killed, because she doesn’t want Maria and Tony to be together. But I do think that they made it worse than it had to be.
I get she needs to be mad but I wish there was another way other than sexually abusing this grieving Afro-Puerto Rican woman. Just so much pain. Yeah I think they made that scene even worse in this new film especially with us seeing the Jets girls reactions. 😩
@@kaymaldo The attempted rape happens in the original stage show too.
@@garrettnorth3771 I know. I’ve never liked that scene.
That's it exactly. She had planned to help Maria and Tony. It took their egregious treatment of her to come up with such a hurtful response. When the story came out in 1957, women rarely even admitted to being raped because the woman was always blamed: she shouldn't have been out after dark, she had the wrong clothes on, she was wearing make-up, etc. From the Jets' point of view, they were sure her reason for wanting to see Tony had to be to hurt him in some way. After all, he killed the love of her life; why would she have good intentions? It made no sense to them.
@@kaymaldo can you explain that? The jet girls had nothing to do with the movie
Thanks a lot for this!
Thank YOU!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this! I learned a lot!
Thank YOU! I learned a lot from the conversation as well.
Grew up in East Harlem. El Barrio!!! In the late 70’s, early 80’s. Totally different world, when you and I were just the apples of our parents eyes. Love the commentary… but you just had to be there, to know what it was about. Why is this so deep for you guys?
I’m Irish catholic and never knew the original was supposed to involve us! You learn something new every day 🥰thanks for the knowledge
Thanks for checking out the video!
And the original story between catholics and Jews was supposed to be called east side story.
Of course it involves you because you were very much involved. Especially in your efforts to persecute Puerto Ricans along with the Italians in Newark NJ. Irish neighborhoods slowly turned Irish Italian and your dual efforts to crush us were constant. The hatred was even expressed in the public schools. One Irish home room teacher left me pinned with my pubic bone against a step when I fell and dozens of kids pinned me against it from behind. She gave me a prolonged hate stare, very slowly turned her back on me and left me there in my agony as I was extending my hand out to her so she would pull me out.. I was also hunted like an animal by some Irish kids after they threw ice balls at me and I uttered a protest. Had they caught me when I fled into the projects hallway and silently hid, I would have very likely been either permanently injured or else would have been killed. Oh you definitely were involved-Big Time.
@@radrook7584 I’m sorry you experienced that, but you are being very venomous. That may have been Irish people but I grew up in Ireland, I don’t know anyone in America personally. You do not need to attack me. I don’t spit at English people when I meet them even though we have been persecuted by the English persistently since the dawn of time
This video is fantastic! I learned so much. Growing up, when I'd watch West Side Story I was always rooting for the Sharks to win & the Jets to lose because the Jets were such horrible people. Rita Moreno is so amazingly talented! I saw her do a one woman show in Berkeley, CA & she was AMAZING!!! Thanks for this amazing movie review! It's really great to hear your perspectives. Cheers. :)
Thanks, I really appreciate that! That Rita show must have been amazing 🤩
18:30-21:37
I get what you are saying about the scene and I agree that it is such a horrible and terrible experience for Anita to go through, but now I'm also wondering if that scene really could be replaced with something else. It's awful for it to happen, but its because of it that she loses her faith in America (with the 1961 film conveying this through the music being a frantic version of "America") and tells the Jets the wrong message for Tony, leading to Doc/Valentina telling Tony Maria was killed and then he runs outside yelling for Chino to kill him as well, all leading up to his death. I don't know if there is a way to replace the rape scene with something less horrific but still tragic enough to meet those plot beats for the narrative, but I would definitely love to hear about an attempt if it could be done.
I see what you mean. Maybe they could’ve said something about Bernardo deserving what we got and that could’ve led to a similar result because she’s in so much grief. I’m not really sure.
Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the first film said that all the anger at all the injustices she had suffered at the hands of Anglo Americans came pouring out in that rape scene. Part of that anger was being forced to smear her light skin with dark brown shoe polish to make her look dark, while leaving Natalie Woods light skin untouched.
Also you would think that they would add a scene where Anita witnesses what her actions have done, and whether she feels any sympathy to what happened to Tony or just simply believes he deserved it.
I really enjoyed your critique of the movie outside of a small amount of glaring shortsightedness. I've been a longtime fan of the original movie - mostly because of Bernstein's crazy-wacky-cool time signatures & brilliant melodies as well as Jerome Robbin's choreography, and I've really been looking forward to seeing what Spielberg would do with it. And after seeing it I am much more thrilled about it than I was expecting mostly because of the fleshing out of the characters, especially of the Sharks. I agree about Ansel, but I would use the phrase "in spite." I think he did a decent job IN SPITE of amazing job of all of the other main characters. The others where so great that his merely decent performance was upstaged. Regarding your critique, I just take issue with you discounting of the rules and conventions of musicals. I agree that it would have been better to have all of the star actors-singer-dancers who play Puerto Ricans actually have legit heritage from the U.S. territory, but most musicals throughout history have only approximated heritage from a state, territory or country. I think they do this because its just so damn hard to find sellable "triple-threaters" in the first place who can at least resemble the characters, much less provide the exact dna. I also take issue with your characterization of the gang rape scene. It is one of the most important scenes of the movie and also the primary motivation for Anita to lie to everyone. The point is the disgust, revulsion and it sets up the final Shakespearean-eque end for Tony. By limiting your scope to a subtext of just treatment of race within the complex plot seems like you are judging one genre film by rules of an entirely different genre. For me, one of the most impactful shots of the entire movie was when the Jet's shut/locked the doors on their girlfriends leaving them helpless to do anything for Anita. They were suddenly as helpless as the audience is to do anything to help her.
