West Side Story [DVD]

WEST SIDE STORY [1961/2011] [Deluxe Limited Edition DigiBook] [Blu-ray + DVD] [French Release] The Screen Achieves One of the Greatest Entertainments in the History of Motion Pictures!The greatest love story ever told... in the most acclaimed musical of all time... is now on Blu-ray! Experience every sensational song, dazzling dance number and magical movie moment of West Side Story in sparkling high definition with pure 7.1 digital sound – along with fascinating special features created exclusively for this 50th Anniversary Edition!Winner of ten Academy Awards® including Best Picture, this electrifying musical sets the ageless tragedy of Romeo and Juliet against a backdrop of gang warfare in 1950's New York. Featuring an unforgettable score, exuberant choreography and powerful performances by Natalie Wood, Russ Tamblyn, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno and George Chakiris, ‘West Side Story’ will forever resonate as a true cinematic masterpiece.FILM FACT: Awards and Nominations: Academy Awards®: Win: Best Picture for Robert Wise [Producer]. Win: Best Director for Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. Win: Best Supporting Actor for George Chakiris. Win: Best Supporting Actress for Rita Moreno. Win: Best Art Direction for Set Decoration (Color) for Victor A. Gangelin and Boris Leven. Win: Best Cinematography (Color) for Daniel L. Fapp. Win: Best Costume Design (Color) for Irene Sharaff. Win: Best Film Editing for Thomas Stanford. Win: Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture for Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, Irwin Kostal, and Sid Ramin. Win: Best Sound for Fred Hynes (Todd-AO SSD), and Gordon E. Sawyer (Samuel Goldwyn SSD). Nominated: Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) for Ernest Lehman. Academy AwardS®: Brilliant Achievements in the Art of Choreography on Film for Jerome Robbins.Cast: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, Simon Oakland, Ned Glass, William Bramley, Tucker Smith, Tony Mordente, David Winters, Eliot Feld, Bert Michaels, David Bean, Robert Banas, Anthony 'Scooter' Teague, Harvey Evans, Tommy Abbott, Susan Oakes, Gina Trikonis, Carole D'Andrea, Jose De Vega, Jay Norman, Gus Trikonis, Eddie Verso, Jaime Rogers, Larry Roquemore, Robert E. Thompson, Nick Navarro, Rudy Del Campo, Andre Tayir, Yvonne Wilder, Suzie Kaye, Joanne Miya, John Astin (uncredited), Priscilla Lopez (uncredited), Lou Ruggiero (uncredited), Penny Santon (uncredited), Jimmy Bryant (Tony singing voice) (uncredited), Marni Nixon (Maria singing voice) (uncredited) and Betty Wand (Anita singing voice) (uncredited)Director: Jerome Robbins and Robert WiseProducers: Saul Chaplin, Walter Mirisch (uncredited) and Robert Wise (uncredited)Screenplay: Ernest Lehman and Arthur Laurents (book)Composers: Leonard Bernstein (music), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and Irwin Kostal (uncredited)Cinematography: Daniel L. Fapp, A.S.C.Video Resolution: 1080pAspect Ratio: 2.20:1 [Super Panavision 70]Audio: English: 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English: 4.0 Dolby Digital, French: 5.1 DTS-HD, German: 5.1 DTS-HD and Spanish: 5.1 DTS-HDSubtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Dutch, Flemish, Mandarin (Simplified), Norwegian and SwedishRunning Time: 2 hour 32 minutesRegion: Blu-ray: All Regions and DVD: PALNumber of discs: 2Studio: 20th Century Fox EntertainmentAndrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ is without question one of the most iconic, undeniably powerful, and memorable films ever released. The idea behind the production was an act of genius in and of itself: taking the tried and true formula of William Shakespeare's prodigious work known as Romeo & Juliet and adapting it into a modern day setting. Jerome Robbins monumental musical brought forth enough flair in style and heart of wonder to capture the imaginations of even the most cynical of film goers and film critics upon the theatrical release in 1961 and now 50 years ago. There are few films that manage to be so awe-inspiring in scope. West Side Story has the distinction of winning 10 Academy Awards® and including Best Picture, which is the most ever for a film musical.The film lays out some ground rules for the story from the beginning as two rivalling gangs in New York known as the Jets and the Sharks begin to demonstrate their immense displeasure with each other by evoking these negative sentiments with a perfectly choreographed song and dance number. The gang form replicates the original rivalry of Romeo & Juliet found between the Montagues and the Capulets.This is a love story, of course, between two young star-crossed lovers from different backgrounds and who must struggle with the lack of acceptance from those who surround them. Tony [Richard Beymer] was the former leader of the Jets gang, and now he's looking for