West Side Story made its Broadway debut in 1957, and though it was a limited success, it wasn't until Robert Wise's 1961 film version that it rocketed into pop culture. When anyone thinks West Side Story, this is what comes to mind - not the stage production. West Side Story: 50th Anniversary Edition is, at least for the time being, the ultimate version of the film. It's seen release on DVD a few times, but for the movie's 50th anniversary, Fox has gone all out to make this the version to one to buy... almost.
The story revolves around two rival gangs, the Jets, a group of whites, and the Sharks, which is made up of Puerto Rican immigrants, who are locked in a battle for control of their New York neighborhood. After the cops break up a fight between the two groups, the Jets' leader, Riff (Russ Tamblyn), decides to challenge the Sharks' leader, Bernardo (George Chakiris) to a one-on-one rumble. Riff also comes up with a plan to get Tony (Richard Beymer), back into the gang, despite questions as to Tony's loyalty.
Later that night, Tony meets the rest of the Jets at a neighborhood dance, where the two gangs square off in one of productions many dance-offs. During the competition, Tony notices Maria (Natalie Wood), who has recently arrived in America from Puerto Rico. It's love at first sight for the two, though Maria is already promised to Bernardo as a bride. Still, Tony persists, leading to a major brawl between the Sharks and Jets, where Riff and Bernardo are killed, adding fuel to the fire.
Although West Side Story is a musical retelling of Romeo & Juliet and the two share the same plotline, West Side Story is one of the few Romeo & Juliet tales to completely detach itself from the Bard's story, creating its own legacy and space. Yes, you can say its Romeo & Juliet, but it's the equivalent of calling Kobe beef just another piece of meat. It's not just a tragic story of two lovers from the opposite sides of the track, but a story of hope. It's an idealist point of view, but Tony and Maria's story isn't just about two people hooking up, but for the first time in their lives actually seeing that there's something better out there and hoping for the best.
Much of the film is built on its stars, all perfectly cast in their roles. Richard Beymer is a perfect example of the film's message of hope, while Natalie Wood's Maria is the girl every guy wants - it's hard to not fall for her. Rita Moreno and George Chakiris each took home Oscars for their work, and Russ Tamblyn is a fun Riff.
Then there's everything else. The film opens with an amazing "Overture," showing off a couple of breathtaking aerial shots of New York City complemented by nearly fifteen minutes of incredibly athletic dancing. It's impressive to say the least and really sets the tone for the rest of the movie. West Side Story is everything movies like High School Musical want to be, but simply can't match. The cinematography is spot-on, as are the editing and music. I usually can't get into older musicals, but West Side Story is popping with an uncommon bit of energy. If there's an underlying reason for the film's continued success with audiences, this is it.
Unfortunately, "everything else" is an issue. West Side Story looks great. This is one of the best, clearest transfers I've ever seen of the movie, making the Blu-ray a must-own. There is, however, one major issue that has set a very vocal piece of the musical's fans into a tizzy. The first few minutes of the film - the already mentioned "Overture" - house a couple of noticeable issues. The first, most notorious problem is the addition of a "fade-out" during the title, diminishing some the opening's impact. I also notice some odd color issues during a few opening shots, which aren't around later in the film. After some research, Fox is already at work fixing the issue. A trade-in program will also be offered.
The second issue is sound, which isn't as good as it probably could be. Although the music sounds great, audiophiles will notice a couple of minor sync issues and some sounds not coming through as clearly as they should.
West Side Story packs in a few neat extras. The first features Stephen Sondheim's, who wrote the lyrics for the show's songs, commentary on each of the songs. Sonheim is a legend, so hearing his stories is fun. Fans can also enjoy the songs solo through the Music Machine.
Another feature focuses on the film's energetic dance sequences. You can access the commentary outside the film, or jump in through an in-movie menu. Each piece of commentary features notable choreographers discussing aspects of the film's dances.
"A Place for Us: West Side Story's Legacy" is a goofy retrospective on the film's place in pop culture. The half-hour feature includes commentary from a number of noteworthy personalities discussing what the film meant to them personally, as well as how it impacted other entertainment media. A couple of these stories also bleed through into "West Side Memories," a nearly hour-long collection of stories from people involved with the film's production.
The extras are capped off with a short, five-minute storyboard-to-film comparison, which was my favorite feature in the entire set. What can I say? I love storyboards. A restored DVD version is also included.
West Side Story: 50th Anniversary Edition has its issues, but when taken in with the rest of the film, the Blu-ray is a hard thing to pass up. It's a great example of how to translate a musical to film (which is harder than you'd think), and an all-around great movie.