Just saw as black woman i felt so bad for end although knew it would that way. That rape scene was also hard to watch. And the loss so devastating. Also saw in the heights agree with comments...
It’s just too much pain and trauma 😞
The fact that their standards for Puerto Rican actresses to play Maria were so high that they claim they “couldn’t find someone who could do all three” and then hired Ansel Elgort who was very obviously Not a singer is very frustrating.
Absolutely
Ansel IS a singer … he’s released his own music and had training in musical theatre early on. He’s never done a musical movie before either.
Don’t understand why the hate towards him and his portrayal in this movie. Alongside all musical theatre professionals (except for Rachel), I thought he held his own.
Tony is one of the hardest roles to portray … he not only has to sing like an angel, act his ass off - make you believe he’s tough enough to run a gang and yet soft enough to make Maria fall in love with him and also dance like a dream. Ansel is amongst all musical theatre professional performers in this movie and yes he isn’t the strongest (that’d be Mike Faist) but he’s definitely not the weakest. I thought his voice was beautiful alongside Rachel Zegler’s. Mind you the original film was dubbed … so even Richard Beymer didn’t sing. And for the movement in his throat as Ansel was singing … Rachel also had it slightly at times but you couldn’t see hers cos of her hair placement. They also sang live on set. I found this review very irritating in that you nitpicked over every little detail that didn’t go along with your expectation.
@@soniachapple3141 I’m glad you like him but I would have much preferred him dubbed because in my opinion he was the weakest link of the move. I don’t Hate him at all I just think he was not the correct choice. I personally think his acting was wonderful but his tones were lifeless compared to the rest of the cast. I do think you are right, Tony Is one of the hardest roles to play and I think they should have chosen musical talent over star power or dubbed him because there is no shame in dubbing. Also I don’t think being a DJ and having recorded band singles really constitutes as musical performance experience. They are two Very separate things. I think if They really wanted to go for star power they should have followed the O’ Brother Where Art Though route.
@@creativechic92 so his early training at La Guardia performing arts means nothing? He’s done quite a few musicals … none on Broadway but even the musical theatre performers in the movie started somewhere. It seems that you just pick and choose information regarding Ansel that suits your own agenda and whilst I get that you don’t like him, to just blatantly disregard his singing as rubbish … goes to show that whilst you objected to elements of the ignorance in parts of the film, you’re happy to include the same ignorance in your comments 🤷🏼♀️
Spielberg chose to have everyone sing live on set and if the vocal coaches thought he wasn’t any good, he wouldn’t have been cast. Again I state that the role of Tony is the most difficult to portray and I have never seen anyone be completely brilliant live. Instead of saying Ansel was rubbish, how about critiquing the writers portrayal of the character.
@@soniachapple3141 the fact that you hold Hollywood directors as high as you do when it comes to casting says a lot. Directors also chose Gerard Butler as the Phantom and Russel Crowe as Javert. This was also Spielberg’s first musical Ever so he’s not exactly a pro on musical casting. Also when it comes to Hollywood a few community musicals and college classes does not talent make. Also the fact that Spielberg wanted to do live recordings says Everything about his experience with musical theater. The last 2 movies that did that were Cats and Les Mis and look at how they turned out. Also just because I don’t like Ansel’s performance doesn’t mean I hate him. It’s really not that personal. He just wasn’t the best pick and it showed. Overlooking his flaws shows more ignorance than me stating that an actor I like wasn’t the right choice. Most professionals I know and work with didn’t like his performance either. It’s just preference. No need to get defensive. If you like it, you like it. I didn’t.
Awesome discussion points
Thank you!
I am Carribean (not Puerto Rican or Spanish). I haven't seen this movie yet. But I'm already dissappointed that the lead isn't Puerto Rican. I've been to the Island many times and had the fortunate experience to see it through a Salsa Congress where we danced and drank Puerto Rican Rum all night long. I was going to see this movie because I thought it would have more true, authentic Puerto Rico. SMH and how naive. 🤨😒 But that's Hollywood for you! A watered down version. ITS TIME PUERTO RICAN'S (like many Carribean people) TELL THEIR STORY!!! A remake using all Puerto Ricans (right down to the mofungo, etc . . .)!🤷🏽♀
🙌🏽
Love all your points….. however I like that there aren’t no subtitle …. It just makes it more personal for me … but that’s me
Thanks!
Agree. I like that they didn’t water down those moments with subtitles though I am curious for people who don’t speak Spanish if they feel they missed anything because there was quite a bit of Spanish peppered in throughout the film.
Great discussion on Puerto Rican identity and if it translate into the film. Bravo!
Thank you Armando, I really appreciate that!
Oh sure it translates into the film. It translates into the film for African Americans, Africanized Puerto Ricans and Racist Anglo Americans.
I just gotta ask, did you see the film and did you like it or hate it? I’m just curious because I’ve been hearing this film is getting lots of positive reviews and 93% rotten tomatoes score. Not that I’m planning see it or anything.
My review will be going on Rotten Tomatoes shortly, but to be honest I didn’t love it. I think it’s being hyped up way too much because it’s Spielberg when the reality is this film is mainly better than the original because they used actual Latino actors, even though it still isn’t there when it comes to the representation. You may feel differently though so maybe check it out!
@@kaymaldo Thank you for your honesty.
thank YOU!
