Tuesday, October 18, 2011

50 years ago: West Side Story becomes one of the greatest musicals of all time

West Side Story


Released: October 18, 1961


Studio: United Artists


Genre: musical/romance


Box Office (numbers in millions):

Domestic: 43.66 Worldwide: ?


Adjusted for Inflation:

Domestic: 549.54 Worldwide: ?

Directing: Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise


Screenwriting: Ernest Lehman


Starring: Natalie Wood, George Chakiris, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn


Review:

Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare’s “tale of ill-fated lovers” FS got refashioned in the late ‘50s as a “landmark, highly-honored, ground-breaking Broadway musical.” FS In 1961, it was “transposed to the big screen and set on location in 1950s New York on the Upper West Side.” FS

The story centers around two New York gangs rivaling “for turf on the sidewalks and streets of the city.” FS The Puerto Rican Sharks are led by Bernardo (Chakiris) while Riff (Tamblyn) leads the white Jets. Bernardo’s sister, Maria (Wood), falls for Tony (Beymer), a Jet. “His attempts at peace-making during a rumble accidentally lead to the deaths of both gang leaders and further tragic circumstances in a tear-stained scene set on an outdoor basketball court.” FS

The “energetically-choreographed musical” FS features “some of the most memorable dance sequences in film history.” A07 It owes much of its success to Jerome Robbins, who directed and choreographed the Broadway production. He initially was the sole director for the movie version, but the studio brought in Robert Wise for the non-musical sequences and eventually fired Robbins for “his painstaking perfectionism” T95 which threatened to double the budget. However, he’d already put his stamp on the opening sequence (“The Jet Song”), “America,” “Cool,” and “I Feel Pretty.”

The soundtrack became a blockbuster success on the scale of a Michael Jackson Thriller in the 1960s, thanks to composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. They contributed classics like “Somewhere,” “Tonight,” and “Maria” which have become part of the American musical lexicon.


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Awards/Honors/Lists:


Dave’s Movie Database Lists:


Dave’s Movie Database Genre Lists:


Box Office:


Awards:


Oscars:

Wins: 10, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor – George Chakiris, Best Supporting Actress – Rita Moreno, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Musical Score

Nominations: 11, including Best Adapted Screenplay


Other Lists/Honors:


Critics’ Picks:


First posted 5/30/2023.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

ABC News/People Magazine: “Best in Film: The Greatest Movies of Our Time”

ABC News/People Magazine:

“Best in Film: The Greatest Movies of Our Time”

This two-hour television special aired on March 22, 2011 on ABC. From November 2010 to January 2011, movie fans could vote online at abcnews.com and people.com in various categories The results were presented on the program with countdowns of the top five films in the noted categories (*). The others were revealed online. People magazine also featured a corresponding story in its March 28, 2011 issue.


Best Film *

  1. Gone with the Wind (1939)
  2. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
  3. The Godfather (1972)
  4. Casablanca (1942)
  5. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Best Action Film *
  1. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
  2. The Dark Knight (2008)
  3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
  4. Die Hard (1988)
  5. Gladiator (2000)
Best Animated Film *
  1. The Lion King (1994)
  2. Toy Story (1995)
  3. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
  4. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
  5. Fantasia (1940)
Best Chick Flick
  1. The Notebook (2004)
  2. Dirty Dancing (1987)
  3. Pretty Woman (1990)
  4. Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
  5. The Way We Were (1973)
Best Comedy *
  1. Airplane! (1980)
  2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
  3. Some Like It Hot (1959)
  4. Young Frankenstein (1974)
  5. Tootsie (1982)
Best Horror Film
  1. The Exorcist (1973)
  2. Halloween (1978)
  3. Poltergeist (1982)
  4. Carrie (1976)
  5. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Best Musical *
  1. The Sound of Music (1965)
  2. Grease (1978)
  3. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
  4. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
  5. West Side Story (1961)
Best Political/Historical Film
  1. Schindler’s List (1993)
  2. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
  3. 12 Angry Men (1957)
  4. All the President’s Men (1976)
  5. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Best Sci-Fi Film *
  1. Star Wars – Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
  2. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
  3. Avatar (2009)
  4. The Matrix (1999)
  5. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Best Suspense/Thriller *
  1. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
  2. Jaws (1975)
  3. Psycho (1960)
  4. The Shining (1980)
  5. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Best Western Film
  1. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
  2. Dances with Wolves (1990)
  3. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
  4. Unforgiven (1992)
  5. The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Greatest Film Character *
  1. Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump (1994)
  2. James Bond in the James Bond film series
  3. Scarlet O’Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939)
  4. Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
  5. Indiana Jones in the Indiana Jones films
Greatest Line *
  1. Gone with the Wind (1939): “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”
  2. Sudden Impact (1983): “Go ahead, make my day.”
  3. The Godfather (1972): “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
  4. When Harry Met Sally (1989): “I’ll have what she’s having.”
  5. Casablanca (1942): “Here’s looking at you, kid.”
Greatest On-Screen Kiss *
  1. Gone with the Wind (1939)
  2. From Here to Eternity (1953)
  3. Lady and the Tramp (1955)
  4. An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
  5. Casablanca (1942)
Most Romantic On-Screen Couple
  1. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in Titanic (1997)
  2. Clark Cable and Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (1939)
  3. Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman (1990)
  4. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca (1942)
  5. Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn in Adam’s Rib (1949)

Resources:
Originally posted 3/22/2011.