@@crazyguy98456978 How sad for you. We have 2 very talent stars, yet you focus on "1% of a talent". Give them both the credit they so deserve. I think we can have 2 winners!
I grew up with the original and love it, but this scene looked like a filmed stage production. Spielberg's take is so much more cinematic, spectacular, full of energy and movement. It looks like a real movie! And even if I love both, my preference has to be Spielberg's.
There is nothing in the original that looks like a filmed stage production. It films the number perfectly - there's no master shot, it's all broken up into sequences and set-ups, just as it should be - it was designed for the camera and editing. Spielberg's is simply busier but without purpose, because he completely loses the point of the song.
@@haineshisway The "America" number in the original 1961 film is confined to one sound stage like a stage production, the rooftop of a building. The Spielberg version takes it out to the fire escape exterior, the kitchen interior, the apartment interior stairs, the apartment exterior steps, the local store, a protest demonstration, Rivera Bros. Boxing Gym, and several street and intersection locations. Plus, it adds hundreds of extras.
@@haineshisway This is a great comparison. I prefer the '61 version for a number of reasons. It more clearly shows the playful and funny give-and-take between the boys and the girls. The music and dancing has a more palpable presence. It has Rita Moreno's wonderful, charismatic performance. It has superior choreography (Peter Gennaro should get most of the credit for it). I just noticed in this comparison that you can see their faces and their expressions more clearly. The music and dance is just more impressive in the original. I consider it to be the best, most perfect movie musical number that I have ever seen.
I love both versions a looot, but I personally prefer Spielberg’s, I love seeing everyone smiling and enjoying their dancing (even Spielberg said so), I loved the detail that they showed the whole neighborhood and people joining in to dance. Besides the dancing in 2021 is superior for me, also the costumes. Everything’s so colorful and pretty. Rita Moreno and Ariana Debose slayed in both movies and that is a fact.
@@shaleenadaniellee Im so happy that you felt represented 🥺 I felt the same way with another movie, it was "In the Heights" they raised the mexican flag and i just felt so happy even if it was a little detail. i hope all of us latinos get more representation in movies like this and even more
@@valentinasisi Sameee! if you look reaaally close in carnaval del barrio you can see a tiny brazillian flag! I feel like a lot times people forget we're also Latin Americans because of the different language and culture and while I understand why the movie didn't have a lot of brazillian representation (it was very clearly made for Hispanic Americans), it was still nice to be acknowledged!
I will say the original version has more of that playful nature between the women and men that I think the new version lacks. However I still like the new version because they walk around the neighborhood
@@valentinasisi The cynic in me says "Oh, so Hollywood's finally noticed there's a significant enough Latino population that they outnumber non-Hispanic whites in some states?" But the Texan in me smiles at seeing more people like my friends and neighbors making it big and showing off who they are.
I honestly loved how they made the first one but my one problem is that in the original the "You forget I'm in America" is a very flirty line I always loved that part of the story and in the new version it doesn't give that same energy.
I think the way she says it in the 2020 version fits for their character dynamic in the 2020. Because they clearly are very flirty while also challenging each other
Justin Peck is the principal choreographer for the New York City Ballet. He was also the choreographer for the 2021 film. The ‘America’ sequence scenes were shot in New York City in July, when the pavement is BEASTLY HOT. Peck said Ariana DeBose kept melting holes in her shoes-from a combination of the heat-AND her dancing. He said her feet were moving so fast it created tremendous friction..and her shoes melted. Peck and wardrobe learned to keep multiple pairs of the same shoes for DeBose!
Actually, it was filmed in Patterson NJ. Neighborhoods like that no longer exist in NYC. The 1961 exteriors were filmed at the condemned buildings before they were razed to build Lincoln Center.
I love both versions. They both convey something different. The original is more intimate. It’s about a group of friends hanging out. The remake is about the entire community. I’m more partial to the original version but I love the characterization of Bernardo in the remake. Anita is a badass in both versions!
1:41- 1:53 in Spielberg’s movie is genius. It first feels like you’re watching a report (Anita is looking at the audience) and then a parody of an add (the lyrics suggest that), BRILLIANT. So much creativity in this movie
@@SandraMartinez-gv1yf Both versions were all about race, both throw in Spanish, the white guys were bad in both versions...And both versions rocked :) Sob, sob, boo hoo
@@SandraMartinez-gv1yf so because it focuses on Spanish since half of the characters are Puerto Rican it’s a flop? Both versions focuses on race since that’s what starts the conflict in the movie
Wake up and smell the coffee. Spielberg 's version is a mess. He needed a Jerome Robbins to direct the musical numbers. In 1961 you could easily focus on the dancers and choreography because of the mute set design. In 2021, too much is going on and the dancers get lost in the set design, camera angles and all those spectators. In 1961, Anita had more closeups. The editing was too quick. In 1961, the Jet girls stood out and got more exposure. In 1961, the lesbian character was more androgynous and colorful. In 2021, she passes completely as a boy and misses the lesbian connection. The 2021 version overdid the colorful ruffled skirt twirling. Spielberg does not deserve Best director nomination.
@@patriquest completely agree, these people are just as brainwashed as the women were in West Side Storys world. They'll love anything new and then take out their best "I kind of payed attention in history" plead like they've been saving the latino population since they could talk. Its all about race, they hate the 1960's so of course they hate the original and will make up anything from all the characters being brown faced??? to Anita hating the scene.
I love how the 2021's visuals are depicting what is said in the lyrics. Everything is so dynamic and beautiful. The 60s version is beautiful too but feels too static. Even with the great dancing.
That's because audiences today have no attention span and need constant cutting. We didn't need that back in 1961. The original version is perfect on every level and it shoots dance the way dance should be shot.
@@haineshisway It's not even about cuts or attention span. I love older slow-burn movies, but the original just looked like a stage production (which isn't a bad thing). Spielberg knows how to use his medium, so it looks super cinematic. Both are great in their own ways, this isn't some generational thing
@@_the_rizzler It is not SHOT like a stage production, which is my point. And if you don't think Robert Wise, a great film director, knew how to use the medium then you don't know much about film. Wise began as an editor with a little movie called Citizen Kane. He IS cinema. His films prior to West Side Story were all masterful and cinematically pure. His films after West Side Story are, too, including The Haunting, The Sound of Music, The Sand Pebbles, etc. So, Wise also knows how to use the medium. My only point is that the original film is nothing like watching a stage show.
@@haineshisway I'm well-aware of who Robert Wise was and I'm not insulting his work in any way. Citizen Kane is among my favorite movies. The Sound Of Music is one of my favorite musicals. But Stephen Spielberg is a blockbuster director. His scope is grand and it shows. I didn't say the original always felt like a stage production. Just in this scene. It just does feel and look like that. Again, it's not a bad thing at all. The Producers (2005) is shot to look like its stage counterpart rather than the original movie and I love that movie. Just because one version is great doesn't mean another is bad. In this case, they're both great in different ways like I said. But mostly, this is definitely NOT a generational thing
I love Spielberg’s version of this, and mainly because of one thing: community. He really highlights the differences between the two gangs in this movie. The Sharks have community, they have family’s and they have each other. However, the white capitalist world is against them, so instead they have to work together. You can really see that community in his version, especially at the end with the children getting involved and the whole west side watching. He highlights this further in the beginning as well after the first number when the Sharks sing and the community applauds them. They are protectors. The Jets don’t have this, the system doesn’t support them, their own families don’t support them - they only have The Jets. In fact, their song ‘stay cool boy’ which is supposed to prepare them for the rumble was changed by Spielberg to Tony trying to get them to change their mind, so even that was taken away from them. Spielberg’s film highlights what we don’t get in the production or even the original.
Some nice touches and compositions but the overall effect was, for me, of a United Colors of Benneton advert. Th original focuses on their faces, the latter one dissipates that.
I have to say, Ariana DeBose is very talented and did a good job with her role but it's literally impossible to get a better Anita than Rita Moreno. The sass, style, charisma and facial expressions are completely unmatched.
Totally agree. Rita Moreno’s attitude, body language, facial expression…..just perfection. I think SS did an amazing up date but I think the acting in the original far surpasses the new cast. I have actually stage directed this piece and was so pleased that another new generation will have a chance to appreciate it.
The choreography was better in the 1961 version as well. "Cool" was such a disappointment in the current version. And I liked George Chakiris a hundred times better too. He was more charismatic and he had the advantage of Jerome Robbins excellent choreography.
I haven’t watched the new version except for UA-cam clips. I have watched the original often throughout the years & being originally from Lower Manhattan I relate to the original movie as it actually use to be. Good or Bad it’s History.
@@SandraMartinez-gv1yf I haven’t watched the new version but I couldn’t help but laugh …I saw clips on UA-cam …and have to admit “I Agree with you wholeheartedly “.
@@SandraMartinez-gv1yf 7 Oscar nominations isn’t a flop? 🤨 Plus, nobody saw it when it first came out since for popular stuff like SpiderMan No Way Home was in theatres. I’ve spoken with a Cinema Owner and by January-February loads of people came to see it. Probably one of the best movies IN. THE. WORLD.