Interestingly, none of the Puerto Ricans I have ever met during my 75 years in the USA associating with them, Puerto Ricans who who immigrated to the States, has ever expressed a strong dislike for living on the island. My father, for example, expressed just the opposite. He was always complaining about having to live in the mainland USA because it felt like he was living in a refrigerator. He also constantly claimed that he was much healthier when living in Puerto Rico and that living in the USA was aging him prematurely. Family ad other group discussions were always about other matters not related to quality of life in Puerto Rico. Expressions of nostalgia for a return were common. So yes,. the song doesn't really convey a genuine Puerto Rican attitude. Also, the accent that is used to sing I like To Live in America is a Mexican American accent. Puerto Ricans do not speak English that way nor sing in Spanish in that way.
I understand all your points but it seems you want or expected a documentary on Puerto Rican struggles in a rapidly gentrifying NYC neighborhood. As a Chicano from Los Angeles whose family members were displaced by the destruction of Mexican neighborhoods in Chavez Ravine (where Dodger Stadium was built) it is reasonable for Latinos to expect that movies should respect and acknowledge culture and history. But they never have and few ever get close. Its really up to Puerto Rican and Latinos in general to create films that represent our reality and stories. Hollywood was created to entertain the mass public. We have the responsibility
to tell the truth of our existence.
It’s also not unreasonable to want major studios to include Latinos and celebrate the differences in our cultures. Casting directors want to make a difference in this subject of colorism and prejudice in general but they don’t always listen when we speak out. It is up to us to create content to tell our story but it’s also up to the world to be open to our entrances…that’s the hard part. You can make all the work you want but it means nothing if it doesn’t reach the people it’s supposed to.
Yess Laila!!
Personally I think it’s the best West Side Story Adaptation becuase let’s not forgot the 1961 movie was also a remake. And the whole idea of “West Side Story” is a remake of Romeo and Juliet.
What did you like about it?
@@kaymaldo well I just saw it and everything from the direction to the chemistry between Maria and Tony and especially the connected we got to see between Bernardo and Anita to when Bernardo dies how devastated she was which made us feel devastated that she was devastated. Anyway, but also it just feels better becuase it stayed more faithful to the stage play than the original movie which is what it’s doing. It’s an adaptation of the stage play which the 1961 went far from. The changes to America I liked because it gave it individually. The fact THE Rita Merano returned and sang “Somewhere” I just started balling my eyes out. My favourite was Rachel and Ariana’s acting and how much they put into Maria and Anita when Anita is raped to when Tony died I really feel they should win an academy award. As for Oscars this is definitely in the running for best picture + David Alvarez for best supporting actor. Rachel and Ansel had way more Chemistry than Natalie and Richard + the cast actually sang and didn’t have they’re voices dubbed. Conclusion it’s the best movie of 2021 + the best directed Steven Spielberg film + the best West Side Story adaptation done. In my opinion.
@@idaf3028 thanks for sharing your thoughts
@@idaf3028 agreed, I loved the film. The music was great and I felt it had way more Hispanic representation than the 1961 version. That mambo scene has been stuck in my head! And the contrast between the jets and sharks when they dance, the Latino flavor is just different ❤️🔥 Anita and Bernardo were the best dancers in this film
@@marggiepv Ariana DeBose who plays Anita just won the Oscar!
Brava ladies. This was pertinent and eloquent.
Thank you!
Well if anyone could make a remake of WSS I'm glad it was Speilberg. I love musicals period and this is a favorite of mine, growing up in NYC and all. But like with the movie The Color Purple, I'm not surprised that he didn't get everything right. Alice Walker I believed sat through it twice to appreciate it. The 1st time she was going crazy correcting the lingo/language in her head which was different in her book. The 2nd time watched she appreciated what Speilberg did with her story. I'm sure this version of WSS wasn't perfect but he was respectful enough to get an all Latin cast to play the Sharks and their girls/siblings (Maria) even if they all weren't Puerto Rican. The music for the song America had a Mexican flavor rather than Puerto Rican (deceased composer Leonard Bernstein doing). I appreciate and love the critique between you two young ladies! Will see this version asap!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and checking out our discussion!
Keep in mind that original came out in 1961 and this is basically almost an exact remake of its story.
I think the original film and Broadway show before have the same issues as well.
Great job ladies 😉☺️
Thank you!
@@kaymaldo recommend me a movie to watch now that I won't regret please 🥺😳🥺!!!!! The last movie you saw that dropped ur jaw or blew ur mind ... I need a real life shaker 🧂 upper
@Alecsander Hamilton Definitely Everything Everywhere All At Once -- the hype is real! If you've already seen it, a few others I recommend are The Menu, Deadstream, Meet Cute, and The House.
@@kaymaldo I haven't seen any of those
Lincoln Center (along with Columbus Circle) was built to displace Puerto Rican neighborhood that was lowering the real estate value of Rockefeller Center. there's a book written about this quiet history of NYC Real Estate. Puerto Ricans then moved up to the South Bronx and the rest is history.
What is the name of the book?
"There's also the assumption that all Latinos speak Spanish, and not all Latinos speak Spanish...". This statement is from an educated woman with the wisdom and practically to acknowledge that truth. As there are those Latinos who lay down an idealistic standard that if you don't meet a particular cultural criteria you are deemed within their perspective of being in violation of your unapologetic lineage, despite DNA evidence to the contrary that should be sufficient to convict anyone of their errs. This was an excellent interview.
Thank you!!
@@kaymaldo While some of them may not be Hollywood powerhouse movies, I and my fiance saw a couple of other movies with Actors/Actresses of Puerto Rican background you may find interesting:
1) Baby Girl (2013);
2) On The Outs (2004);
3) Mamitas (A story with the main characters being Chicanos - 2011);
4) Boricua (2004 - Warning. It's kinda raw. Don't watch it if you're sensitive);
5) I'm In Love With A Church Girl (2013 - Rapper Ja Rule & Adrienne Bailon of "The Real". Adrienne is of Puerto Rican & Ecuadorian background). We loved this movie.