a brighter tomorrow without gang life interfering with a newfound spirit for renewal and growth. Maria [Natalie Wood] is the beautiful young woman who captures Tony's heart. Maria has inner-beauty that matches her outwardly gorgeous looks and she falls in love with Tony with an equal level of intensity and immediacy. Conflict inevitably arrives when Bernardo [George Chakiris] learns that his younger sister is involved with former Jet leader Tony. Bernardo is the gang leader of the Sharks.The performances in ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ are brilliant and uncannily captivating across the board. Both lead performances by Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer are remarkable achievements. Beymer was cast in one of his most memorable roles of his career and Natalie Wood added another excellent performance to her already long list of achievements (including her child performance in the original ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ and a performance against James Dean in ‘Rebel Without a Cause’). The supporting cast of actors helps the foundation of the film dramatically with great performances by Russ Tamblyn as the new Jet leader Riff (who is close friends with Tony), George Chakiris as Bernardo, and Rita Moreno as Bernardo's feisty and intelligent girlfriend Anita. George Chakiris and Rita Morena both received well deserved Academy Awards for their sensational performances.There are two essential double-bill aspects to ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ that have continued to be so impressive after all of these years following the debut: the collaborations in music that combined the efforts of an undeniably jazz-infused Leonard Bernstein and the up and coming brilliant lyricist Stephen Sondheim, and the directing efforts from both Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins (who also choreographed the film). Robbins deserves the most recognition though, as he conceived of the original play and lent the best of his choreography on a level that had never been captured before and hasn't been since. Either double bill aspect concerning this massive and unrelentingly complicated production is purely wonderful and worthy of acclaim. The music sweeps viewers off their feet and captures the essence of romance and love while the energetic, stylish direction and the majority of which was done by Robert Wise, and choreography done entirely by Jerome Robbins, and brings some of the most captivating cinematic visuals around.Who cannot forget the opening dance number by the Jets, the spinning visual-effects of Maria to a new dance number with countless energetic dancers, the silly rooftop dance that celebrates and critically dissects both the promise and disappointments found by minorities living in America? Attempting to even pick a favourite scene or sequence can lead to some problems: every scene is so beautifully and expertly crafted that it almost seems more appropriate to simply select a personal favourite from the bunch. The mid-way rushing of frantically scattering gang members, the long silence, and the slanted camera-work might be one person’s pick, but how about the simple but elegant dance between Tony and Maria? There are so many perfect moments. The execution of this production is almost flawless.There are some minor detractors as it is hard to imagine new audiences of ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ not having at least some difficulty accepting the fact that Natalie Wood is playing a Puerto Rican. The racial issues are actually inherently important to the story of ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ itself so the unmistakable fact that there is a racial issue in the film is sadly disappointing nonetheless, but for those who can overlook this aspect it should still be worth recognizing that Natalie Wood delivered a fantastic performance that continues to be enchanting. It is important to remember the historical context of when the film was produced within the Hollywood studio system and to appreciate positive elements without overlooking negative drawbacks.The history of this film is so interesting. It was a huge undertaking for everyone involved, most notably Jerome Robbins, who was eventually fired from the film despite being the largest source of its creative energy. The film surprised audiences worldwide. It was such a tremendous hit, and no one expected it to take everything by storm the way it did. The film continues to amaze audiences after half a century. The play version is performed worldwide through schools and theatre production companies. Even for those who haven't seen the film, there is a clear distinction of the importance of ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ and of the music that brought it to life. There is not even a single film out there quite like it and that continues to make it even more special and enduring. ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ is all about love between two unlikely souls, the love for theatre, as represented through this stunning cinematic tour-de-force, and the recognition of the importance of overcoming racial issues and understanding the commonalities between people of different backgrounds.Set to the lush cinematography of Daniel L. Fapp, West Side Story is pretty much as the early advertisements for the film claimed: "As other movies age ... ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ gets younger!" In other words: it's a timeless classic.Blu-ray Video Quality – ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ arrives on Blu-ray with an almost immaculate looking transfer – which is great news as it was filmed with 70mm cameras. In one word: incredible. Fans of the film will be hard-pressed to find an element of dissatisfaction. The colours are so vivid; the contrast so accurate, the cinematography brilliant, and the overall feel of the high-quality production is almost perfectly captured. The image clearly hasn't been tampered with by annoying "picture-quality enhancing" shortcuts. Make no mistake: this Blu-ray is the best presentation of ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ on home media. The film is presented in an awesome 1080p encoded image in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.20:1.Blu-ray Audio Quality – The audio presentation doesn't skimp out on any trimmings either. The film is presented with a glorious 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio presentation that captures the music in all its magnificent glory. The dialogue is also well reproduced on this Blu-ray release and sound directionality is well used for both the score and songs. Other Audio options available as stated above.Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:Blu-ray Film [1080p] and DVD Bonus [PAL]DISC 1 [Blu-ray]:Special Feature: Comment on the songs by Lyricist Stephen Sondheim: This is somewhat fascinating and somewhat depressing. Steven Sondheim seems to offer a view on his lyrics that is negative, overly harsh, extremely unflattering, and thoroughly interesting all at the same time. He apparently doesn't feel quite as confident in his own lyrics as his fans do. Sondheim does share a great deal about how or why he created some of the lyrics to his songs and he gives good information about the overall process.Special Feature: Karaoke (Voice Original) Music Machine [1080p] [1:25:07] This is a video jukebox of all the film's musical sequences. Each song/sequence can also be accessed individually.Special Feature: POW! Dances from West Side Story [1080p] [19:00] All new feature in which cast members, contemporary filmmakers, dancers and choreographers analyse and illuminate the film's famous dance sequences. With a fantastic 19 minutes’ worth of footage for 6 specific scenes in the film including Prologue; Dance At The Gym; Tony And Maria's Cha Cha; America; The Rumble and Maria's Roof Dance, and they can also be viewed separately.DISC 2 [DVD]:Special Feature Documentary: Memories of West Side Story [2003] [60:00] This is an original recordings of Natalie Wood, interviews with team members including Robert Wise and Stephen Sondheim. It gives us a broad look at the making of the film and the troubles it went through, including the firing of Jerome Robbins and the replacement of Natalie Wood's vocals with those of Marni Nixon.Special Feature: Storyboard to Film Comparison Montage [4:50] This is a brief but interesting video collection of storyboarded drawings that were used to capture the essence of select scenes or moments before being filmed.Special Feature: Photo Shooting [480i] [4:50] This is a Storyboard to Film Comparison Montage.Theatrical Trailers: Original Theatrical Trailer; Original Issue Trailer; Reissue Trailer and Animated Trailer.BONUS: A Beautiful Designed Exclusive Deluxe Limitied Edition DigiBook. Here you get lots of brilliant stunning Colour and Black-and –White photos and an Introduction by Producer Walter Mirisch. You also get different sections entitled: “LA PETITE HISTOIRE DE WEST SIDE STORY;” “UN FAUTEUIL POUR DEUX;” “BERNADO, TONY ET RIFF;” “MARIA ET ANITA” and “NEW YORK NEW YORK.” [French wording].Finally, ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ is one of the great landmarks of cinema. It is the perfect blend of theatricality and cinematic wonder. The performances amaze, the direction mesmerizes, and the musical songs are totally beautiful and have become classic songs that live forever. ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ is a landmark film which pushed the boundaries of the American musical art form. Five decades later it doesn't just hold up, it stands tall as one of the best movies ever made. This Blu-ray presentation doesn't quite reach those comparatively giddy heights, however. The transfer looks great at times but it's slightly hamstrung by the original printing artefacts, and some modern anomalies have also left their mark. The sound is quite lovely in terms of quality and retains the directional dialogue, but sadly the 7.1 surround field is utterly wasted. The extra features aren't as wide-ranging as one might hope, yet there's just enough here to satisfy. Here be warned about the strange fade to black during the Overture, which maybe was a small mistake that will surely be remedied at some point with another Special Edition. But despite this, with this Blu-ray release, it has made the film look totally fresh, in thinking it was made in the 21st Century, as the filming was so dramatic and with the fantastic cinematography, bring musical score and amazing tuneful songs, this film was worthy of all its plaudits and has now gone pride of place in my Blu-ray Collection. Of course sadly the wording in this DigiBook is all in French, but the colour and black-and-white images make up for it, as well as the brilliant DigiBook luxurious presentation. Very Highly Recommended!Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film FanLe Cinema ParadisoWARE, United Kingdom

it is REALLY WORTH SEEING (MORE THAN ONCE)I KNOW...I KNOW....it was a box office flop....but it remains a critics' smash hit....and among audience members like myself who saw it in the theaters (6 times!) and now own it....the reception was even better.92 Percent of the Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave it a BIG THUMBS UP....8.3 out of 10 was the average rating. 94 Percent of the audience gave it a STANDING OVATION ....4.6 out of 5 was the average rating.Each time I enjoyed it tremendously. It is moving, provocative, powerful, and pertinent. I took 16 others to see it and only one regretted the trip. 14 were as impressed as I was.You can read the reviews......both professional and audience generated. Here is mine...West Side Story: 8 Ways The 2021 Remake Improves On The 1961 Original1961’s West Side Story has been hailed as one of the greatest movies of all time – certainly in the musical genre – so Steven Spielberg had some huge shoes to fill when he set out to re-adapt the iconic Broadway show. Here is where his version stands out....8- The Camera Is More Active In The Remake with a vibrant, varied, and disturbing New York City as it stage7- Stronger Performances by a truly ethnically diverse cast of strong singers, dancers and actors who actually did all of their own performing! And Rita Moreno, a star in the first film, is not to be missed in a role created for her in the remake.6- Bernstein’s Music and Sondheim’s Lyrics Have Never Felt More Alive or Poignant...speaking to contemporary American (and Global) realities5- Taking Gang Violence Seriously and in a Wider More Realistic Context that Shines a Light on Mindless Deep Divisions in Society, including Our Contemporary Society.4- Spielberg Updated The Themes: Racial Tension, Immigrant Struggles, the Price of Pricey Urban Renewal, and the Nature of Unbridled Hate Based in Empty Prejudice, Anger, Anxiety, Resentment.3- Expressionistic Visuals That Will be Remembered. Ex.The “Rumble” in a Domed Salt “Arena” begins with the Shadows of the Two Sides Touching First in an Eerie overhead shot which is then revisited after the rumble when the police arrive. Stunning.2- Rachel Zegler And Ansel Elgort, A Polish Tony, and a Puerto Rican Maria Sell The Shakespearean Tragedy: They are star-crossed lovers in a relationship doomed from the start with Every Possible Happy Ending eventually impossible since they cannot walk away from the forces that surround them and the history that weighs them down1-The Final Scene Hammers The Message Home SOOOO Effectively.......Ultimately, the message in West Side Story is that “hate begets hate.” The rumble’s energy and chaos, uncontrollable and unrelenting, leads to two unintentional but unavoidable deaths, and then a third one that ends the film (and any hope of happiness). Responding to violence with more violence, to hate with more hate, will only lead to even more violence and even more hate. Lessons for today I think. But lessons unlikely to be learned.This message is conveyed beautifully in the original movie, but Spielberg hammers it home even more so in the remake. In the final scene, before Tony’s body is carried away, María grabs Chino’s gun and gives a powerful monologue that sums up the story’s messaging and then “soldiers” from each side, moved by her words, carry his body through the streets as the police converge on the scene...too late….but the pain is far from over.Shakespeare, in Romeo and Juliet, the ground on which West Side Story stands, closes the tragedy in which both young lovers are dead, with the words of the Duke, the symbol of authority and law in the play. Speaking to both families (the gangs) he angrily condemns