Bernardo and Riff were so misogynistic with their girlfriends in the 61 version, I’m so glad they wrote more complex characters who are not too cartoonish in the 2021 version. It really feels like you’re watching real people. They’re still macho-like but their girls are standing up for themselves and they at least try to “listen” to them
That’s what I thought! It really doesn’t feel like they’re playing cartoons this time (or Romeo and Juliet stand-ins). Adding to that, in the new version, their accents are never a punchline. Even when Tony briefly mimics Valentina’s accent, the actual punchline is when she mimics his back to him. “Sometimes I don’t know which is thicker. Your skull or your *accent*!” in the first one makes me cringe…
Are you high??? Cartoonish is what this new version was. And racist. Total BS. Spielberg trying to be PC. He failed. The movie flopped on the theatre. Nothing like the original one. The characters in this one were not complex, they were annoying and talentless. They are not at the mécele of dancing as the original. This was 💩.
The original was more homoerotic, more sassy and biting, with better singing, and Rita Moreno remains unchallenged. But I like the new one as well. Great cinematography, costumes - I like all the changes of scenery, and the dancing and singing is commendable. The new Bernardo is definitely an eye full!
Better singing? Are you hard of hearing? Comparing the "A Boy Like That" scenes in both movies alone tells you the 2021 version had better singing and it's not even close.
Moving from the rooftop to the street really opens up the action and performance. 61 feels like a stage play. 21 feels more like a blockbuster. Also, something I had forgotten until the 61 Anita actress (Rita Moreno) mentioned it. They painted all the "Puerto Ricans" brown in the 61 version. She said she hated it. Why should she, a Puerto Rican, have to be sprayed to look Puerto Rican. Anyhow, love them both.
Here is the theory I heard about the brown face paint: it was a theatrical device to heighten the contrast between the opposing gangs, to accentuate the conflict and was used in addition to the dialogue, the accents, the clothing etc. There's only so much time and dialogue to create characters and document the tension, and every visual cue or shortcut helps. It's not about denying the palette of skin colors in PR, it just easier to move the audience along when people look readily different. That's not to say that original producers didn't also themselves have or rely on stereotypes, because most people did back then. Anyone should feel free to disagree whatever their passion is.
@@pauledholm316 ‘Face paint’ in this form is not a theatrical device so much as it is a racial jab. The simple fact is the majority of people playing Puerto Ricans in the 1961 version weren’t Puerto Rican, they were white. The darkening of their skin and use of exaggerated accents was and is brownface, and visual cues or otherwise don’t excuse that. Rita Moreno’s frustration with them using darker makeup is completely understandable - especially when she attempted to convey that sense of diversity to the crew to no avail.
Might have had something to do with the lighting. Compared to the Speilberg version, the original looks like it was shot in the dark. Hope thats why anyway
But isn't it interesting they chose a naturally darker actress for the remake? Apparently Puerto Ricans bust still be darker on screen. Also, all my Latino Spanish teachers and my Russian Russian teacher stressed the important of accent. But then social media gets mad at this in movies. I don't get it.
That’s basically my only issue with the sequence. Both are AMAZING, of course, but Rita’s delivery of the line sound almost playful and teasing towards Bernardo in the 1961 version. (His grin afterwards just makes it better lol) In comparison to the recent remake, it sounded like Anita was just trying to prove a point. Nonetheless, both films, in my opinion, were fantastic!
@@bluestone_alley1617 exactly. i think that's why the 61 isn't eclipsed by the new version. the 21 WSS is really great, but the chemistry and charisma of 61 is unmatched. you actually see the american dream in 61, and in 21 you see this history lesson with beautiful cinematography.
yes, in the 1961 version they -- George Chakiris and Rita Moreno -- are dancing for **each other**, they are making eye contact and flirting. It's way sexier than the 2021
All these comments about which is "better" really miss the point, I think. They're both beautiful and of their time. Equally good, imo. The new one feels more 'real' but that's because we're living in a 2021 reality, not 1961.
BOTH versions brilliantly done and fitted that era, downright the best show stopping number in the movie. Kudos to both choreographers and performers, then and now!
Both versions are amazing for different reasons. Speilberg opened it up to reflect the neighborhood and made it colorful and the original captured more of the rivalry between the sexes. But the best thing is that made both Anita's dresses as iconic. Bravo to the costumer designers!
Spot on! Original was more fun, energetic, flirtatious. Intimate. I didn’t like filming it like a street scene with the whole neighborhood. In the original, the dance, lyrics, love story are more highlighted. In the original, the central focus is on the lovers, Tony & Maria, like Romeo & Juliet. It seems more poignant than the Spielberg one, which seems too focused on the other characters. Nothing wrong with that, but it takes away, I think, from the main 2 characters’ love story.
And i liked it way more as a music video. It just feels like the scale of the sequence feels way larger than the original where it felt like the entire town is part of it
All due respect to Spielberg and cast, but I am constantly reminded of the unparalleled talent of George Chakiris and Rita Moreno. So deserved their Oscar's and they remain iconic and awe inspiring.
Love it! Thanks for putting side-by-side (and editing to make it match). I'm biased because I love Justin Peck's choreography for everything he does. He has some ballets for NYCB that are very Robbins-esque (sneaker ballets), so that's likely why he got the job, and rightfully so! His revival of Carousel was amazing, as was this West Side Story; worked so well with cinematography and direction and costumes!
Thank you, Steven Speilberg (or whoever made the decision) to cut the line about wanting "Puerto Rico sinking into the ocean." 😔 Our island has its problems (same as everywhere else) but we Nuyoricans love our humble little island and our families still on it. We don't want it to sink anywhere. The insulting original line ruined what was a great song. It really captures our heartbreak, love and mixed feelings about both places. 😘🇵🇷🇺🇲
Were you born and raised in NY? That makes a difference. In my experience, immigrants often do speak badly of their former homeland. That is why many of us left. Doesn't mean there still aren't things we don't like/miss about our old country. It's not all black-and-white. I'm Guatemalan and my sister married into a Puerto Rican family. Her husband's family came to the U.S. mainland when he was a teen. We all currently reside in Massachusetts and are familiar with the original 1961 film. We thought the line change was phony. Granted, it was taken from the original stage version of "America," but there it was sung by Rosalia to which Anita responds with "Puerto Rico, you ugly island..." Giving the "Puerto Rico, you lovely island..." line to Anita makes no sense. Overall, this movie felt condescending.
I still prefer the original because how much talent it must’ve taken to do this in what *looks like* a single shot without cuts. Trickery or not in the 1961 version, there are way more cuts in the 2021 version. The talent to keep going in a single cut is exponentially greater.
@@JakeSmith-rv1hm the city is nothing like Manhattan back in 1961, the sun feels fake, the additions are shoved in there for acceptance anything from naming what's happening as though we are too dumb to understand the meaning behind the story, and the vehicles are all too lowered, and bizzare with what they chose in that 1950's esque style pallete. Oh more importantly, people in 1961 had more zing, in modern day everythings so emotional every sentence is practically going to end in an awkard pause or unstable tears. They look too worried about their image.
I grew up loving the original! I became a HUGE Fan of Rita Moreno at 6 years old! We even had the Movie sound track. I didn’t think I would love the new version. I was amazed how GREAT it is. But I still love the dance scenes of “I like to Live in America” and The gym “Mambo” from the original better. Rita Moreno dancing in that Lavender Dress for both scenes are unforgettable! Classic!!
The fact that the newer film held it's own tells us that this was an amazing adaptation especially considering what it had to go against. Steven Spielberg's adaptation doesn't even feel like it's trying to compete with the original. It values portraying a whole different feeling and overall interpretation. Some of the liberties that were taken that were different from the original often get compared, but that's because this adaptation wanted you to feel something different. I cried just as much watching this one as I did for the original, but at completely different moments. The added conflicting tension and character development was phenomenal. Contrary from the original film, there's a deeper dive into the perspective of several different characters vs being biased in just Tony and Maria's viewpoint. Overall the new one is a better film in my opinion, but the original is still spectacular. We can love both.
I saw the performance from 1961 dozens of times and the film from 2021 and all the other videos that appeared on UA-cam. I also read all the comments to this video - and I think the big winners are Leonard Bernstein and Steven Sondheim and to them should be added Grom Robbins, Robert Wise and of course Steven Spielberg. The big difference between the two films is the light and the dark, the streets of New York for its people- compared to photography the whole roof only with members of the Shark Band. On the other hand - the dance movements of the film from 1961 are sharper and of course the unusual appearance of Rita Moreno. To sum up: the enjoyment of all the viewers and of course thanks for editing the comparison video
I have seen a hundred times the girls dancing v.1961, I isolated each dancer (I fell in love with Suzie Kaye - Rosalia), each one is different in style, but all coordinated. I feel that the old version (and adding the high heels) are technically more difficult. Without detracting from the visual beauty, the "realism" of v.2021, light for me, made for millennials
In all honesty I love both versions equally!!!! 😍😍😍😍 The original takes place at night on a rooftop whereas the 2021 remake takes place on the streets of Manhattan at broad daylight. Besides that, the energy of the musical number on both movies is the same!!
althought i love the remake, i still prefer how Anita sings "and put THAT in!" and "you forget I'm in America, ooh" and "everyone there will have moved here" in the 1961 version lol. I feel like it was more playful
In terms of choreography, it's no contest, really. 1961 is a masterpiece. The thing about this number, "America," is that it's soooo much about the fiery dynamic between Anita and 'Nardo. For all of it's obvious faults, Moreno and Chakiris had some real chemistry. So much of their interaction is playful, in that they like teasing each other, being contrary. This song is the culmination of that. You know they love each other, but they love getting under each other's skin, too. Just for fun. It's like when Maria asks Anita, "What happens when you look at Nardo?" and she casually replies, "It's when I DON'T look that it happens." Pure wit. This song is about their differing views on Puerto Rico and the US, but it's not an argument, more like a battle of wits between the couple, and by extension, the guys versus the girls. The game is to outwit and out maneuver. The points are made through the lyrics, but so much through the physical movements and dancing. They dance separately throughout until the very end when they all dance in unison, proving that they love one another despite their views. The 2021 version lacks that wit, that sarcastic playfulness of the original. It might be bigger and grander with more style and visual appeal, but there isn't that connection between the leads, nor between their actions and the lyrics being sung. Watch with the volume muted. In 2021, they could be singing about anything.
