KVR Audio

zvon · Post by **zvon** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 3:06 am

Even though I listened to its marvelous soundtrack regularly over the years, I just watched the movie for the first time in decades. West Side Story is still a surprisingly strong movie, and sadly its message is also still very relevant today, maybe even more so.

The music and singing are even better with the images and the wonderful dance numbers, minus the first one. I found it corny 40 years ago and I found it corny tonight too!

Andywanders · Post by **Andywanders** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 3:13 am

Based on a classic...

Romeo & Juliet

Personally, I find ALL musicals corny and vomit-inducing, but for sure there are some nice songs in West Side Story.

Xenobt · Post by **Xenobt** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 3:35 am

I just heard a concert symphonic version of "Mambo" on the radio the other day, and it was the most thrilling piece I'd heard in years. I literally had hair standing up on my arms!

WSS is probably the most dissonant/rhythmically challenging thing mainstream America has embraced, and just for that it deserves big credit.

The level of choreography, dance, scoring and playing is so high, it's hard to imagine anything today getting full theaters the way it did. I loved the way they ended the rumble in Ron Burgundy with some of those dance off "pops"!

And a little corn is good for digestion!

KVR/eSoundz: Xenobt

zvon · Post by **zvon** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 4:02 am

Andywanders wrote: Personally, I find ALL musicals corny and vomit-inducing, but for sure there are some nice songs in West Side Story.

Well I hated musicals for years when I was younger and all are artificial in a way. But now I enjoy the great ones (and some of the not so great ones). I more specifically favour those that have many creative and strong dance numbers.

Xenobt wrote: WSS is probably the most dissonant/rhythmically challenging thing mainstream America has embraced, and just for that it deserves big credit.

Indeed, the 2 girls choir in "I feel pretty" is particularly enjoyable.

Andywanders · Post by **Andywanders** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 4:40 am

One of the greatest songs ever written (IMO) - "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" from "The Wizard of OZ".

And here's one of the greatest ever performances of it (again, IMO)...

JoeCat · Post by **JoeCat** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 4:46 am

Love listening to it whenever I want to de-Andrewloydwebber myself (Sondheim will do in a pinch also)

standalone · Post by **standalone** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 9:25 am

I suppose that everyone here knows who Leonard Bernstein was even if no one mentions him.

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 9:36 am

West Side Story is awesome - I only wish I could have seen the original Broadway version as the music for that is so much better than the film version. I do like the film but they changed some of the lyrics (some were improvements but some were just for censorship reasons), the singing is not quite as good, and then there's Natalie Wood who was miscast imho.

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Sun Jun 16, 2013 11:41 am

standalone wrote:I suppose that everyone here knows who Leonard Bernstein was even if no one mentions him.

wasnt he in rem?

standalone · Post by **standalone** » Mon Jun 17, 2013 9:51 am

vurt wrote:wasnt he in rem?

It's the end of the world as we know it ...

JJBiener · Post by **JJBiener** » Tue Jun 18, 2013 6:08 am

Andywanders wrote:Personally, I find ALL musicals corny and vomit-inducing, but for sure there are some nice songs in West Side Story.

If you want something that is a bit odd, but still engaging, try Rent. It really surprised me.