New West Side Story Honors the Old
How Spielberg recreated a time-honored classic, with a freshness that keeps the original spirit alive!
There is a fear when recreating something so precious, as a classic and honored film like the 1961 movie musical West Side Story. Today, we see so many recreations of classic films that just seem to fall flat. The creators will try too hard to make their new film relevant and fresh, for the new age, that they lose the authenticity that made the film popular to begin with. Taking away classic songs, or moments that are treasured to those admirers of a film, is the biggest worry when fans hear of a remake. After seeing Steven Spielberg’s recreation of West Side Story, all those fears are gone. This film is stunningly unique, with every moment an homage to the classic. Through perfect casting, and subtle innovative adjustments, not only is this film a great tribute to the original, but its own stand-alone success that has the power to become a classic for a new generation.
Those who know West Side Story, are aware of it’s heartbreaking story of forbidden love, and representation of a singular time in history, and the world these people lived in. It tells the story of two rival gangs on the streets of New York in the 1950's as many Puerto Rican immigrants moved to NYC. The story of a time of unrest, between the Americans (the Jets) and the Puerto Ricans (the Sharks). Described as a modern Romeo and Juliet story which captured the hearts of so many when originally produced. This new version has every bit of the enchantment, and rivet as in 1961.
From the moment we heard about this revival we knew it was going to be different. Starting with the casting of the film, which the original is known to have its faults in. Spielberg went on a mission to find an unknown Latina woman to play the innocent and optimistic Maria, one half of the love story. In his search, he discovered and cast the role as 20-year old Colombian American actress Rachel Zegler from New Jersey. Her stunning voice, and brilliantly authentic portrayal of the role gives this film a new Maria, who grasps your attention every moment she is on the screen. As for the rest of the cast, each Puerto Rican character is portrayed by a Latinx cast, with many lines spoken in Spanish without subtitles. This element beautifully captures this modern multicultural America.
One of the many elements that add to the success of this film is the wonderful and explosive choreography, by Justin Peck. While many could take the opportunity to modernize the dance, Peck keeps all the cheesy finger snaps, and aerial dance moves that we love. The major noticeable difference in the structure of the film is the movement of some songs within the storyline, as well as the addition of some dialogue. This addition only seems to enhance understanding of the story, and give the viewer more to hold onto, so by the end of the film there is a good chance of being a puddle of tears where you sit.
Hands down one of the most brilliant and heartwarming elements to this film is the role handcrafted for Oscar-winning actress Rita Morena, who starred as Anita in the 1961 original. This element was critical in connecting the two films and paying homage to the original. The emotion in the beloved song “Somewhere” has always been inherent in this musical, however in this new film, the brilliant Rita Moreno sings the song through as if urging those she loves to listen and captivates the viewer with a hold so strong and emotional, looking away is impossible. Not only is she a part of the film, some could argue that she is the heart of it. She is the character who connects all the rest, the voice of reason, and the bridge between tradition, and change.
There is no doubt that the 1961 West Side Story will remain iconically beloved and this new film could never change that. However, it is beautiful to see that we can take a classic and revive it without losing the integrity of its originator. While in the process, have the power to introduce a new era of people, to one of our greatest star-crossed stories of the ages.