There's another one, but I can't fully recall that one at this time. Anyway, you're most welcome.
If you want all Latinos included let's Talk about how Latino Dominicans treat black Haitians in DR. All cultures have a Darkside.
I went to junior HS and it was predominantly Latino and all i heard all the time w as White boy this and White boy that. Hatred is in every cultures hearts. Keep that in mind.
I enjoyed this dialogue a lot -- gonna check out your other reviews and @filmposers as well. The sad thing that I think both of you were hitting on towards the end in terms of "representation with all the inaccurate details" is that Hollywood just doesn't care. And I say this as huge cynic who works in the industry and also continues to take the pay checks so my credentials are suspect undoubtedly, but it's a bottom line business and the bottom line is-- getting the details right and granting Black and brown characters their full humanity often interferes with Hollywoods efforts to attract the largest audience they can. Their model tends to be: watered down and general enough for white America with enough nods to the subject culture so that "everyone" will continue to pay the price of admission (cost of streaming) and that bottom line is as big a number as humanly possible. The sad thing is that we as Black and brown artists/creators/viewers/patrons usually accept and support half-successes such as this remake because so little being made is ever fully for us, or fully made BY us so we have very little to compare it too, and even more dubious, I personally feel that if we don't support these efforts than Hollywood execs will have yet another excuse for why not to make projects focused on us and our cultures...
Anyway, thank you for your thoughtful review and breakdown. I hope someone tackles The Lone Ranger when it comes out so I can feel some relief after having to watch Taylor Sheridan (most likely) butcher my history and ruin one of greatest stories of the old West in existence.
Absolutely, thanks Jeff!
Great discussion, me siento igual que ustedes.
Thanks Edwin!
Why does every single thing nowadays have to be about racism my God. Why can't we just enjoy the classical film the 1961 west side story was. I'm puerto rican myself and I am just so damn sick of everything being made out to be racist its getting ridiculous already 😒
Not just nowadays. It has alway`s been like that. And everything in America is about race. That`s why!
I took my girlfriend to see this movie, she had no idea about west side story and that third act really broke her, specially María sleeping with Tony after he killed Bernardo and the rape scene of Anita. I like the film, specially alot of the new changes by Spielberg, but it is going to be interesting what new audiences think about this movie. Great video and great discussion
maybe add a spoiler warning next time :///
Thanks for checking out our discussion
Great review u guys r spot on . I personally didn't think this remake was necessary but it was ok . I think the characters lack passion n likeability . Thank u again
I definitely agree with you about the passion and likeability. Thanks for watching my review and sharing your thoughts!
I thought Ansel Elgort was generally great. he might have been a little stiff early on, but he was wonderful in the last few minutes.
No one tries to pronounce English words or names with an English accent, or the same for German, French, Russian, Chinese, etc. The ONLY time anyone tries to pronounce words or names while speaking English with a foreign accent is when speaking Spanish words or names.
not true I don't know where you got this information from
What no.
@@treasey8655 A lifetime of observation and not one single instance of it ever happening.
@@gaetanomaximus8650 you just don't notice those instances
@@treasey8655 Because they never happen. Has any American newscaster EVER pronounced ANY Englilsh name or word, and our entire language is English, with an English accent? Nope. French words with a French pronounciation? Nope. Ever called "Moscow" "Moskva?" Nope. "Rome" as "Roma?" Nope. But Spanish? They TRY to do it as much as they can, even if they don't speak a word of Spanish. Nicaragua as "NeecarAHgua," "Puerto Rico" as "Puerrrrto Rrrrrreeeeeeko." It's ridiculous.
I noticed they still darkened the Latin actors/actresses. If you see them in press compared to the movie, they are shades darker.
Some of the prejudicial lines in the movie still had to represent 1950s white ideology. It would be inauthentic to make all the lines and words in 2021 vernacular or a 2021 world view. Also, you seem disappointed that the other Puerto Ricans actors were “background” actors … but there are only 6 main characters, there can’t be 30 major characters. This isn’t love actually. In terms of themes, motifs, and symbolism, I thought the film did a great job. I would have loved to understand the Spanish with subtitles, however, it shows that we are more alike. That we can understand body language and emotion and what is love in any language without full subtitle understanding.
I appreciate the thoughtful take on West Side Story, and I hope everyone gets to see this movie. Please dont overlook that the whole point of this film is to portray the way the characters suffer in the world dominated by hate.
Thanks for sharing your take, I appreciate it!
I still love the original film and look forward to watching this one. I disagree that this was a film meant for one group over another. It was meant for everyone interested in basic human relationships--love, hate, worries about the future, equality, and so on--and was meant to appeal to as large an audience as possible. Though Spielberg usually does better than most, no Hollywood-style movie (musical or otherwise) gets all the historical and cultural details correct. Not Jaws, Saving Private Ryan, Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and so on. None of them. They all are fair game to criticisms, similar to what those you both rightfully pointing out, from people with above average knowledge on the movie's subject area. But they are meant to entertain, and IMHO everything else is bonus.
I do see what you mean. Although I think getting certain cultural details can be important especially when it comes to underrepresented groups. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to continually see people and outlets using the phrase "Puerto Rican immigrant" when they describe or review the film, which is not accurate. Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917. How we're portrayed on screen gives others permission to treat us in stereotypical ways and effects how we feel about ourselves, which is why I think it's so important to tell our own authentic stories.
@@kaymaldo if you want accurate representation .. then why don’t you do something about it. Don’t see either of you directing, producing or choreographing anything 🤷🏼♀️
Really? No film can be 100% historically and culturally accurate? Weird. That sounds like a very simple thing to do if one really cares and is reasonably careful. For example, one basic precaution is not to be guided by racist stereotypes. Do you really think that having Puerto Ricans speaking with Mexican accents was unavoidable? Or that forcing a Puerto Rican actress to smear on darkening makeup was justified? Really?