I agree with you on how this song basically serves as a storytelling tool that tells us the dynamics between Anita and Bernardo and the 2021 version didn’t deliver that as well. I guess it’s hard to adapt something that’s already been adapted before and they chose to lean into it being a comparison song and a celebration song. I liked that they chose to do something new in the 2021 version, it would’ve been more annoying if they just tried to pull what the 1961 version did. It’s definitely more lush and cinematic, it shows how different musicals are made now. Not a bad thing.
This specific dance number, I have no preference (I had problems with the 2021 film overall), but you can't deny this is a thrilling dance. Both versions, musically and choreographically, demonstrate the artists working at the peak of their form. Both are beautiful examples of defining characters through dance. The explosion of energy from both casts - past and present - is just astounding: dance perfection.
It is odd isnt it, a movie about the struggle trying not to show the struggle? In the original we see beauty against a backdrop of bleakness. This felt like Dorothy skipping through Munchkinland.
I love both versions but there’s one scene in the 1961 version that I just love when she says “everyone there would’ve moved here” I don’t know why but I just really like it it’s more sassy it’s more upbeat but I don’t really know. Also the dancing in the Steven Spierberg one I freaking love that dancing choreography is 🤩 amazing
So interesting to see the differences in color used between each… Red is dominant in both but the 2021 version has a vibrant (thanks to yellows) and daylight involved.
The back stories of the main characters and also the social climate in New York City made me appreciate the Spielberg version more. Being from a family of immigrants made me relate to the 2021 version. As a work of art, I will always love the 1961 film; but I feel like I was living in the 2021 film.
Same here! The only reason I never liked WSS /that/ much previously was because all of the Peurto Rican characters felt like props/stereotypes with no characterization. I was so happy to see my people get proper backstories and more developed personalities in the 2021 version!
I loved both of them a looootttt, the dancing is amazing, the dresses are iconic, and they all have amazing voices, but I like the original version of this better. In the beginning of the song, I don’t like how they changed some of the lyrics.
All my money would be on the “1961” version 👍🏻. As a young women raised in NY I remember how segregated the cities use to be. Many New Yorkers at that time didn’t join in with each other’s neighborhood. Unaware one evening after work, my friend & I unexpectedly wound up at a bar in the Puerto Rican community ..trust me, the Men & Ladies were quite handsome. Men in quality suits, woman in gorgeous dresses. We left quickly noticing we were an outcast and truthfully I personally was a bit scared. I relate to the older version in the respect of it being depicted for that time period.
I like the 2021 better. The colors, the dancing and the fact that it's happening on the streets during daytime, the lyrics make more sense like that. And with today's technology, Spielberg was able to make the camera dance with them, it's like we're part of it.
It’s really clear that Spielbergdid this as a passion project , you can just feel the joy and love in Every scene , even the color palettes , the sharks and the puerto ricans are always in red and warm colors , even when they’re out in the streets , they are always surrounded by the same color family , red , yellow , orange , brown ....and jetts are always in blues , greens and whites , it’s cold , bright and pastel , visual difference is really amazing , the movie is just delicious
Part of me wants to like the 1961 version better, but I think opening up the scenes and making them feel less like a stage transferred to a gym, a rooftop, a parking garage, was the right move. Robert Wise, who directed the 1961 film, went on to direct The Sound of Music, and it was masterful the way he filmed the opening number of that movie. Even better was the dynamic travelogue he created with the Do Re Mi number. It's too bad Spielberg waited until now to direct his first full musical. Now I want him to direct all of them.
There is lots of good and hard work in both versions, but at the end of the day (speaking only for myself) Justin Peck is not Jerome Robbins or Peter Gennaro. For me, the original version, confined to the world of the Sharks and their girls on a rooftop, works better than the spectacle filmed by Spielberg. For me, the entire original film is more effective than the newer one. Different isn't better; it's just different.
You know what’s my favorite thing about the the 2021 version that makes it better for me? The fact that they used actual Latinos instead of painting white people brown with fake accents and stiff body movements. You can tell the difference in dancing when the Jets and the Sharks dance in the gym. AND in the Spanish dub version they actually depict the Sharks accent as Puerto Ricans instead of the standard Mexican accent you’d usually hear in a dubbed film
@@andrewyarosh1809 They did actually put dark makeup on her for the movie to make her look more "exotic" 🙄and I believe she was the only puerto rican in the movie (if not, she was still one of the only ones). All the sharks in the original were white people in brownface.
I think 2021's Anita deserved the Academy Award. I grew up with Rita Morenos Anita and I still love to this day. I loved how Spielberg had the part just for her. She's still beautiful and amazing!
The 1961 version looked and sounded like men battling women but having fun. They didn't sing the melody perfectly, nor did they have any voicing. But they surely ENJOYED teasing each other. I think that's the true essence of this song. And Rita Moreno was the epitome of someone exuding this vibe. Her facial expressions alone were enough to make anyone smile.
I love both versions but I appreciate the theatrical staging in the original which allows a better view of the synchronization. I love the flirtyness of the original. Plus the final moments in the original where the women leap on the mens shoulders can’t be topped . With that in mine I did enjoy the Spielberg version.
Wow, great video. Thanks for posting. Agree that it's nice to see this number looking less stagebound, but surprised to find that I feel the original version has so much more energy and sexual chemistry than the remake. Also have to say, I feel the original men's choreography is so much more interesting and specific than the rework.
I love both versions, though I do prefer the roof setting of the original, it's dingier and more realistic than stopping traffic in broad daylight in the middle of a Manhattan intersection. And it provides great contrast to the color brought by the singers and the dancers, though I do love the color and brightness of the new version. George Chakiris was a phenomenal dancer and was one of the few who sang his own parts. Alvarez is a good dancer too, but Chakiris had something extra.
You want realism in a musical? Then they also shouldn't be singing because no one in real life sings instead of just talking. The 61' version looks like a low budget stage play put on film. It's entertaining, but nearly everything about Spielberg's version tops it by a mile.
@@brandonb.5304 Hmmm. You're missing the point by parsing my words in such a simplistic manner. And you don't give the original enough credit. West Side Story was one of the highest budgeted films in 1961 -- they weren't exactly cutting corners in this movie. The set-up for the original movie to me made more sense and worked better. I think in some cases Spielberg worked too hard to step away from the original version. I think a night-time setting also would have worked better. A little too Viva Las Vegas-y dancing in the streets. But even so, he and the cast still carried it off. Did you not see the part where I said I loved both versions? I just thought the original of America, esp with Jerome Robbins' choreography at its best. I also liked the gym scene better in the original -- the part where Tony and Maria are drawn together -- it was transporting. They tried to recreate the same ambience behind the seats, and it didn't quite work for me. And I kinda wished Riff was in the Officer Krupke number -- raises too many questions about why he wasn't there. All that said, the remake was great, and I hope more people see it.
@@bman342a This song works so much better during the day in the streets of New York with the entire city bustling. A song about the pros and cons of living in America sucluded to a nighttime rooftop doesn't really make any sense. If you're going to create a musical number about America, I want to see America--its streets, its buildings, its workers, its people...something Spielberg's version does magically and something the '61 verson doesn't do at all. The song just makes so much more sense setting it out on the bustling streets of New York instead of a dark and secluded rooftop with no one else around.
@@brandonb.5304 someone else mentioned that the original is more intimate between friends and the new version is more about the community. the new version is definitely more vibrant but it's also just a stereotypical musical flash mob. it's still magical just kind of like, oh ok you're using that trick again.
@@simplethingsuask Umm, yeah...that's kind of what musicals are. People suddenly break out into song and dance and then stop and act like they weren't just performing. It wouldn't be a musical if that's not what happens.
it's Rita Moreno for me, forever. Spielberg brought it to Hollywood and it was delightful...I was born in NYC in the late 60's and the 61 version was spot on with conveying the spirit of the city.
I prefer Spielberg’s feels more majestic, but also in the original you can understand how Rita is the scene, she takes the number to a whole new level.
Spielberg isn't directing another movie musical and I'm crying. Thought Jon M. Chu, LMM, and him are like the future of movie musicals or musical film adaptations
Grew up loving this movie and I was very skeptical when I found out they were doing a remake, but it is objectively better in every way. They removed all the originals shortcomings, preserved everything great about the original, and improved upon it in ever conceivable way. So much more depth and richness.
Thanks God , somebody made this Video. I really Love both movies. Wonderfully made. The 1961version is a master piece, but we cant deny that the 2021 version, Spielberg took it into another level.
The new film was okay. I enjoyed it well enough but 1961 is a classic!. Just based on the exciting choreography and performances of the two leads it's better. The new one relies on location changes...which some people may prefer. I prefer the Robbins choreography.
You mean Peter Gennaro's choreography, which Robbins took credit for. He made Peter sign a contract giving him the credit. See "Dancers Over Forty" who worked in the original Broadway show.
i like both but i prefer the 60s version. I'm not sure what it is, but to me Spielberg's sounds too polished vocally, I'm not really sure how to explain it
"too polished" is right. The song wasn't supposed to be sung; it was supposed to be performed. So in the 1961 version, you'll hear more times when the singers interpreted the lyrics, along with appropriate gestures and facial expressions. That's what made it more appealing.