them with these words:"See what a scourge is laid upon your hate, That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love! You have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished. Yes, All are Punished.It is a moving moment made more powerful by Spielberg’s take:, Tony is physically dead, Maria is emotionally dead, the gangs from both sides have lost nearly everything, the police are shown to be impotent and the city is in ruins. And Rita Moreno’s character, a Puerto Rican woman in her 90’s who married an Anglo Man hoping that their love might be a living example for all of those divided by race, faith, belief, power, and raw hatred might find that love can find a way….picks up the gun and with head bowed is the last of the shadows to pass through the streets.SO...why did it flop?The audience it was aimed toward, the 50 plus crowd, is the smallest demographic going out to movies (COVID, changes in viewing habits etc.)The film is a very serious one with a message that strikes deep but is largely without hope.While, West Side Story did well on the stage and the screen in the past, it was not a hit with audiences in general...my guess, is that even then the message struck a little too deeply and there was no happy ending.Musicals on film do not do well generally unless they are light, airy and fun (think My Fair Lady and Sound of Music).But it is my guess that in the years to come, WSS 2021 will be very highly regarded. So, see the film at home...so worth it....BY the Way.....The extras on the DVD/Blu Ray are wonderful. One set is just the songs/dances lifted from the film and played one after the other. These are the heart of the film and this format allows those who know the film well to revisit its core easily. The other extra is a long feature about the making of the film. You get inside the creative process in a way that is most enlightening. So worth it......

Considering this is a remake of such an outstanding and classic movie, I was skeptical at first. But as I watched this I was impressed with many aspects of this updated take on the classic. It felt more authentic in many ways, and it didn’t deviate too far from the original, although a few scenes were rearranged. I will rewatch this every few years now too, as I rewatch the original every few years too.

I appreciated the changed settings of when, where, and who sang the songs. Leonard Bernstein is superb, regardless, but Spielberg brought more sense and value to the songs. Performers were quite good. This was an excellent interpretation of the story.

In my opinion, better than the original — and I don’t usually say that about most movies. Amazing scenes of midcentury Manhattan! Simply magic.

I admire Ansel Elgort's singing chops. That is worth a viewing or two.

For use with my newly upgraded surround system. Excellent effort by Spielberg.

Great find enjoyed.

Ik heb van te voren gevraagd of er Nederlandse ondertiteling beschikbaar is op deze film. Ze antwoorden met ja! Nadat ik heb besteld en ontvangen bleek dat het toch niet zo is. GEEN NEDERLANDSE ONDERTITELING!! Jammer en retour gestuurd.

WEST SIDE STORY [1961/2011] [Deluxe Limited Edition DigiBook] [Blu-ray + DVD] The Screen Achieves One of the Greatest Entertainments in the History of Motion Pictures!The greatest love story ever told... in the most acclaimed musical of all time... is now on Blu-ray! Experience every sensational song, dazzling dance number and magical movie moment of West Side Story in sparkling high definition with pure 7.1 digital sound – along with fascinating special features created exclusively for this 50th Anniversary Edition!Winner of ten Academy Awards® including Best Picture, this electrifying musical sets the ageless tragedy of Romeo and Juliet against a backdrop of gang warfare in 1950's New York. Featuring an unforgettable score, exuberant choreography and powerful performances by Natalie Wood, Russ Tamblyn, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno and George Chakiris, ‘West Side Story’ will forever resonate as a true cinematic masterpiece.FILM FACT: Awards and Nominations: Academy Awards®: Win: Best Picture for Robert Wise [Producer]. Win: Best Director for Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. Win: Best Supporting Actor for George Chakiris. Win: Best Supporting Actress for Rita Moreno. Win: Best Art Direction for Set Decoration (Color) for Victor A. Gangelin and Boris Leven. Win: Best Cinematography (Color) for Daniel L. Fapp. Win: Best Costume Design (Color) for Irene Sharaff. Win: Best Film Editing for Thomas Stanford. Win: Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture for Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, Irwin Kostal, and Sid Ramin. Win: Best Sound for Fred Hynes (Todd-AO SSD), and Gordon E. Sawyer (Samuel Goldwyn SSD). Nominated: Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) for Ernest Lehman. Academy