@@kaymaldo I’m just little confused why the “immigrant” aspect is an issue in the context of a film that showcases racist ideologies & stereotypes based on being different from one another. “Jets” have racist, ignorant stereotypes of the Sharks , no different than the racist thoughts a lot of whites had at that time & even now. Why are we then criticizing the level of stereotypes they have ? When someone is racist towards black Americans they don’t take the time to consider if someone is from a country in Africa or from Deep South of a America. & I think that is the point, to not sugar coat the ignorant thoughts people had but to show a light on racism. Start a dialogue
I believe what you're asking for in more representation can only be done in a non-fiction documentary, not in a fictional drama. There were many references to the immigration experience, but that can only go so far in this medium. Reminds me of the 1960s sitcom Julia, one of the first shows starring an African American. There were many complaints about it not being a fair representation of Black America, some saying she was too white-washed others saying she was too stereotypical black, and you know what, both sides were right. One person cannot be a representative for millions, the same as one movie cannot be representative of a whole culture and experience.
One person can’t be a representative for millions makes sense when you’re talking about the various Latino cultures for sure because we’re not a monolith. But we’re only covering the Puerto Rican experience in WSS. You mention the immigration experience, Puerto Ricans have never dealt with that. They are US citizens. They don’t deal with the dangers of getting across a border or issues of deportation. If WSS was about a different Latino cultures experience the story would make sense. But to me it just perpetuate stereotypes that all of us are the same. The show you’re referencing also came out in the 1960s. I would think we’d be more advanced in 2021 to tell a more accurate story for Puerto Ricans in NY.
@@kaymaldo Thanks for the reply. So I'll rephrase it, simply put, what you would need to cover the Puerto Rican experience in just NYC alone would be a 10 hour documentary, not a 2 hour fictional film. Despite the fact that the film makers spent considerable time putting in more representation, even going to PR and finding people that you or your guess never heard of, despite all that your still not satisfied. Yes they could have put in more regional specific accents, dialects and food etc. and it still would not satisfy your expectations. Because what you want in this short format cannot exist.
Though I should have used the word migrate as in US citizens migrating, not immigrating, it is still the story of people in a new world facing hardships and discrimination in that era and that was done well in this film. The Jets look more like the racist rampaging thugs that no doubt existed in that era even more so than the 61 film.
Suggestion then, if you care to, how would you improve/fix this film to your liking if that is even possible.
@@kaymaldo I am an immigrant… and yes Puerto Ricans are Americans… but the universal immigration “experience” in the movie and real life was/is partly language, partly culture, etc… not just “the right to work” and citizenship
This movie bombed for a reason. Without a spark between Maria and Tony, the movie felt souless and rootless. Also, Maria sings "Somewhere" twice in the original, but never in this version! This turns the movie into an "anti-immigrant" movie, since it ends with both Maria and Anita professing regrets for having ever come to America. Whereas the original movie ends with Maris singing "Somewhere", indicating that there was a better future out there. Here, the movie predicts only more anarchy.
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12:31 but that’s the point of the film! It’s showing the racism and prejudice that existed at that time period. If you wrote the script what would you change about it in reality to it’s time period (and current day ignorance in the US)?
I find West Side Story as a whole to be a project that glamorizes a racist story vs commenting on it.
So is your opinion here just that it was a well made remake but it shouldn't have been made in the first place?
Also, do you think the mere adaptation of racial violence in film is a bad thing no matter the context?
My opinion is that the production aspects (dancing, cinematography) were well done but there was a lot outside of that that I didn’t enjoy about the movie.
The issue were talking about here more stems from the fact that Puerto Ricans are still being portrayed incorrectly in that context. I think there’s an issue at the roots of West Side Story as a work.
I agree with you on so much with this video. A million percent we should of had a Puerto Rican Maria.
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Spielberg went to audition in PR. He could not find a Maria there.
I just finished watching West Side Story on Disney+. The main reason reason why I was finally persuaded to watch this was because of Ariana Debose’s Oscar win. She was good, she a stand out for me along with Rita Moreno’s Valentina. I was surprised my Ansel Elgort singing chops. I just didn’t like the runtime, I was about to fall asleep around the 90min-2hr mark. Overall, it was a good movie.
Fair enough, glad you enjoyed it. Ariana DeBose was a star in this despite the other things I didn't like.
I saw both versions back to back, and I will say the pros and cons of both. 1961 pros are the settings, music, chemistry and let’s not forget multi Oscar winner. Cons are white wash and mixing up songs, and the visual were blurry and a still sticking to musical theme forgetting it’s a movie. Now 2021 pros cast of real latins, costumes, real rebel existence, dancing, and the more real on the gangs. Now the cons is the main couple, most of the singing, and the fact this movie was remade just to fix the first one. Now don’t get me wrong both version are good but it’s really up to others to see which version they live better.
I don't think the 1961 version is racist FOR IT'S TIME, it is racist for 2021 but not really for 1961
Just a point, the creators of WSS were part of marginalised communities, being Jewish, or gay for example. They weren't Puerto Rican though, clearly!
Also, yes the original lyrics of America are pretty disrespectful, but the original 1950s stage production was literally from another era. We do have have benefit of hindsight in the 2020s. However It was totally right that in the film the lyrics were changed to be less stereotypical.
This film to me was stunningly made, WSS isn't my favourite show, but it certainly plays an important role within musical theatre history and as an adaptation of the stage show it does everything an adaptation should do, it builds the world far more extensively than you can do onstage.
