New on Disney+: When one of cinema’s greatest films is revisited by one of the greatest directors of all time

Few remakes surpass the quality of the original. So when it comes to reviewing one of the greatest movies of all time, the task is almost impossible… unless of course your name is Steven Spielberg!

The 76-year-old American director has not lost his passion for cinema, and despite a career of more than fifty years, there are still projects that he has not been able to realize yet.

Thus, it would be necessary to wait until 2021 for the filmmaker to finally make a musical film, and most importantly, it is a new adaptation of West Side Story!

In 1957, it was released on Broadway, inspired by the musical Romeo and Juliet Still one of the most popular and iconic shows in North American theater today!

The story tells about the confrontation in the slums of New York between two gangs of sworn enemies: the Jets, from the white working class, and the Sharks, representatives of Puerto Rican immigration. Associated with each gang, Tony and Maria fall in love until they find themselves immersed in the heart of a war beyond them.

Adapted to the big screen since 1961, signed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins (choreographer of the musical), West Side Story was one of the greatest successes of the cinema of the 60s, notably with ten Oscars, including Best Picture and Best. Director and Best Supporting Actor, Male and Female.

A faithful and modern remake

Therefore, it was no use saying that despite his fame, Steven Spielberg was not attacking any film when he decided to revisit the world of West Side Story. But much more than a remake, this new adaptation allowed the filmmaker to stay true to the original musical, while providing context so that its story better reflects the societal problems of our time.

The role of Maria was given to the young actress Rachel Zegler (her first film role!), while Tony is played by the more experienced Ansel Elgort. Next to them are Aranya Deboz (Anita), Josh Andres Rivera (Chino) or even Mike Feist (Riff).

Also note the participation of Rita Moreno, Anita’s interpreter in the 1961 film, who appears as Valentina in this remake. A secondary role, but still a memorable one, which allowed the latter to voice the interpretation of the song sixty years after the release of the first film. somewhere.

The first part of the diptych on Spielberg’s youth?

Incomparably modern in its aesthetic, especially thanks to the choice to shoot a large number of scenes in natural surroundings, Spielberg’s West Side Story was also created as a tribute to the golden age of cinema, and therefore it is not insignificant that this film, inspired by the memories of a young cinephile, was released before his autobiographical biography A few months before The Fabelmans.

This new West Side Story also offers a chance to enjoy new interpretations of the musical’s iconic songs, led by composer David Newman to music composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

Although it didn’t enjoy the same success as the first adaptation, this Steven Spielberg remake still generated mostly enthusiastic reviews (ratings of 4/5 for the press and 4.1/5 for the public on the AlloCiné file).

The film also won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (for Ariana Debose) and was nominated in several major categories, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Steven Spielberg’s musical West Side Story is now available on Disney+.

Discover the list of all movies currently available on the platform!