West Side Story (1961) (Two Disc Special Edition)

An American classic...

By Yahoo! Shopping User  May 4, 2003 | 1 out of 1 found this West Side Story (1961) review helpful

So, yes...the movie has begun to show its age. The language isnt hip-hop, rap-type or even cool. The violence is stark but subtle, unlike todays literal bloodbaths. However, even the most jaded of todays viewers have to appreciate the complexity of t...he dances and the incredible soundtrack. The songs Maria and Tonight have become standards of pop music and references to the film have been made for decades. It is a retelling and modification of Romeo & Juliet and for my money, Natalie Wood will always be one of the most beautiful women in screen history. The vocals of Marnie Nixon (as Maria -- she also did Audrey Hepburns vocals in My Fair Lady) are truly the best of all the Marias (including the original Broadway play -- Carole Lawrence and the more recent operatic version featuring Kiri Te Kanawa (sp?)). I also have the Criterion Collection version of this on laser disc and this DVDs transfer is just as good.Not everyone is going to like this, simply because the gangspeak is pretty silly sounding today. However, the storyline is still valid, as is Bernsteins music and the dancing of Rita Moreno, George Chakaris and the girls & guys of both gangs. If you dont watch anything else on this DVD, at least check out the dance on the rooftops to America and the pre-rumble quintet version of Tonight. If that fails to impress you, then you probably wont want to see this film all the way through. Read more Less