I think this shows quite clearly what I prefer about the 2021 version. The 1961 film felt like watching a stage show. All the places felt like sets - the city felt small and empty and fake. In this scene it all takes place on one rooftop, as it would be if it were on stage. It feels like the movie halts briefly for a dance break. The new version is just so dynamic, it feels like you are just seeing a world in which it is perfectly normal for people to burst into songs. You see people staring, watching, marvelling at the dancers as though it is a spectacle even within the world of the musical. It's just how it is in this version of reality.
one was about the characters and charisma (61) the other was about bright sets and cinematography (21). characters win. 2:56 is the difference. you see both anger and love from bernardo in 61 and in 21 you see a cool set with bernardo lecturing.
The 2:56 sequence might show a more characterized delivery from Bernardo, but it's not natural. It's theatrical. And that's the major difference between the films, more generally. 61 is more theatrical; 21 is more natural and more cinematic.
@@dsmith147 it's a fair point. i think that choice is to the detriment of the film--it's a musical of course, but also, 21 bernardo has little charisma relatively speaking. 21 Riff had no problems playing both the grounded and the musical side. at the 256 mark, you see emotion and i think that was missing from some of the 21 version. still good film but the emotion and charisma was lacking.
As a dancer and performer and lover of this movie. I say the original still has my heart. The energy between the guys and girls is more fun and expressive.
In my opinion, I definitely prefer the original over the new version. I believe that both are great works of art, and I love that a new generation is getting to see this fantastic musical. Spielberg did a great job of reimagining it. He changed some things, but overall I think that it was a beautiful movie. I enjoyed the colors and I liked that we got to see a bit more of Anita and Bernardo, but to me there are some things that wish weren’t changed. I also loved that it actually had Puerto Rican actors knit. I wish that the song order was not changed around because it was very shocking to see Bernardo and Riff die, and then immediately go into “I Feel Pretty”. I also missed “Cool” because it has the best choreography in the original and I wanted to see a lot of dancing in the new version. I prefer the chemistry that Anita and Bernardo had in the original, and the choreography, in my opinion, was overall better in the original as well. I love the original and I enjoy the new one. I know it was not meant to be a perfect remake, and I appreciate what Spielberg did. There will just always be a special and unwavering place in my heart for the original.
I love both but 61 have my heart. The dance, the acting is better for me. Not the quality of the dancers but the choreography and they were more funny, sassy, playing.
The 1961 version is so much better and that includes the original film as a whole too. I didn't like this remake. I wish they would stop remaking everything. :(
I would say that 2021 is way more dynamic, but some lines don't give the same message to the viewer. There are lines from Anita where she is being flirty with Bernardo and you see the faces and the way she says that. In the new version if they weren't dancing together, you would probably think that they are getting mad at each other.
I like the newer version better just because it's so much bigger and less contained than the original. That being said, they're both great and the purple and yellow dresses of each respective version are fab!
Spielberg only needs a western. He has perfected every genre and this proves it. Amazing, beautiful, brilliant. This gave me goose bumps and brought tears to my eyes.
I'm actual glad no random director decided remake this film.Because Spielberg is already goated.Plus year of experience creating good films I'm sure he wouldn't disappoint.I actually love this remake
Love, love these comparisons. Thank you. If the Spielberg version isn't considered for "Best Choreography" in the Oscar nominations, the judges are asleep. The whole move is Oscar-worthy, but this sequence is exceptional.
They usually don't have a Best Choreography award. Typically, they will award an Honorary Oscar, as they honored Jerome Robbins for the choreography of the 1961 version. Onna White, in 1968, also received an Honorary Oscar for her choreography of Oliver! For some reason, her award is the only Choreography Oscar in which the film is mentioned specifically and states as such on the Oscar.
The zingers from the original don't have the same energy in the 2021 version. There's a certain sting to the lines in the 1961 version that makes it hit harder.
What a fascinating video; overall I prefer the 1961 version (having grown up with it), but the 2021 "America" comes across so much better than the 1961 version. Might be time to re-apprise my overall view.
Both versions are amazing in their own rights! They were made in different eras and they both deliver stunning choreography and costumes. In the original, it is obvious that the choreography was way ahead of its time, even Michael Jackson admitted that the film inspired him for his music videos.
I just watched both movies back to back, and it was the second viewing of the new one. I have been a huge fan of the movie, and show/music, in general, since I first saw it, about 35 years ago. I was really happy that Spielberg got right what the original got wrong, in terms of casting diversely and actors who are real singers. But that aside (and I recognize it’s a big aside), it doesn’t come close. The flow of the 61 movie from beginning to end is nearly perfect. The way the music and dance seamlessly flows in and out of the drama and acting is just amazing. In this number especially, how in 61 Bernardo and Anita’s argument happens while they walk to the roof, where the song just arises so naturally. In the new one it feels like it comes out of nowhere. There are things I love about this new one - the kids dancing at the end of America, Riff’s gf standing up for Anita, more Spanish and no subtitles, Anybodys evolved character, casting - but musically and artistically, I really don’t think it’s close. The phrasing of the singing alone. Too many other issues to write about - there’s lots. I think it’s a valiant effort, but history will show in the end that the 61 version will endure. Thanks for posting this side by side, it’s great to see!
I agree- the original> the new one. also, i know rita moreno and george chakiris(bernardo and anita) tried saying something about brown face. i don’t blame them and nobody should blame the actors !
That scene was filmed in New Jersey not NYC plus the dance scene is lost with the busy background and to many cuts. The dance scene in the 1961 version has a better smoother movement of the dance scene does not get lost with bad cuts or busy background. They massage has more of punch about living in America which is the point of that scene. Robbins and Wise version hold up way better then the remake
I haven't seen the original in years, and while I remember really liking it, Spielberg's is better in every way possible. The camera is moving everywhere with brisk pace, the sequence goes all around their community, the dancing is even more dynamic, the chemistry between Anita and Bernardo is more wholesome and sweet, the entire Puerto Rican community in the film gets involved, and... well... no one's wearing brownface.
No matter which version you prefer one thing we can all agree ; Anitas and the dresses are fire and iconic
Ariana DeBose doesn't have 1% of the magnetism or raw talent that Rita Moreno has.
@@crazyguy98456978 if Rita Moreno says Ariana is wonderful I am going to believe her not you
@@crazyguy98456978 yes she does. the yellow dress during the lady's dance is a visual masterpiece.
@@crazyguy98456978 How sad for you. We have 2 very talent stars, yet you focus on "1% of a talent". Give them both the credit they so deserve. I think we can have 2 winners!
@@crazyguy98456978 Having an opinion is fine but you can't really have an opinion over talent, only about if you like what the person does or not.
I grew up with the original and love it, but this scene looked like a filmed stage production. Spielberg's take is so much more cinematic, spectacular, full of energy and movement. It looks like a real movie! And even if I love both, my preference has to be Spielberg's.
There is nothing in the original that looks like a filmed stage production. It films the number perfectly - there's no master shot, it's all broken up into sequences and set-ups, just as it should be - it was designed for the camera and editing. Spielberg's is simply busier but without purpose, because he completely loses the point of the song.
That's cool if you prefer the original, there is no right or wrong opinion! They're both great!
@@haineshisway agree!!
@@haineshisway The "America" number in the original 1961 film is confined to one sound stage like a stage production, the rooftop of a building. The Spielberg version takes it out to the fire escape exterior, the kitchen interior, the apartment interior stairs, the apartment exterior steps, the local store, a protest demonstration, Rivera Bros. Boxing Gym, and several street and intersection locations. Plus, it adds hundreds of extras.
@@haineshisway This is a great comparison. I prefer the '61 version for a number of reasons. It more clearly shows the playful and funny give-and-take between the boys and the girls. The music and dancing has a more palpable presence. It has Rita Moreno's wonderful, charismatic performance. It has superior choreography (Peter Gennaro should get most of the credit for it). I just noticed in this comparison that you can see their faces and their expressions more clearly. The music and dance is just more impressive in the original. I consider it to be the best, most perfect movie musical number that I have ever seen.
I love both versions a looot, but I personally prefer Spielberg’s, I love seeing everyone smiling and enjoying their dancing (even Spielberg said so), I loved the detail that they showed the whole neighborhood and people joining in to dance. Besides the dancing in 2021 is superior for me, also the costumes. Everything’s so colorful and pretty. Rita Moreno and Ariana Debose slayed in both movies and that is a fact.
That an they actually used Latin American actors and actresses. Made me happy to see some Puerto Ricans on the screen once. Us borinquenas are proud
@@shaleenadaniellee Im so happy that you felt represented 🥺 I felt the same way with another movie, it was "In the Heights" they raised the mexican flag and i just felt so happy even if it was a little detail. i hope all of us latinos get more representation in movies like this and even more
@@valentinasisi Sameee! if you look reaaally close in carnaval del barrio you can see a tiny brazillian flag! I feel like a lot times people forget we're also Latin Americans because of the different language and culture and while I understand why the movie didn't have a lot of brazillian representation (it was very clearly made for Hispanic Americans), it was still nice to be acknowledged!
