On this day in 1964, the Best Picture Winner at the 34th Annual Academy Awards was...
Wikipedia.org Article for the 34th Annual Academy Awards:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/34th_Academy_Awards
....... West Side Story (1961)
Run Time: 152 mins
Genre: Musical, Drama, Romance, Crime
Format: Widescreen Format, Color
Director: Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise
Starring: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn and Rita Moreno
IMDB.com Entry for the Film:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055614/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Wikipedia.org Article for the Film:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Story_(film)#Academy_Awards
Find the link to Natalie Wood's Wikipedia.org Article from our Splendor in the Grass (1961) Post:
http://film366.blogspot.com/2016/01/splendor-in-grass-1961.html
Wikipedia.org Article for Richard Beymer:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Beymer
Wikipedia.org Article for Russ Tamblyn:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ_Tamblyn
Wikipedia.org Article for Rita Moreno:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_Moreno
Wikipedia.org Article for Director Jerome Robbins:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome_Robbins
Wikipedia.org Article for Director Robert Wise:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Wise
Trailer for the Film on YouTube:
I did like the sets, lighting and colors. I am a fan of Russ Tamblyn, of course, I liked it when he became a B-movie star in movies like, the Toho Studios War of the Gargantuans (1967) and the Independent International film Dracula VS Frankenstein (1971). I was particularly impressed with his acrobatic dancing-style in this film. The film had interesting studies on racism and taboos from a 1960s perspective. It had that cutting edge stuff that made the 60s movies great, such as the line, “My parents won’t give me a puff of maj”, or the fact that teenagers passed along “social diseases” and other things that kept the story going. - Phil
About 10 years ago myself and a bunch of friends had a movie club and we did the year 1961 and West Side Story was on the list. Here are some of those responses to the film:
Ross Brakman:
I'll start out defensively: the minus is there because of the hype. I'm sorry, but I just don't think this film worthy of ten Oscars, including Best Picture and, this with me, having no idea what else it was up against at the time. It's a good film with an engaging, uniquely original story that in no way was ripped off of Shakespeare (although his descendants might be calling these guys soon...). Having said that, some of the music is absolutely insane, and some of the dance numbers are beyond parody. But this came out forty-seven years ago. Maybe it was all hip and cool back then, daddy-o. But Natalie Wood is definitely better eye candy as a Puerto Rican than as a 1920s era Kansan. And Richard Beymer gives Warren Beatty a run for his money, although Warren didn't go prancing through New York in his 1961 entry in the 1,001 movies to die for 1961 edition. So put your testosterone in a box, hide it in a closet somewhere and enjoy this laugh riot of love and fighting that has a happily ever after ending like nothing before and nothing after (until Titanic, that is). - Grade: A-
Russ Tamblyn on "West Side Story" on YouTube:
Brad Green:
Some of the scenes make me cringe: would you be intimidated by a bunch of dancing teens snapping their fingers and doing pirouettes on a basketball court? A Puerto Rican gang made up of white guys with glowing orange tans and bad accents? But it’s about the music, right? I like this film a lot… my parents had the soundtrack and we’d watch it every year on network TV. The gangs were much more intimidating when I was eight Not a very original plot- hell, Shakespeare wrote it- but a fun, emotional ride. Ain’t that right, Daddy-O? – Grade: A-
Jennifer Congleton:
I'm a big musical fan, so the fact that this film contains brilliant music and choreography has always been able to hold my interest. However, a lot of people do not enjoy musicals, so I wonder if the classic Romeo and Juliet theme is enough to keep their attention. Either way, movie fans should be able to appreciate the beautiful photography, colors, and the authentic NYC filming locations. - Grade: B+
"West Side Story" winning Best Picture on YouTube:
Click the link below at GoWatchIt.com to see where you can stream or watch West Side Story (1961) online or on TV right now:
http://gowatchit.com/movies/west-side-story-30185
Or check out TVGuide.com to see if this film is playing on TV/Cable in your area:
http://www.tvguide.com/movies/west-side-story/122611/
Check back in tomorrow ......................
For our next Film of the Day .....................
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