Also you are literally the only people I've seen reviewing this to point out Ansel's chin vibrato, omg so distracting!
Really insightful video, glad I found your channel!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
"The ones who suffer the most are the Sharks." Uh..no. One shark (Bernardo) dies. Two Jets (Riff and Tony) die. But the point is supposed to be that there are no winners.
Hmm Yes, the sharks are the ones who suffer the most, racism/xenophobia, constantly being followed by the police, they trying to rape anita and many other things. I didn't see the 2021 version, but the 1961 shows clearly, even through the a simple music in the background, that the jets are in the upper hand and with all the odds at their favour !
@@saraavila6981 This is a very woke version of West Side Story. The white cop tells you right in the beginning that the Jets are losers with no future while the Sharks are supposedly working their way up in the world. The cop tells the Jets that they will never amount to anything, and it's clear that he is right. By contrast, Bernardo is a successful boxer and Chino is actually studying to be an accountant. The Sharks explain clearly that the gang was formed entirely for self-defense because of the evil Jets. They are the admirable winners in the victimhood Olympics. The Jets, by contrast, are complete scum. They are criminals and rapists. The only reason we feel sorry for them at all is that we're told that their parents are even bigger scum. You literally cannot get more racist than this movie. Even so, only one Shark dies, although I assume that Chino killing Tony is probably going to hurt his chances of getting his CPA license.
Every time a filmmaker trys to do something to bring more light to things..you give it this White savior bull. All cultures on this planet are prejudiced, racist. Puerto Ricans are not free from sin. Spielberg and Co. did the best he could to be fair and you still give us this White savior bull.
Oh Please
The acting from Ansel and Rachel, while good, were the weaker of all the others. Singing was great, but they never really sold the other parts for me.
I was disappointed that Spielberg couldn't pull off an all PR cast for the Sharks, seems like anyone who could have, he would be, especially for Maria. She's a great singer and dancer, but also looks the whitest Maria they could find, seems whiter than Natalie Wood was in 1961.
Does she _have_ to darker skinned, no, of course not. But with the historical colourism, and that the Jets were "generic white gang", it seems to me that Maria could have been darker as opposed to passing white.
Interesting critique
I watched WSS yesterday. This is not the first movie of this year which has such a mediocrity inside of highly colored cover. 5/10 🤨😣
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I love the original and I love the remake.
Glad you enjoyed it
I enjoyed watching this review and I think that 90% of the sentiment behind your statements are exactly what I felt, and it stems from the fact that it sucks to see what Latinos have gone through (and are still going through) in this country due to racism, prejudice and discrimination.
I just think you’re taking your anger on the directors and producers for not writing a politically correct script instead of accepting that this is real history. Especially in early 1900’s NY where it was the early stages of the melting that it is now. Where you have different immigrants from different countries (especially first generation) you’re bound to have conflict.
I think the movie is just hold up a big mirror for the audience so we can look at ourselves and see how ugly we can get towards those who are different than us. Everything you said about “PR is part of the US. The Irish/italians are the immigrants. Etc.” yes that’s true, but the point of the film is to showcase how people are actually treated in this country. You can be Honduran and be called Mexican. How many videos are there on TH-cam of people recording racist rants on their phone where white people tell someone to “go back to their country” yet the person they’re referring to is actually an indigenous/Native American, or 6th generation American with Asian descent, and so on. The movie left a bitter feeling inside me, but not because it was a bad film. It’s because it sucks how ugly this world really is and I think they interpreted that beautifully. Also, a testament to the reality of being a woman during those times. The show Outlander also showcases how common rape was during the 1700s when women had no rights. History has been ugly to women and the minority. And I can see why they wrote the script for West Side Story the way they did.
PS, in the “America” dance sequence, they show protesters holding up signs saying “No Eviction,” in relation to the gentrification happening in the area
Thanks, I see what you mean. I just find West Side Story as a whole to be a project that glamorizes a racist story vs commenting on it.
I would not really care if they're weren't 100% porto rico, as long as they were 100% latinos. I love ariana and she killed the role, but is sad that she didn't even grow up in a latino community and literally learn how to speak Spanish in the set. I just wanted to see if they were gonna give us a chance to shine this time, and they didn't. Just a thought tho, no hate on her !
Great discussion though the continuous classification of Ariana Debose as Afro-Puerto Rican was bristling and felt like an anti-black way to distance her from the “preferred” fair skinned image of Puerto Ricans. Aren’t Puerto Ricans already a mix of Black (African), Spanish and Taino/Caribbean ancestry? How then, is someone with a Puerto Rican father and white mother classified as Afro-Puerto Rican if all Puerto Ricans have African heritage by definition? Is it because of her darker skin and more distant proximity to whiteness that can’t be celebrated without being “othered” for having darker skin? Regardless of the intentions here…Ariana was phenomenal and 100% deserved that Oscar. I’m sure she’ll proudly represent her people even if her people don’t full accept her representation.
Honestly, I'm not 100% sure on all of those details. From my understanding, Ariana DeBose has referred to herself as Afro-Puerto Rican so that's why we referred to her that way and because it was great representation that isn't always seen. She was phenomenal though and deserved her Oscar for sure.
I'll provide some insight into this if I may. I am Puerto Rican Chicagoan. De familia DuPrey of Humboldt Park as my cuzin says jee jee. Look her up, Melissa DuPrey.
BUT, it does not have to be a feeling of other to be defined by ancestry heritage and appearance. We describe people, characters, landscapes, dating back to the bible. It doesn't have to bring you pain. It can but it doesn't have to.
