How I came to love the 1961 film version of West Side Story:

[mplo2022]

I have to admit to one thing:  I've been a devout fan of the old, original 1961 film version of West Side Story for more than 50 years.  I was first introduced  to West Side Story through the music to the 1957 Broadway stage production summer of 1962, prior to entering the  sixth grade, while at day camp out West in Tucson, AZ.  West Side Story-mania was in the air at that time.  Kids roamed the hallways in packs while snapping their fingers and singing all the songs  to WSS.  Five days a week, the bus to and from camp rang with songs from West Side Story.  It was rather cool.  

Not only did I play my parents'  copy of the 33 LP of the soundtrack on their Hi-Fi as often I could, but I also liked to bang around with the songs of WSS on our piano, much to the chagrin of my parents, who'd given me piano lessons in order to learn how to play classical music.  

The first time I saw the original 1961 film version of West Side Story was during a national re-release of it, as a high school Senior, at around Christmastime of 1968, in a long-since-defunct cinema north of Boston, and the town that I and my siblings grew up in.  I fell in love with the 1961 film version immediately.  

Since I was still a teenager in high school when I first saw the original 1961 film version, I identified with the Jets, the Sharks, and their girls, regarding kids being kids, and so on, but when I got older and began seeing WSS in (now mostly defunct) repertory movie theatres in and around Boston, I began to appreciate not only the very story and music of the 1961 film version of West Side  Story, but I also began to appreciate it for the piece of art that it truly is.  

Fast forward to the spring of 1972, when I was taking an evening course at the MFA School here in Boston:  One evening, somebody had brought in a small black and white TV, because West Side Story was on TV for the first time, and we all gathered around to watch it.  That summer, while on  a 6-week trip to Europe, my love for the 1961 film version was re-awakened.  Another person in the group I was with had brought along a cassette tape of the soundtrack to the 1961 film version of WSS, which was played almost every evening, during free hours.  My love for this great golden oldie-but-keeper of  a classic movie-musical was re-awakened, in earnest.  

The film version of West Side Story aired on TV 2 days before Thanksgiving of that year, and I stayed home and watched it on my parents' small black and white TV.  Since then, I've watched the 1961 film version of West Side Story more times than I'm able (or willing) to count, both in movie theatres, and on TV,  much to the amusement, chagrin, and resignation of family and friends,  but who's counting?  LOL

The MGM adage in reference to the original 1961 film version of West Side Story: "Unlike other Classics, West Side Story grows younger!"  rings so  true!

 

[+ purplekow]

I also love the original movie.  I mentioned to the woman that would be my wife on one of our first dates that it was my favorite movie and she bough me a copy which we watched together.   I have never seen it in the theater, on a wide screen TV is the closest I have gotten.  I remember hearing about it as a grammar school student but did not see it until it was finally on TV in the late sixties.   I am partial to the upbeat numbers Tonight {especially the Quintet}. When You're a Jet, Officer Krupke,  America and I Feel Pretty.  Less inclined to the more sensuous ones such as Play it Cool Boy, Stick to Your Own Kind, Something's Coming and while I enjoy the choreography at the dance, the music there, while appropriate, just does not hold my attention as other parts do.  Maria, while a classic, has only middling interest for me though Somewhere Always Brings a Tear.  

Edited February 28, 2022 by purplekow

[mplo2022]

Hi, purplekow.  Thank you for your nice reply to my post.  That was very cool and nice of the woman who you ended up marrying to buy you a copy of the original 1961 film version  of West Side Story, knowing that it's your favorite movie.  The original 1961 film version of West Side Story is my all time favorite film, as well.  As a devout fan of the original 1961 film version of West Side Story, I've admittedly seen it more times than I'm able or willing to count at this point, in the movie theatres, on TV, and even on my computer.  

Although I have not seen the whole new movie version of West Side Story, I've seen enough of it (i. e. 3 trailers and extra photographs of  it), to form the opinion that like remakes of other older classic films, that Spielberg's film version of WSS totally lacks the charm, charisma and personality of the original movie.   Admittedly, I've always had a gut reaction against remakes of older classic films, generally, especially something such as the 1961 film version of West Side Story.

Late last fall, when there was a 2-day nation-wide 60th Anniversary screening of the old, original 1961 film version of West Side Story in selected movie theatres throughout the United States,  I went to see both evening screenings of it, both with friends, and solo.  The print was absolutely pristine, without a scratch or other flaws anywhere on it, and the soundtrack totally stellar.  I and my friends had lots of fun.  

Edited March 1, 2022 by mplo2022

[BSR]

I'm also a huge fan of the 1961 film, the only version I've ever seen (no stage productions nor the Spielberg remake).  I've come to realize that I'm not a fan of the music (which is great, don't get me wrong) as much as the dance.  Of course, I've watched the "America" number at least fifty times, maybe a hundred, nah, probably more.  I've watched other dance scenes -- the prologue, dance at the gym, "Cool" -- more times than I can count.  Oddly enough, I'm not a fan of Jerome Robbins' ballet choreography, or at least not the three I've seen.  But his choreography for West Side Story is simply magic.

 

[MikeBiDude]

12 hours ago, BSR said:

I'm also a huge fan of the 1961 film, the only version I've ever seen (no stage productions nor the Spielberg remake).  I've come to realize that I'm not a fan of the music (which is great, don't get me wrong) as much as the dance.  Of course, I've watched the "America" number at least fifty times, maybe a hundred, nah, probably more.  I've watched other dance scenes -- the prologue, dance at the gym, "Cool" -- more times than I can count.  Oddly enough, I'm not a fan of Jerome Robbins' ballet choreography, or at least not the three I've seen.  But his choreography for West Side Story is simply magic.

 

The 2021 dancing is fantastic. Check a similar thread here in this sub forum.

https://www.companyofmen.org/topic/131079-west-side-story-2021/?do=findComment&comment=1977543