I will say the original version has more of that playful nature between the women and men that I think the new version lacks. However I still like the new version because they walk around the neighborhood
@@valentinasisi The cynic in me says "Oh, so Hollywood's finally noticed there's a significant enough Latino population that they outnumber non-Hispanic whites in some states?" But the Texan in me smiles at seeing more people like my friends and neighbors making it big and showing off who they are.
I honestly loved how they made the first one but my one problem is that in the original the "You forget I'm in America" is a very flirty line I always loved that part of the story and in the new version it doesn't give that same energy.
I agree that flirty line was a very cool detail missing on the new version.
I agree nothing is the original especially this song is my favorite scene of thr original
Exactly!
I know I think the newer version that playful energy between the women and men
I think the way she says it in the 2020 version fits for their character dynamic in the 2020. Because they clearly are very flirty while also challenging each other
Justin Peck is the principal choreographer for the New York City Ballet. He was also the choreographer for the 2021 film. The ‘America’ sequence scenes were shot in New York City in July, when the pavement is BEASTLY HOT. Peck said Ariana DeBose kept melting holes in her shoes-from a combination of the heat-AND her dancing. He said her feet were moving so fast it created tremendous friction..and her shoes melted. Peck and wardrobe learned to keep multiple pairs of the same shoes for DeBose!
I heard nearly the same story about when the Prologue was filmed in the 1961 film.
@@MissNYWF They suffered from shin splints from dancing on the sidewalk
Yes. I think Baby John passed out in the heat.
Actually, it was filmed in Patterson NJ. Neighborhoods like that no longer exist in NYC. The 1961 exteriors were filmed at the condemned buildings before they were razed to build Lincoln Center.
I love both versions. They both convey something different. The original is more intimate. It’s about a group of friends hanging out. The remake is about the entire community. I’m more partial to the original version but I love the characterization of Bernardo in the remake. Anita is a badass in both versions!
I love the context in the original more so I say the original is better but the new one also isn't bad.
The new one is better
Two Oscar winning actresses for this stunning role. And it’s absolutely deserved.
1:41- 1:53 in Spielberg’s movie is genius. It first feels like you’re watching a report (Anita is looking at the audience) and then a parody of an add (the lyrics suggest that), BRILLIANT. So much creativity in this movie
@@SandraMartinez-gv1yf Both versions were all about race, both throw in Spanish, the white guys were bad in both versions...And both versions rocked :) Sob, sob, boo hoo
@@SandraMartinez-gv1yf so because it focuses on Spanish since half of the characters are Puerto Rican it’s a flop? Both versions focuses on race since that’s what starts the conflict in the movie
Wake up and smell the coffee. Spielberg 's version is a mess. He needed a Jerome Robbins to direct the musical numbers. In 1961 you could easily focus on the dancers and choreography because of the mute set design. In 2021, too much is going on and the dancers get lost in the set design, camera angles and all those spectators. In 1961, Anita had more closeups. The editing was too quick. In 1961, the Jet girls stood out and got more exposure. In 1961, the lesbian character was more androgynous and colorful. In 2021, she passes completely as a boy and misses the lesbian connection. The 2021 version overdid the colorful ruffled skirt twirling. Spielberg does not deserve Best director nomination.
@@SandraMartinez-gv1yf you’re hilarious. so much hatred seems to be in your heart. i wish you well though.
@@patriquest completely agree, these people are just as brainwashed as the women were in West Side Storys world. They'll love anything new and then take out their best "I kind of payed attention in history" plead like they've been saving the latino population since they could talk. Its all about race, they hate the 1960's so of course they hate the original and will make up anything from all the characters being brown faced??? to Anita hating the scene.
I love how the 2021's visuals are depicting what is said in the lyrics. Everything is so dynamic and beautiful.
The 60s version is beautiful too but feels too static. Even with the great dancing.
That's because audiences today have no attention span and need constant cutting. We didn't need that back in 1961. The original version is perfect on every level and it shoots dance the way dance should be shot.
@@haineshisway It's not even about cuts or attention span. I love older slow-burn movies, but the original just looked like a stage production (which isn't a bad thing). Spielberg knows how to use his medium, so it looks super cinematic. Both are great in their own ways, this isn't some generational thing
@@_the_rizzler It is not SHOT like a stage production, which is my point. And if you don't think Robert Wise, a great film director, knew how to use the medium then you don't know much about film. Wise began as an editor with a little movie called Citizen Kane. He IS cinema. His films prior to West Side Story were all masterful and cinematically pure. His films after West Side Story are, too, including The Haunting, The Sound of Music, The Sand Pebbles, etc. So, Wise also knows how to use the medium. My only point is that the original film is nothing like watching a stage show.
@@haineshisway I'm well-aware of who Robert Wise was and I'm not insulting his work in any way. Citizen Kane is among my favorite movies. The Sound Of Music is one of my favorite musicals. But Stephen Spielberg is a blockbuster director. His scope is grand and it shows. I didn't say the original always felt like a stage production. Just in this scene. It just does feel and look like that. Again, it's not a bad thing at all. The Producers (2005) is shot to look like its stage counterpart rather than the original movie and I love that movie. Just because one version is great doesn't mean another is bad. In this case, they're both great in different ways like I said. But mostly, this is definitely NOT a generational thing
@@haineshisway 21 barely has more cutting than 61. And fewer in the dance sequences.
I love Spielberg’s version of this, and mainly because of one thing: community. He really highlights the differences between the two gangs in this movie. The Sharks have community, they have family’s and they have each other. However, the white capitalist world is against them, so instead they have to work together. You can really see that community in his version, especially at the end with the children getting involved and the whole west side watching. He highlights this further in the beginning as well after the first number when the Sharks sing and the community applauds them. They are protectors. The Jets don’t have this, the system doesn’t support them, their own families don’t support them - they only have The Jets. In fact, their song ‘stay cool boy’ which is supposed to prepare them for the rumble was changed by Spielberg to Tony trying to get them to change their mind, so even that was taken away from them. Spielberg’s film highlights what we don’t get in the production or even the original.
Some nice touches and compositions but the overall effect was, for me, of a United Colors of Benneton advert. Th original focuses on their faces, the latter one dissipates that.
I have to say, Ariana DeBose is very talented and did a good job with her role but it's literally impossible to get a better Anita than Rita Moreno. The sass, style, charisma and facial expressions are completely unmatched.
Totally agree. DeBose is a great dancer. But she had zero sass, sadly 🥺
Spot on!!!
Totally agree. Rita Moreno’s attitude, body language, facial expression…..just perfection. I think SS did an amazing up date but I think the acting in the original far surpasses the new cast. I have actually stage directed this piece and was so pleased that another new generation will have a chance to appreciate it.
The choreography was better in the 1961 version as well. "Cool" was such a disappointment in the current version. And I liked George Chakiris a hundred times better too. He was more charismatic and he had the advantage of Jerome Robbins excellent choreography.
(Chita Rivera enters the chat…)
I loved how they included children at the end of the 2021 version, it's so cute.
And it has nothing whatsoever to do with the intention of the song, cute though it may be.
The children was one of the dumbest parts of this movie. The rest was just pure 💩. It was a flop for a reason
I haven’t watched the new version except for UA-cam clips. I have watched the original often throughout the years & being originally from Lower Manhattan I relate to the original movie as it actually use to be. Good or Bad it’s History.
@@SandraMartinez-gv1yf I haven’t watched the new version but I couldn’t help but laugh …I saw clips on UA-cam …and have to admit “I Agree with you wholeheartedly “.
@@SandraMartinez-gv1yf 7 Oscar nominations isn’t a flop? 🤨 Plus, nobody saw it when it first came out since for popular stuff like SpiderMan No Way Home was in theatres. I’ve spoken with a Cinema Owner and by January-February loads of people came to see it. Probably one of the best movies IN. THE. WORLD.
Bernardo and Riff were so misogynistic with their girlfriends in the 61 version, I’m so glad they wrote more complex characters who are not too cartoonish in the 2021 version. It really feels like you’re watching real people. They’re still macho-like but their girls are standing up for themselves and they at least try to “listen” to them
That’s what I thought! It really doesn’t feel like they’re playing cartoons this time (or Romeo and Juliet stand-ins). Adding to that, in the new version, their accents are never a punchline. Even when Tony briefly mimics Valentina’s accent, the actual punchline is when she mimics his back to him.
“Sometimes I don’t know which is thicker. Your skull or your *accent*!” in the first one makes me cringe…
It's a product of its time
Does this story take place today? Hint: No. And I hate to tell you that Anita gets the best of Bernardo throughout the original film.
Are you high??? Cartoonish is what this new version was. And racist. Total BS. Spielberg trying to be PC. He failed. The movie flopped on the theatre. Nothing like the original one. The characters in this one were not complex, they were annoying and talentless. They are not at the mécele of dancing as the original. This was 💩.
@@Tenshikichi1 It’s a classic and nothing like this piece of 💩 Spielberg did. No wonder this one flipes.
The original was more homoerotic, more sassy and biting, with better singing, and Rita Moreno remains unchallenged. But I like the new one as well. Great cinematography, costumes - I like all the changes of scenery, and the dancing and singing is commendable. The new Bernardo is definitely an eye full!
The Gay Analysis
@@helens1016 A gay guy wrote the lyrics.
Better singing? Are you hard of hearing? Comparing the "A Boy Like That" scenes in both movies alone tells you the 2021 version had better singing and it's not even close.
@@hihosilencemeviolateme949 Sondheim and Bernstein didn't direct the movies or cast David Alvarez
@@helens1016 and elia Kazan directed most of Williams' movies and Broadway shows. If the subtext is there ...