It's also helpful and kind and sensitive to a person's familial heritage by defining their dominant features. I am from an Afro Puerto Rican family. At the top of the most familiar to me branches of our family, is a large 🦣 broad shouldered African Puerto Rican man from Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Whom fell in love with a tiny blond haired blue eyed Spanish Puerto Rican woman. Justiano DuPrey and Agapita Reyes. When my family first explained their look to me and our story and our mix and our beauty and our diversity they would describe them in detail and give you heretical origin to our Puerto Rican mix. To provide a lineal history of our creation. Of our origin. Of my existence. And our shared identity in the world as a whole which is very common as the world is diverse. Opposites attract and create new things. Regardless if it's Africans and Arabs meeting in Ethiopia. Russians and Chinese meeting wherever they meet. Or Africans and Spanish meeting in Cuba rather rudely atop the pre existing Tainos whom were subjected to some rowdy and cocky neighbors across the seas.
Remember, Puerto Rico is an island nation. A nation even if not independent, an independent culture, identity and politics established itself organically out of an ambush of outsiders taking over the lands of Tainos.
And regardless of ignorance the Taino blood is largely present in all Boricuas hence Latinos and the fact so many Africans and Europeans who came to the island no longer so dominantly just look like their original native countries. We browned out. Spanish mixed with Tainos and Africans mixed with Tainos gave way to looks more impossible for Spanish Europeans or West African Africans to share with Puerto Ricans.
It is not an insult to acknowledge our lineal development in how we came to be.
It was always important for me growing up, though I'm olive skinned and with wavy 〰️ black looking brown hair, to acknowledge to anyone who tried to pigeonhole me to say real quick, HEY! I am not just Latino. I'm Puerto Rican. That makes me unique. It gives you a place I come from culturally. It gives you information about my family's travels. And then I'd extend without them asking and proudly say, I'm BLACK. Most of my family is black skinned. With a wide nose. And I'm white as well. My last name is DuPrey french not Spanish. I'm creole.
So now you see I've gone from a nationalistic Puerto Rican to a black, creole French influenced Puerto Rican. And since my Wela can attest we had strong Taino family members with cultural traditions and speech patterns that were strongly influenced by the Tainos and therefore my blood is still tied to the island. Making me an authentic Boricua. Of the island since before 1492. Which makes me an American pre Whiteface arrived LOL 😆. It's okay to laugh here. Even at the blackface I put on I suppose.
But to further detail the beauty of all this. Let me share, as I am proud to share.
Justiano DuPrey and Agapita Reyes had 13 children. All 13 came out black. Let me add, My family of Justiano and Agapita were not newly arrived Africans and Spaniards to Puerto Rico circa 1800s or 1900s. My Wela definitively states that my bisabuelos were long rooted in Puerto Rico. Making them both regardless of color, Puerto Ricans.
We weren't gypsies. We had homes, communities and history in Puerto Rico. Black or white or native.
But they had 13 kids that came out definitively black in features. Dominated genetically by our African blood. Then of those 13 my Wela Betzaida aka Bachi had 4 children with Felipe Martinez. Felipe was a black Puerto Rican as well from El Coto, Arecibo, Puerto Rico. He was friends with Juan Pizarro de Los Chicago White Sox de Carolina PR. And friends with Felipe Martinez from the island to Chicago when Roberto Clemente and other great PR ballpalyers would visit the Chicago Puerto Rican barrio when in town for baseball ⚾ and would hang with the Puerto Ricans of the local community and spread love, business, and dignity and respect.
And Juan Pizarro has the same eyebrows as Felipe's son my oldest uncle Angel Felipe Martinez. Notice my Puerto Rican family always avoided the Spanish tradition of two surnames. It was never our tradition. From the island to the United States. Maybe bcuz we are black. Idk the answer to this.
To give highlight to something other than just the wide nose on Africans. I see other unique features such as sharp point curved nicely brushed eyebrows over arched semi slanted squinted eyed high cheek bone strong Afro Puerto Rican faces. Of which they are plenty. In my family very beautifully proportioned and painted. God must have loved us as much as I love him for giving me them.
So my Welas initial family would have looked like an American negro family with a husband and wife black, tall, lean and motivated and full of love and intelligence raising 4 negro children --- that all spoke Puerto Rican Spanish in West Side Chicago on Madison Avenue by Billy Goat Tavern of Bill Murray infamy. And alongside them on the stoops, down the street, around the corner, in the kitchens, on the buses, riding in nice 1960's cars would be a lil white lady of Puerto Rican descent riding in cars with grandchildren of pure black persuasion and with a daughter that is black and a son in law that is black and all watching each other's backs and behinds with love compassion soul discipline and care.
But to describe how they look is necessary in describing how beautiful this American scene was. With a Puerto Rican identity piecing all the seams together of the worlds greatest revolution . How it spins full circle.
what's annoying is to hear "speak English" a hundred times.
They really do that though. It's part of reality
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It’s a remake we didn’t want
Ansel was okay but everyone else were just WAY better.
