West Side Story

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No

MAMBO!

Couldn't pass up the opportunity to see this classic on the big screen. Spectacular. Won 10 Oscars for a reason. Amazing cinematography, making full use of technicolor process. And while there's much that looks stage bound, the big open dance numbers in the streets are the best. This has always been a musical about the dancing, and the energy of it jumps out of the screen.

Of course Leonard Bernstein's iconic score has a lot to do with it too. And Stephen Sondheim lyrics. And Shakespeare. There's a hell of a pedigree behind this one.

It's been a while since I watched this, forgot just how awesome and effective it is. I can't remember if I saw the stage show or the film first, but I've always preferred the restructuring in the film. It's actually shorter than I remembered too, even with that really brief intermission card thrown in. The digital restoration looks great too. You can really see all that dark foundation on the actors faces... Check it out on bluray, or if you're lucky enough, at a cinema screening!