Rita Moreno and Ariana DeBose sound so good together.
Moving from the rooftop to the street really opens up the action and performance. 61 feels like a stage play. 21 feels more like a blockbuster.
Also, something I had forgotten until the 61 Anita actress (Rita Moreno) mentioned it. They painted all the "Puerto Ricans" brown in the 61 version. She said she hated it. Why should she, a Puerto Rican, have to be sprayed to look Puerto Rican.
Anyhow, love them both.
Preferred the rooftop because it was more center stage for the dance. Too much going in the new version to appreciate the choreography.
Here is the theory I heard about the brown face paint: it was a theatrical device to heighten the contrast between the opposing gangs, to accentuate the conflict and was used in addition to the dialogue, the accents, the clothing etc. There's only so much time and dialogue to create characters and document the tension, and every visual cue or shortcut helps. It's not about denying the palette of skin colors in PR, it just easier to move the audience along when people look readily different. That's not to say that original producers didn't also themselves have or rely on stereotypes, because most people did back then. Anyone should feel free to disagree whatever their passion is.
@@pauledholm316 ‘Face paint’ in this form is not a theatrical device so much as it is a racial jab. The simple fact is the majority of people playing Puerto Ricans in the 1961 version weren’t Puerto Rican, they were white. The darkening of their skin and use of exaggerated accents was and is brownface, and visual cues or otherwise don’t excuse that. Rita Moreno’s frustration with them using darker makeup is completely understandable - especially when she attempted to convey that sense of diversity to the crew to no avail.
Might have had something to do with the lighting. Compared to the Speilberg version, the original looks like it was shot in the dark. Hope thats why anyway
But isn't it interesting they chose a naturally darker actress for the remake? Apparently Puerto Ricans bust still be darker on screen. Also, all my Latino Spanish teachers and my Russian Russian teacher stressed the important of accent. But then social media gets mad at this in movies. I don't get it.
3:00 is when I feel the 1961 version is better. George and Rita just have better chemistry and the movie feel better for it
That’s basically my only issue with the sequence. Both are AMAZING, of course, but Rita’s delivery of the line sound almost playful and teasing towards Bernardo in the 1961 version. (His grin afterwards just makes it better lol) In comparison to the recent remake, it sounded like Anita was just trying to prove a point. Nonetheless, both films, in my opinion, were fantastic!
@@bluestone_alley1617 exactly. i think that's why the 61 isn't eclipsed by the new version. the 21 WSS is really great, but the chemistry and charisma of 61 is unmatched. you actually see the american dream in 61, and in 21 you see this history lesson with beautiful cinematography.
@@bluestone_alley1617 Both films were not fantastic. The original one was. The 2021 version was woke pc 💩 and it failed in the theater.
@@SandraMartinez-gv1yf We get it you don’t like the remake, you don’t have to say it 8 times lmao
yes, in the 1961 version they -- George Chakiris and Rita Moreno -- are dancing for **each other**, they are making eye contact and flirting. It's way sexier than the 2021
All these comments about which is "better" really miss the point, I think. They're both beautiful and of their time. Equally good, imo. The new one feels more 'real' but that's because we're living in a 2021 reality, not 1961.
BOTH versions brilliantly done and fitted that era, downright the best show stopping number in the movie. Kudos to both choreographers and performers, then and now!
Both versions are amazing for different reasons. Speilberg opened it up to reflect the neighborhood and made it colorful and the original captured more of the rivalry between the sexes. But the best thing is that made both Anita's dresses as iconic. Bravo to the costumer designers!
The original version will always be my favourite. The choreography is incredible, so sharp, and their physicality just blows my mind.
The original feels more like a conversation between two sides
The newer one feels more like a music video
Spot on! Original was more fun, energetic, flirtatious. Intimate. I didn’t like filming it like a street scene with the whole neighborhood. In the original, the dance, lyrics, love story are more highlighted. In the original, the central focus is on the lovers, Tony & Maria, like Romeo & Juliet. It seems more poignant than the Spielberg one, which seems too focused on the other characters. Nothing wrong with that, but it takes away, I think, from the main 2 characters’ love story.
And i liked it way more as a music video. It just feels like the scale of the sequence feels way larger than the original where it felt like the entire town is part of it
All due respect to Spielberg and cast, but I am constantly reminded of the unparalleled talent of George Chakiris and Rita Moreno. So deserved their Oscar's and they remain iconic and awe inspiring.
Love it! Thanks for putting side-by-side (and editing to make it match). I'm biased because I love Justin Peck's choreography for everything he does. He has some ballets for NYCB that are very Robbins-esque (sneaker ballets), so that's likely why he got the job, and rightfully so! His revival of Carousel was amazing, as was this West Side Story; worked so well with cinematography and direction and costumes!
Thank you, Steven Speilberg (or whoever made the decision) to cut the line about wanting "Puerto Rico sinking into the ocean." 😔 Our island has its problems (same as everywhere else) but we Nuyoricans love our humble little island and our families still on it. We don't want it to sink anywhere. The insulting original line ruined what was a great song. It really captures our heartbreak, love and mixed feelings about both places.
😘🇵🇷🇺🇲
Were you born and raised in NY? That makes a difference. In my experience, immigrants often do speak badly of their former homeland. That is why many of us left. Doesn't mean there still aren't things we don't like/miss about our old country. It's not all black-and-white. I'm Guatemalan and my sister married into a Puerto Rican family. Her husband's family came to the U.S. mainland when he was a teen. We all currently reside in Massachusetts and are familiar with the original 1961 film. We thought the line change was phony. Granted, it was taken from the original stage version of "America," but there it was sung by Rosalia to which Anita responds with "Puerto Rico, you ugly island..." Giving the "Puerto Rico, you lovely island..." line to Anita makes no sense. Overall, this movie felt condescending.
I still prefer the original because how much talent it must’ve taken to do this in what *looks like* a single shot without cuts. Trickery or not in the 1961 version, there are way more cuts in the 2021 version. The talent to keep going in a single cut is exponentially greater.
The original understood the musical stage production aspect. And with original music behind it.
This new one is more cinematic, yet somehow, lifeless.
@@JakeSmith-rv1hm Oh I so agree. You hit the nail on the head with the word "lifeless".
@@JakeSmith-rv1hm the city is nothing like Manhattan back in 1961, the sun feels fake, the additions are shoved in there for acceptance anything from naming what's happening as though we are too dumb to understand the meaning behind the story, and the vehicles are all too lowered, and bizzare with what they chose in that 1950's esque style pallete. Oh more importantly, people in 1961 had more zing, in modern day everythings so emotional every sentence is practically going to end in an awkard pause or unstable tears. They look too worried about their image.
There aren't that many more cuts in the '21 version.
From the start of the main number in the 60s version it’s 27 cuts, this one is 31, so Idk what you’re talking about
I know there was a lot less of it in the new version, but when it was there the dancing was ON! POINT! Absolutely amazing 10/10 choreography
Yes!
The dancing in the '61 version had more energy and........feeling.
i love the 60s version coz it concentrates on the actors and the dance. amazing choreography. that ending is much much better.
i agree, 2021 it's for me a light version, i feel more force in the original 1961
I grew up loving the original! I became a HUGE Fan of Rita Moreno at 6 years old! We even had the Movie sound track. I didn’t think I would love the new version. I was amazed how GREAT it is. But I still love the dance scenes of “I like to Live in America” and The gym “Mambo” from the original better. Rita Moreno dancing in that Lavender Dress for both scenes are unforgettable! Classic!!
The fact that the newer film held it's own tells us that this was an amazing adaptation especially considering what it had to go against. Steven Spielberg's adaptation doesn't even feel like it's trying to compete with the original. It values portraying a whole different feeling and overall interpretation. Some of the liberties that were taken that were different from the original often get compared, but that's because this adaptation wanted you to feel something different. I cried just as much watching this one as I did for the original, but at completely different moments. The added conflicting tension and character development was phenomenal. Contrary from the original film, there's a deeper dive into the perspective of several different characters vs being biased in just Tony and Maria's viewpoint. Overall the new one is a better film in my opinion, but the original is still spectacular. We can love both.
"this adaptation wanted you to feel something different" - THAT is exactly what I wish everyone criticizing SS's adaption understood.
Yep. Same material, different take.
@@lilliealicea8002 What is the difference in the feelings?
I think that is the counter argument. He is trying to make it say what it doesn't.
I saw the performance from 1961 dozens of times and the film from 2021 and all the other videos that appeared on UA-cam.
I also read all the comments to this video - and I think the big winners are Leonard Bernstein and Steven Sondheim and to them should be added Grom Robbins, Robert Wise and of course Steven Spielberg.
The big difference between the two films is the light and the dark, the streets of New York for its people- compared to photography the whole roof only with members of the Shark Band.
On the other hand - the dance movements of the film from 1961 are sharper and of course the unusual appearance of Rita Moreno.
To sum up: the enjoyment of all the viewers and of course thanks for editing the comparison video
*Jerome Robbins.
I have seen a hundred times the girls dancing v.1961, I isolated each dancer (I fell in love with Suzie Kaye - Rosalia), each one is different in style, but all coordinated. I feel that the old version (and adding the high heels) are technically more difficult.
Without detracting from the visual beauty, the "realism" of v.2021, light for me, made for millennials
I must be the only person in the world who prefers the old version. The jazz scenes in the new one just don't swing.
I prefer the 1961 version.
I prefer the old one too
Spielberg’s “America” is the closest thing I’ve seen to the legendary Disney production number. Enjoyed every second.
