West Side Story

Film Adaptations: Romeo and Juliet (1968) and West Side Story (1961) Many films have been created based on novels and play scripts. Plays have transitioned from performances on stage to the big cinema screens. Since many legendary play scripts were created before our century, American film directors had to ask themselves, “How can an older piece of work interest the audience of today?”. Directors found it challenging to express an original piece of work while attempting to interest the minds of today. The characters in many older works lived in a different time and in a different country. Therefore, American film directors had to adapt the details of older works in order to make it relevant to the life of today’s general American population.…

It is not a secret that West Side Story is what can be called the American version of the Romeo and Juliet. I will like to note the contribution of West Side Story to the history of musical theater. The creators did their research and although the creation time was long, they came up with a game changing idea in the music theater arena. At that time not many plays on Broadway attempted to introduce or present musical theater productions which explored, in depth, issues of racism, geographical,…

West Side Story is a play that reciprocates the harsh times during World War Two between two races. America was in a war and there were many Puerto Rican immigrants coming to the states in seek of a refuge. In this play there are two sides named the Jets and the Sharks. These two sides represent the Americans and Puerto Ricans during this time. I saw this play with my family on Broadway in 2009 and enjoyed this play. West Side Story is not only filled with action and romance but is also full…

Released in 1961, West Side Story highlights the lives of two teenage street gangs in the Upper West Side of Manhattan: the Sharks and the Jets. Through the form of a musical, the movie explores their rivalry as well as the hate that can stem from racism and discrimination. Within this feud, two characters drive the events of the story, and as each part comes together, West Side Story reveals itself as a literary tragedy. A literary tragedy consists of five major structural parts, starting with…

The story of Romeo and Juliet is a classic play that still holds a tremendous impact in today's society. The themes and lessons learned are what makes Romeo and Juliet so timeless. West Side Story is a movie adaptation of Romeo and Juliet that shows the same classic love story but in a more modern way. The differences in time periods and the modernization of West Side Story contributes to the impact of Romeo and Juliet because it proves the themes and lessons are still present in modern times.…

“I Feel Pretty,” white patriarchy, and entrapment in West Side Story For many film musical fans, West Side Story (Robert Wise, Jerome Robbins, 1961), is a difficult film. While the creativity and artistry of West Side Story instill a sense of joy, the film exemplifies some troubling ideas about race and gender. This conflict is exceptionally visible in the number “I Feel Pretty”, a song which undoubtedly strives to be a genuine celebration of love and self-confidence. In fact, Ernesto…

What is a stereotype? A stereotype can be defined as a generalization from a specific trait or behavior that is common by members of a group (Dictionary). Latino stereotypes are no different. Charles Ramírez-Berg lists six basic Latino stereotypes that were prevalent then and are still used today. They were first popularized in the 1900s; they twisted the public’s view on Latinos and gave Latinos a negative reputation. One movie in particular that depicts Latinos as the “bad guy” in an unfair…

The U.S plays a massive role on the immigration of people from southern nations in the 1900s. The typical behavior toward immigrants is strange because on one hand Business owners embrace them into jobs that Americans wouldn’t want to do such as blue collar occupations. Then there are Americans who simply despise these people and their traditions so they target them with help of the government system. In the film of West Side Story, it arguably portrays the ideas of race, immigration, and U.S…

West Side Story book turned musical was written in 1957 by Arthur Laurents. West Side Story is a musical interpretation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, giving it a modern spin and a change from the original class to race rivalry. The setting of this play is based in the 1950s in the Upper West Side of New York City. The rivalry is between two gangs called the Jets, a white gang, and the Sharks, a Puerto Rican gang. Comparable to Romeo and Juliet the main plot to this story is based on the…

In the video of “Somewhere” by West Side Story there is a scene where Maria and Tony are singing to each other. The two are in love and they want more to life than where they are the moment. They are striving to get to this so called place and will get there together. This scene shows sentiment by the two facing each other while being close and making eye contact with one another. They are also holding hands while doing all of this which shows intimacy. The lyrics at this certain scene in the…