AwardS®: Brilliant Achievements in the Art of Choreography on Film for Jerome Robbins.Cast: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, Simon Oakland, Ned Glass, William Bramley, Tucker Smith, Tony Mordente, David Winters, Eliot Feld, Bert Michaels, David Bean, Robert Banas, Anthony 'Scooter' Teague, Harvey Evans, Tommy Abbott, Susan Oakes, Gina Trikonis, Carole D'Andrea, Jose De Vega, Jay Norman, Gus Trikonis, Eddie Verso, Jaime Rogers, Larry Roquemore, Robert E. Thompson, Nick Navarro, Rudy Del Campo, Andre Tayir, Yvonne Wilder, Suzie Kaye, Joanne Miya, John Astin (uncredited), Priscilla Lopez (uncredited), Lou Ruggiero (uncredited), Penny Santon (uncredited), Jimmy Bryant (Tony singing voice) (uncredited), Marni Nixon (Maria singing voice) (uncredited) and Betty Wand (Anita singing voice) (uncredited)Director: Jerome Robbins and Robert WiseProducers: Saul Chaplin, Walter Mirisch (uncredited) and Robert Wise (uncredited)Screenplay: Ernest Lehman and Arthur Laurents (book)Composers: Leonard Bernstein (music), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and Irwin Kostal (uncredited)Cinematography: Daniel L. Fapp, A.S.C.Video Resolution: 1080pAspect Ratio: 2.20:1 [Super Panavision 70]Audio: English: 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English: 4.0 Dolby Digital, French: 5.1 DTS-HD, German: 5.1 DTS-HD and Spanish: 5.1 DTS-HDSubtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Dutch, Flemish, Mandarin (Simplified), Norwegian and SwedishRunning Time: 2 hour 32 minutesRegion: Blu-ray: All Regions and DVD: PALNumber of discs: 2Studio: 20th Century Fox EntertainmentAndrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ is without question one of the most iconic, undeniably powerful, and memorable films ever released. The idea behind the production was an act of genius in and of itself: taking the tried and true formula of William Shakespeare's prodigious work known as Romeo & Juliet and adapting it into a modern day setting. Jerome Robbins monumental musical brought forth enough flair in style and heart of wonder to capture the imaginations of even the most cynical of film goers and film critics upon the theatrical release in 1961 and now 50 years ago. There are few films that manage to be so awe-inspiring in scope. West Side Story has the distinction of winning 10 Academy Awards® and including Best Picture, which is the most ever for a film musical.The film lays out some ground rules for the story from the beginning as two rivalling gangs in New York known as the Jets and the Sharks begin to demonstrate their immense displeasure with each other by evoking these negative sentiments with a perfectly choreographed song and dance number. The gang form replicates the original rivalry of Romeo & Juliet found between the Montagues and the Capulets.This is a love story, of course, between two young star-crossed lovers from different backgrounds and who must struggle with the lack of acceptance from those who surround them. Tony [Richard Beymer] was the former leader of the Jets gang, and now he's looking for a brighter tomorrow without gang life interfering with a newfound spirit for renewal and growth. Maria [Natalie Wood] is the beautiful young woman who captures Tony's heart. Maria has inner-beauty that matches her outwardly gorgeous looks and she falls in love with Tony with an equal level of intensity and immediacy. Conflict inevitably arrives when Bernardo [George Chakiris] learns that his younger sister is involved with former Jet leader Tony. Bernardo is the gang leader of the Sharks.The performances in ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ are brilliant and uncannily captivating across the board. Both lead performances by Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer are remarkable achievements. Beymer was cast in one of his most memorable roles of his career and Natalie Wood added another excellent performance to her already long list of achievements (including her child performance in the original ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ and a performance against James Dean in ‘Rebel Without a Cause’). The supporting cast of actors helps the foundation of the film dramatically with great performances by Russ Tamblyn as the new Jet leader Riff (who is close friends with Tony), George Chakiris as Bernardo, and Rita Moreno as Bernardo's feisty and intelligent girlfriend Anita. George Chakiris and Rita Morena both received well deserved Academy Awards for their sensational performances.There are two essential double-bill aspects to ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ that have continued to be so impressive after all of these years following the debut: the collaborations in music that combined the efforts of an undeniably jazz-infused Leonard Bernstein and the up and coming brilliant lyricist Stephen Sondheim, and the directing efforts from both Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins (who also choreographed the film). Robbins deserves the most recognition though, as he conceived of the original play and lent the best of his choreography on a level that had never been captured before and hasn't been since. Either double bill aspect concerning this massive and unrelentingly complicated production is purely wonderful and worthy of acclaim. The music sweeps viewers off their feet and captures the essence of romance and love while the energetic, stylish direction and the majority of which was done by Robert Wise, and choreography done entirely by Jerome Robbins, and brings some of the most captivating cinematic visuals around.Who cannot forget the opening dance number by the Jets, the spinning visual-effects of Maria to a new dance number with countless energetic dancers, the silly rooftop dance that celebrates and critically dissects both the promise and disappointments found by minorities living in America? Attempting to even pick a favourite scene or sequence can lead to some problems: every scene is so beautifully and expertly crafted that it almost seems more appropriate to simply select a personal favourite from the bunch. The mid-way rushing of frantically scattering gang members, the long silence, and the slanted camera-work might be one person’s pick, but how about the simple but elegant dance between Tony and Maria? There are so many perfect moments. The execution of this production is almost flawless.There are some minor detractors as it is hard to imagine new audiences of ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ not having at least some difficulty accepting the fact that Natalie Wood is playing a Puerto Rican. The racial issues are actually inherently important to the story of ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ itself so the unmistakable fact that there is a racial issue in the film is sadly disappointing nonetheless, but for those who can overlook this aspect it should still be worth recognizing that Natalie Wood delivered a fantastic performance that continues to be enchanting. It is important to remember the historical context of when the film was produced within the Hollywood studio system and to appreciate positive elements without overlooking negative drawbacks.The history of this film is so interesting. It was a huge undertaking for everyone involved, most notably Jerome Robbins, who was eventually fired from the film despite being the largest source of its creative energy. The film surprised audiences worldwide. It was such a tremendous hit, and no one expected it to take everything by storm the way it did. The film continues to amaze audiences after half a century. The play version is performed worldwide through schools and theatre production companies. Even for those who haven't seen the film, there is a clear distinction of the importance of ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ and of the music that brought it to life. There is not even a single film out there quite like it and that continues to make it even more special and enduring. ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ is all about love between two unlikely souls, the love for theatre, as represented through this stunning cinematic tour-de-force, and the recognition of the importance of overcoming racial issues and understanding the commonalities between people of different backgrounds.Set to the lush cinematography of Daniel L. Fapp, West Side Story is pretty much as the early advertisements for the film claimed: "As other movies age ... ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ gets younger!" In other words: it's a timeless classic.Blu-ray Video Quality – ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ arrives on Blu-ray with an almost immaculate looking transfer – which is great news as it was filmed with 70mm cameras. In one word: incredible. Fans of the film will be hard-pressed to find an element of dissatisfaction. The colours are so vivid; the contrast so accurate, the cinematography brilliant, and the overall feel of the high-quality production is almost perfectly captured. The image clearly hasn't been tampered with by annoying "picture-quality enhancing" shortcuts. Make no mistake: this Blu-ray is the best presentation of ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ on home media. The film is presented in an awesome 1080p encoded image in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.20:1.Blu-ray Audio Quality – The audio presentation doesn't skimp out on any trimmings either. The film is presented with a glorious 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio presentation that captures the music in all its magnificent glory. The dialogue is also well reproduced on this Blu-ray release and sound directionality is well used for both the score and songs. Other Audio options available as stated above.Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:Blu-ray Film [1080p] and DVD Bonus [PAL]DISC 1 [Blu-ray]:Special Feature: Comment on the songs by Lyricist Stephen Sondheim: This is somewhat fascinating and somewhat depressing. Steven Sondheim seems to offer a view on his lyrics that is negative, overly harsh, extremely unflattering, and thoroughly interesting all at the same time. He apparently doesn't feel quite as confident in his own lyrics as his fans do. Sondheim does share a great deal about how or why he created some of the lyrics to his songs and he gives good information about the overall process.Special Feature: Karaoke (Voice Original) Music Machine [1080p] [1:25:07] This is a video jukebox of all the film's musical sequences. Each song/sequence can also be accessed individually.Special Feature: POW! Dances from West Side Story [1080p] [19:00] All new feature in which cast members, contemporary filmmakers, dancers and choreographers analyse and illuminate the film's famous dance sequences. With a fantastic 19 minutes’ worth of footage for 6 specific scenes in the film including Prologue; Dance At The Gym; Tony And Maria's Cha Cha; America; The Rumble and Maria's Roof Dance, and they can also be viewed separately.DISC 2 [DVD]:Special Feature Documentary: Memories of West Side Story [2003] [60:00] This is an original recordings of Natalie Wood, interviews with team members including Robert Wise and Stephen Sondheim. It gives us a broad look at the making of the film and the troubles it went through, including the firing of Jerome Robbins and the replacement of Natalie Wood's vocals with those of Marni Nixon.Special Feature: Storyboard to Film Comparison Montage [4:50] This is a brief but interesting video collection of storyboarded drawings that were used to capture the essence of select scenes or moments before being filmed.Special Feature: Photo Shooting [480i] [4:50] This is a Storyboard to Film Comparison Montage.Theatrical Trailers: Original Theatrical Trailer; Original Issue Trailer; Reissue Trailer and Animated Trailer.BONUS: A Beautiful Designed Exclusive Deluxe Limitied Edition DigiBook. Here you get lots of brilliant stunning Colour and Black-and –White photos and an Introduction by Producer Walter Mirisch. You also get different sections entitled: “LA PETITE HISTOIRE DE WEST SIDE STORY;” “UN FAUTEUIL POUR DEUX;” “BERNADO, TONY ET RIFF;” “MARIA ET ANITA” and “NEW YORK NEW YORK.” [French wording].Finally, ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ is one of the great landmarks of cinema. It is the perfect blend of theatricality and cinematic wonder. The performances amaze, the direction mesmerizes, and the musical songs are totally beautiful and have become classic songs that live forever. ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ is a landmark film which pushed the boundaries of the American musical art form. Five decades later it doesn't just hold up, it stands tall as one of the best movies ever made. This Blu-ray presentation doesn't quite reach those comparatively giddy heights, however. The transfer looks great at times but it's slightly hamstrung by the original printing artefacts, and some modern anomalies have also left their mark. The sound is quite lovely in terms of quality and retains the directional dialogue, but sadly the 7.1 surround field is utterly wasted. The extra features aren't as wide-ranging as one might hope, yet there's just enough here to satisfy. Here be warned about the strange fade to black during the Overture, which maybe was a small mistake that will surely be remedied at some point with another Special Edition. But despite this, with this Blu-ray release, it has made the film look totally fresh, in thinking it was made in the 21st Century, as the filming was so dramatic and with the fantastic cinematography, bring musical score and amazing tuneful songs, this film was worthy of all its plaudits and has now gone pride of place in my Blu-ray Collection. Of course sadly the wording in this DigiBook is all in French, but the colour and black-and-white images make up for it, as well as the brilliant DigiBook luxurious presentation. Very Highly Recommended!Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film FanLe Cinema ParadisoWARE, United Kingdom

sembra impossibile quanto attuale sia ancora questo film. I problemi ci sono sempre, gli immigrati, le bande rivali, i giovani, l'Amore ostacolato, come ai tempi di Shakespeare il cui Romeo e Giulietta e' l'ispiratore di questo musical. Bernstein si conferma uno dei maggiori conpositori Americani del '900 e le coreografie allora innovative sono una scuola per tutti i film posteriori. Se piace il genere, da avere assolutamente. Amazon perfetta. Buona visione.

El mejor plan para tener un rato romántico con la persona más especial.

Bought this for a friend who loved the film and special features that came with it.