In all honesty I love both versions equally!!!! 😍😍😍😍 The original takes place at night on a rooftop whereas the 2021 remake takes place on the streets of Manhattan at broad daylight. Besides that, the energy of the musical number on both movies is the same!!
althought i love the remake, i still prefer how Anita sings "and put THAT in!" and "you forget I'm in America, ooh" and "everyone there will have moved here" in the 1961 version lol. I feel like it was more playful
In terms of choreography, it's no contest, really. 1961 is a masterpiece. The thing about this number, "America," is that it's soooo much about the fiery dynamic between Anita and 'Nardo. For all of it's obvious faults, Moreno and Chakiris had some real chemistry. So much of their interaction is playful, in that they like teasing each other, being contrary. This song is the culmination of that. You know they love each other, but they love getting under each other's skin, too. Just for fun. It's like when Maria asks Anita, "What happens when you look at Nardo?" and she casually replies, "It's when I DON'T look that it happens." Pure wit.
This song is about their differing views on Puerto Rico and the US, but it's not an argument, more like a battle of wits between the couple, and by extension, the guys versus the girls. The game is to outwit and out maneuver. The points are made through the lyrics, but so much through the physical movements and dancing. They dance separately throughout until the very end when they all dance in unison, proving that they love one another despite their views.
The 2021 version lacks that wit, that sarcastic playfulness of the original. It might be bigger and grander with more style and visual appeal, but there isn't that connection between the leads, nor between their actions and the lyrics being sung. Watch with the volume muted. In 2021, they could be singing about anything.
I agree with you on how this song basically serves as a storytelling tool that tells us the dynamics between Anita and Bernardo and the 2021 version didn’t deliver that as well. I guess it’s hard to adapt something that’s already been adapted before and they chose to lean into it being a comparison song and a celebration song. I liked that they chose to do something new in the 2021 version, it would’ve been more annoying if they just tried to pull what the 1961 version did. It’s definitely more lush and cinematic, it shows how different musicals are made now. Not a bad thing.
Yeah that's my thing too. I felt nothing for the new Anita and Nando. They could've been brother and sister.
Spot on comment
So agree with your assessment! 👍
This specific dance number, I have no preference (I had problems with the 2021 film overall), but you can't deny this is a thrilling dance. Both versions, musically and choreographically, demonstrate the artists working at the peak of their form. Both are beautiful examples of defining characters through dance. The explosion of energy from both casts - past and present - is just astounding: dance perfection.
Thank you for this. I enjoyed the 2021 version. I love the original better. More gritty and intense!
Gritty?
It is odd isnt it, a movie about the struggle trying not to show the struggle? In the original we see beauty against a backdrop of bleakness. This felt like Dorothy skipping through Munchkinland.
Thank you for doing this. One is not better than the other. They are both equally breathtaking and OUTSTANDING! So dazzlingly enjoyable.
I love both versions but there’s one scene in the 1961 version that I just love when she says “everyone there would’ve moved here” I don’t know why but I just really like it it’s more sassy it’s more upbeat but I don’t really know. Also the dancing in the Steven Spierberg one I freaking love that dancing choreography is 🤩 amazing
I grew up watching the original and really do love both takes on this classic. I have to say though so the original has better pace.
So interesting to see the differences in color used between each… Red is dominant in both but the 2021 version has a vibrant (thanks to yellows) and daylight involved.
The back stories of the main characters and also the social climate in New York City made me appreciate the Spielberg version more. Being from a family of immigrants made me relate to the 2021 version. As a work of art, I will always love the 1961 film; but I feel like I was living in the 2021 film.
Same here! The only reason I never liked WSS /that/ much previously was because all of the Peurto Rican characters felt like props/stereotypes with no characterization. I was so happy to see my people get proper backstories and more developed personalities in the 2021 version!
I loved both of them a looootttt, the dancing is amazing, the dresses are iconic, and they all have amazing voices, but I like the original version of this better. In the beginning of the song, I don’t like how they changed some of the lyrics.
I am so impressed that the ladies wear heels without straps in the 60s version.
All my money would be on the “1961” version 👍🏻. As a young women raised in NY I remember how segregated the cities use to be. Many New Yorkers at that time didn’t join in with each other’s neighborhood. Unaware one evening after work, my friend & I unexpectedly wound up at a bar in the Puerto Rican community ..trust me, the Men & Ladies were quite handsome. Men in quality suits, woman in gorgeous dresses. We left quickly noticing we were an outcast and truthfully I personally was a bit scared. I relate to the older version in the respect of it being depicted for that time period.
I like the 2021 better. The colors, the dancing and the fact that it's happening on the streets during daytime, the lyrics make more sense like that. And with today's technology, Spielberg was able to make the camera dance with them, it's like we're part of it.
It’s really clear that Spielbergdid this as a passion project , you can just feel the joy and love in Every scene , even the color palettes , the sharks and the puerto ricans are always in red and warm colors , even when they’re out in the streets , they are always surrounded by the same color family , red , yellow , orange , brown ....and jetts are always in blues , greens and whites , it’s cold , bright and pastel , visual difference is really amazing , the movie is just delicious
Part of me wants to like the 1961 version better, but I think opening up the scenes and making them feel less like a stage transferred to a gym, a rooftop, a parking garage, was the right move.
Robert Wise, who directed the 1961 film, went on to direct The Sound of Music, and it was masterful the way he filmed the opening number of that movie. Even better was the dynamic travelogue he created with the Do Re Mi number.
It's too bad Spielberg waited until now to direct his first full musical. Now I want him to direct all of them.
I prefer the 61 version .
You can literally hear the men’s steps, when they start dancing, match the beat of the music .
There is lots of good and hard work in both versions, but at the end of the day (speaking only for myself) Justin Peck is not Jerome Robbins or Peter Gennaro. For me, the original version, confined to the world of the Sharks and their girls on a rooftop, works better than the spectacle filmed by Spielberg. For me, the entire original film is more effective than the newer one. Different isn't better; it's just different.
You know what’s my favorite thing about the the 2021 version that makes it better for me? The fact that they used actual Latinos instead of painting white people brown with fake accents and stiff body movements. You can tell the difference in dancing when the Jets and the Sharks dance in the gym. AND in the Spanish dub version they actually depict the Sharks accent as Puerto Ricans instead of the standard Mexican accent you’d usually hear in a dubbed film
Rita Moreno is a “painted white person?” She was born in Humacao, PR.
@@andrewyarosh1809 They did actually put dark makeup on her for the movie to make her look more "exotic" 🙄and I believe she was the only puerto rican in the movie (if not, she was still one of the only ones). All the sharks in the original were white people in brownface.
Nice way to bring your own bigotry into your review.
@@hihosilencemeviolateme949 ok lol
@@marggiepv laughing at one's own bigotry has a long tradition. You are in good company.
A film and two giant directors 60 years apart. The result: incredible and wonderful.
I think 2021's Anita deserved the Academy Award. I grew up with Rita Morenos Anita and I still love to this day. I loved how Spielberg had the part just for her. She's still beautiful and amazing!
The 1961 version looked and sounded like men battling women but having fun. They didn't sing the melody perfectly, nor did they have any voicing. But they surely ENJOYED teasing each other. I think that's the true essence of this song. And Rita Moreno was the epitome of someone exuding this vibe. Her facial expressions alone were enough to make anyone smile.
I love both versions but I appreciate the theatrical staging in the original which allows a better view of the synchronization. I love the flirtyness of the original. Plus the final moments in the original where the women leap on the mens shoulders can’t be topped . With that in mine I did enjoy the Spielberg version.
Loved the sign for Palisades Amusement Park in the new film. Been there, done that, many times!
Wow, great video. Thanks for posting. Agree that it's nice to see this number looking less stagebound, but surprised to find that I feel the original version has so much more energy and sexual chemistry than the remake. Also have to say, I feel the original men's choreography is so much more interesting and specific than the rework.
I couldn’t agree more!
I prefer Jerome Robbins choreography and Rita Moreno's Anita.
I prefer the old version
I love both versions, though I do prefer the roof setting of the original, it's dingier and more realistic than stopping traffic in broad daylight in the middle of a Manhattan intersection. And it provides great contrast to the color brought by the singers and the dancers, though I do love the color and brightness of the new version. George Chakiris was a phenomenal dancer and was one of the few who sang his own parts. Alvarez is a good dancer too, but Chakiris had something extra.
You want realism in a musical? Then they also shouldn't be singing because no one in real life sings instead of just talking. The 61' version looks like a low budget stage play put on film. It's entertaining, but nearly everything about Spielberg's version tops it by a mile.
@@brandonb.5304 Hmmm. You're missing the point by parsing my words in such a simplistic manner. And you don't give the original enough credit. West Side Story was one of the highest budgeted films in 1961 -- they weren't exactly cutting corners in this movie. The set-up for the original movie to me made more sense and worked better. I think in some cases Spielberg worked too hard to step away from the original version. I think a night-time setting also would have worked better. A little too Viva Las Vegas-y dancing in the streets. But even so, he and the cast still carried it off. Did you not see the part where I said I loved both versions? I just thought the original of America, esp with Jerome Robbins' choreography at its best. I also liked the gym scene better in the original -- the part where Tony and Maria are drawn together -- it was transporting. They tried to recreate the same ambience behind the seats, and it didn't quite work for me. And I kinda wished Riff was in the Officer Krupke number -- raises too many questions about why he wasn't there. All that said, the remake was great, and I hope more people see it.