Preach
I just watched the film today and I left with a bittersweet feeling but I also felt some kind of rage. If I’m honest I haven’t seen the original film, I don’t know if the character of Valentina is there in the original. I agree with you, that scene of Anita could have been treated in a different way, just the hate she gets from them and the pain she felt for loosing Bernardo could have been a catalyst for her to said what she said… but what bothered me the most was that Valentina could have said a lot more to the Jets in that scene, she just addressed how those boys were now turning into rapist and doesn’t speak about all the hate they spread to the puerto ricans and latinx community in general, even after that scene with Anita were she receives all that hate. Valentina's character should have serve more to get some middle ground to both the sharks and the jets and for me that means having difficult conversations and really make the jets accountable for their actions of discrimination. During the movie there are these hints that tell us that the Jets also come from an immigrant background, they mentioned Irish and polish. And Valentina herself is said to be Puerto Rican! So I think in that scene that was something that needed to be addressed, cause it opens a necessary conversation with the public. I’m from mexico and I felt a bit sad and angry while I was watching this movie cause at the end the message felt short, they could have done a lot more in my opinion. I also think that Tony shouldn’t have killed Bernardo in that rageful way… it develops him more like a character if he was able to empathize with Bernardo at that moment, being that he was send to jail for almost killing a man in a fight, and in that scene you can see that Bernardo immediately regrets killing Riff. So in that part I would have given him more space to not do that action directly, maybe to have an indirect action to it if that makes sense so it could still serve as a plot device, because also I feel that his character and Maria really need to speak more about coming together and the way he kills Bernardo just really make me feel like “What are you doing?”
I totally hear you, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
I have to admit I have watch the film. However as a Puertorican I dont think we are "Americans". Let me explain, legally Puertoricans are united state citizens, but we dont share the same culture, background ect.That is why I like to remarks the difference between nationality and citizenship. Those concept are not exactly the same, although they are related. The fact that you have a passport for x country does not mean that you understand the culture of that country, but have the same rights and respect for the culture of that country.
They really include the revolutionary La Boriquena, Spilberg how you dare. Im sorry to me that is no no. The song is a screaming again the colonialism that we are suffering, and that is perpetuated by the US.
I guess it depends on your experience. I grew up in New York, I consider myself American and Puerto Rican.
@@kaymaldo I agree with that
You don't have to be Puerto Rican to have a legitimate opinion of this version. In my opinion, this movie has a big problem...namely they don't use subtitles at the appropriate times and it refers to Latinos as "Latinx". I'm very curious to see if subtitles will be used overseas for French, German or Russian audiences...and, if so, why?
This movie was based on the Zoot Suit Riots of Los Angeles in the early 1940s race war n fights with Anglo Marine soilders vs Chicano/Mexican 🇲🇽 of Los Angeles not Puerto Ricans of New York.
This title is simplistic and not congruent with the dialogue. We know where the $$ is coming from.
Ansel was so stiff and had no chemistry with Rachel. Rachel was amazing as Maria. Great video
Thanks Aly!
I refuse to see this rubbish
I’ll stick with the original. Spielberg is a hack .
This movie was terrible the acting was awful
I think you OVERTHUNK the whole movie .....
1. Good idea to have Rita Morino inserted into the Steven Spielberg script of *West Side Story*
2. Best Actress role for Oscar nomination for Spielberg's version will be Maria (Rachel Zegler) and then Anita (Ariana DeBose) for supporting Oscar nomination. I think Rachel Zegler's acting for Maria, was better than Natalie Wood in Robert's Wise production.
3. Second choice for best supporting actress: Rita Marino. (yes again)
4. I did not like any of the character actors choice for either the Jets or Sharks in this Spielberg version.
5. I did not like the first act of the Spielberg version as much as the Robert Wise version, but the second act of Spielberg's version made up for the 1st act's shortcomings. Spielberg's first act of his movie was too, too, dark.
6. My choice for which movie was better would be the flawless *1st* West Side Story. Robert Wise was the better Director in this for the 1st Movie version of the play. However the second act of Spielberg's version made tears come from my eyes, but don't tell anybody as I don't want my manhood questioned.
7. In the first movie the Jet gang gave respect for the little girl playing on the ground and walked around her play area. In the Spielberg version the Jets ripped up the little girls artwork on the ground. I could not get behind the Jets after that.
8. The dance scenes in both versions were equally good.
9. Spielberg claimed he did not want to copy the first, Robert Wise version, however he did in the opening. In the first, Wise version, we have an aerial shot flying over Manhattan, in Spielberg's version we have an aerial shot flying over the demolished section of the gang area with same intro music.
10. Spielberg's version of West Side Story, should be nominated for *Best Picture* Oscar this year, however from the *WOKE* Hollywood, they might choose another low budget foreign movie made with no whites in it, that nobody will see, for diversity's sake. Then that will remind me of Marxist Korean movie (looked like a college student made film) winning Best Picture over "1917" a real professional movie. And like Spielberg's movie, "Saving Private Ryan" that didn't win Best Picture, which it should have, over that terrible love movie, again, that nobody saw.
11. Why couldn't Spielberg use any other race besides Puerto Rican? That was a racist decision on WOKE Spielberg. High class acting is art, that a great actor could pull it off. Spielberg now denies race to play any role unless they are the same race of the character portrayed? This is a slam in the face of all actors. Example, he could have used actors from any South American country as long as they looked Puerto Rican. Come on man! Spielberg trying to be WOKE is a racist to all other promising actors.
13. What was this freak dark tranny character that used to be a tom boy girl in the Robert Wise movie? We could see in the Robert Wise movie that this was a tom boy girl. However in this movie, we don't know who this scary creature from hell was in Spielberg's version. Spielberg was again trying to be WOKE by picking a tranny freak character from this year 2021 by making the LGBTQ people happy. That demonic freak character was a bust.
Number 13!!! I've seen the movie twice! So true!! The "Anybodys" character was Very Dark & Freaky!! They should have left her a "Tomboy", like in the 1957 play & 1961 movie.😬
I don’t agree. I liked the way they portrayed Anybodys as someone trying to be their true self. Maybe at that time people saw it as being a tomboy when really they were just a boy born in the wrong body. I don’t see anything “dark and freaky” about being your true authentic self. That is brave.
@@kaymaldo
If you think a boy's true self is being a girl then you must be one of them creatures too with your idea from hell.
God I wish I can see the dislikes 😔
54 likes, 7 dislikes 🔥