@@bman342a This song works so much better during the day in the streets of New York with the entire city bustling. A song about the pros and cons of living in America sucluded to a nighttime rooftop doesn't really make any sense. If you're going to create a musical number about America, I want to see America--its streets, its buildings, its workers, its people...something Spielberg's version does magically and something the '61 verson doesn't do at all. The song just makes so much more sense setting it out on the bustling streets of New York instead of a dark and secluded rooftop with no one else around.
@@brandonb.5304 someone else mentioned that the original is more intimate between friends and the new version is more about the community. the new version is definitely more vibrant but it's also just a stereotypical musical flash mob. it's still magical just kind of like, oh ok you're using that trick again.
@@simplethingsuask Umm, yeah...that's kind of what musicals are. People suddenly break out into song and dance and then stop and act like they weren't just performing. It wouldn't be a musical if that's not what happens.
Both are great so it's hard to say which is better. Thank Spielberg for making something so lovely.
History was made Both Rita Moreno and Anita De Bose won best supporting actress at the Oscars for the same roles
it's Rita Moreno for me, forever. Spielberg brought it to Hollywood and it was delightful...I was born in NYC in the late 60's and the 61 version was spot on with conveying the spirit of the city.
I prefer Spielberg’s feels more majestic, but also in the original you can understand how Rita is the scene, she takes the number to a whole new level.
So beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Spielberg isn't directing another movie musical and I'm crying. Thought Jon M. Chu, LMM, and him are like the future of movie musicals or musical film adaptations
1961 it's better than the new one
Ok 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯
Grew up loving this movie and I was very skeptical when I found out they were doing a remake, but it is objectively better in every way. They removed all the originals shortcomings, preserved everything great about the original, and improved upon it in ever conceivable way. So much more depth and richness.
The 1961 movie seemed to move along faster.
I loved the dancing and performance in the 2021 version but I think the original had more humour/playfulness
Thanks God , somebody made this Video. I really Love both movies. Wonderfully made. The 1961version is a master piece, but we cant deny that the 2021 version, Spielberg took it into another level.
Musical movie vs music video.
1961 ever !!!!
Jerome Robbins version is meticulous timing and perfection. After many retakes, medics with treatments on standby.
Medics with treatments?
The new film was okay. I enjoyed it well enough but 1961 is a classic!. Just based on the exciting choreography and performances of the two leads it's better. The new one relies on location changes...which some people may prefer. I prefer the Robbins choreography.
You mean Peter Gennaro's choreography, which Robbins took credit for. He made Peter sign a contract giving him the credit. See "Dancers Over Forty" who worked in the original Broadway show.
i like both but i prefer the 60s version. I'm not sure what it is, but to me Spielberg's sounds too polished vocally, I'm not really sure how to explain it
"too polished" is right. The song wasn't supposed to be sung; it was supposed to be performed. So in the 1961 version, you'll hear more times when the singers interpreted the lyrics, along with appropriate gestures and facial expressions. That's what made it more appealing.
I think this shows quite clearly what I prefer about the 2021 version. The 1961 film felt like watching a stage show. All the places felt like sets - the city felt small and empty and fake. In this scene it all takes place on one rooftop, as it would be if it were on stage. It feels like the movie halts briefly for a dance break. The new version is just so dynamic, it feels like you are just seeing a world in which it is perfectly normal for people to burst into songs. You see people staring, watching, marvelling at the dancers as though it is a spectacle even within the world of the musical. It's just how it is in this version of reality.
one was about the characters and charisma (61) the other was about bright sets and cinematography (21). characters win. 2:56 is the difference. you see both anger and love from bernardo in 61 and in 21 you see a cool set with bernardo lecturing.
The 2:56 sequence might show a more characterized delivery from Bernardo, but it's not natural. It's theatrical. And that's the major difference between the films, more generally. 61 is more theatrical; 21 is more natural and more cinematic.
@@dsmith147 it's a fair point. i think that choice is to the detriment of the film--it's a musical of course, but also, 21 bernardo has little charisma relatively speaking. 21 Riff had no problems playing both the grounded and the musical side. at the 256 mark, you see emotion and i think that was missing from some of the 21 version. still good film but the emotion and charisma was lacking.
As a dancer and performer and lover of this movie. I say the original still has my heart. The energy between the guys and girls is more fun and expressive.
The original one is so much more realistic, sincere and great.
In my opinion, I definitely prefer the original over the new version. I believe that both are great works of art, and I love that a new generation is getting to see this fantastic musical. Spielberg did a great job of reimagining it. He changed some things, but overall I think that it was a beautiful movie. I enjoyed the colors and I liked that we got to see a bit more of Anita and Bernardo, but to me there are some things that wish weren’t changed. I also loved that it actually had Puerto Rican actors knit. I wish that the song order was not changed around because it was very shocking to see Bernardo and Riff die, and then immediately go into “I Feel Pretty”. I also missed “Cool” because it has the best choreography in the original and I wanted to see a lot of dancing in the new version. I prefer the chemistry that Anita and Bernardo had in the original, and the choreography, in my opinion, was overall better in the original as well. I love the original and I enjoy the new one. I know it was not meant to be a perfect remake, and I appreciate what Spielberg did. There will just always be a special and unwavering place in my heart for the original.
I love both but 61 have my heart. The dance, the acting is better for me. Not the quality of the dancers but the choreography and they were more funny, sassy, playing.
I thinck the same things..
The 1961 version is so much better and that includes the original film as a whole too. I didn't like this remake. I wish they would stop remaking everything. :(
I would say that 2021 is way more dynamic, but some lines don't give the same message to the viewer.
There are lines from Anita where she is being flirty with Bernardo and you see the faces and the way she says that. In the new version if they weren't dancing together, you would probably think that they are getting mad at each other.
J. Robbins - R. Wise 1 / S. Spielberg 0. Nohing new in dance choreography and acting performance. Rita, I ❤ U
I like the newer version better just because it's so much bigger and less contained than the original.
That being said, they're both great and the purple and yellow dresses of each respective version are fab!
Oh My God!!🤩 That just shows how great both these films are !! I just love them both !!😍💕💃🕺
ありがとうございます！！
60年以上前の比較
どちらもその良さがあり、映像技術等ありますが、でもやはり初代の映画と今までの舞台で作り上げてきたものは素晴らしい！！
Spielberg only needs a western. He has perfected every genre and this proves it. Amazing, beautiful, brilliant. This gave me goose bumps and brought tears to my eyes.
I'm actual glad no random director decided remake this film.Because Spielberg is already goated.Plus year of experience creating good films I'm sure he wouldn't disappoint.I actually love this remake
Love, love these comparisons. Thank you.
If the Spielberg version isn't considered for "Best Choreography" in the Oscar nominations, the judges are asleep.
The whole move is Oscar-worthy, but this sequence is exceptional.
They usually don't have a Best Choreography award. Typically, they will award an Honorary Oscar, as they honored Jerome Robbins for the choreography of the 1961 version. Onna White, in 1968, also received an Honorary Oscar for her choreography of Oliver! For some reason, her award is the only Choreography Oscar in which the film is mentioned specifically and states as such on the Oscar.
The zingers from the original don't have the same energy in the 2021 version. There's a certain sting to the lines in the 1961 version that makes it hit harder.
What a fascinating video; overall I prefer the 1961 version (having grown up with it), but the 2021 "America" comes across so much better than the 1961 version. Might be time to re-apprise my overall view.
Both versions are amazing in their own rights! They were made in different eras and they both deliver stunning choreography and costumes. In the original, it is obvious that the choreography was way ahead of its time, even Michael Jackson admitted that the film inspired him for his music videos.
I just watched both movies back to back, and it was the second viewing of the new one. I have been a huge fan of the movie, and show/music, in general, since I first saw it, about 35 years ago.
I was really happy that Spielberg got right what the original got wrong, in terms of casting diversely and actors who are real singers.
But that aside (and I recognize it’s a big aside), it doesn’t come close. The flow of the 61 movie from beginning to end is nearly perfect. The way the music and dance seamlessly flows in and out of the drama and acting is just amazing. In this number especially, how in 61 Bernardo and Anita’s argument happens while they walk to the roof, where the song just arises so naturally. In the new one it feels like it comes out of nowhere.
There are things I love about this new one - the kids dancing at the end of America, Riff’s gf standing up for Anita, more Spanish and no subtitles, Anybodys evolved character, casting - but musically and artistically, I really don’t think it’s close. The phrasing of the singing alone.
Too many other issues to write about - there’s lots.
I think it’s a valiant effort, but history will show in the end that the 61 version will endure.
Thanks for posting this side by side, it’s great to see!
I agree- the original> the new one. also, i know rita moreno and george chakiris(bernardo and anita) tried saying something about brown face. i don’t blame them and nobody should blame the actors !
The claps. THE CLAPS.👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
That scene was filmed in New Jersey not NYC plus the dance scene is lost with the busy background and to many cuts. The dance scene in the 1961 version has a better smoother movement of the dance scene does not get lost with bad cuts or busy background. They massage has more of punch about living in America which is the point of that scene. Robbins and Wise version hold up way better then the remake
Anita : Two actors, two Oscars
*Perfectly balanced*
I haven't seen the original in years, and while I remember really liking it, Spielberg's is better in every way possible. The camera is moving everywhere with brisk pace, the sequence goes all around their community, the dancing is even more dynamic, the chemistry between Anita and Bernardo is more wholesome and sweet, the entire Puerto Rican community in the film gets involved, and... well... no one's wearing brownface.