Showing posts with the label broadway

Rewatching West Side Story: Four Things I Noticed

I watched West Side Story this weekend for the first time in years, and I'd really forgotten what a gem it is. I'd always liked the movie, but I'd mostly seen it as a top-notch adaptation of an already excellent musical and not a unique work of art in its own right. In this viewing, I realized what a special piece it is, and there were four things that stuck out to me:

1) Visual Storytelling

It seems paradoxical, but musicals can in some way rely more on visuals to tell their stories than non-musicals can. Because music exists on its own, untethered from specific visuals, musical sequences in some ways resemble silent film more than sound film. I was struck by the use of gestures, dance, and camera techniques to tell a story without dialogue, particularly in the opening sequence.

2) The Interplay of Camera and Dance

Cinematography and choreography are challenging art forms; combining them is even more difficult. I was struck by how the camera deftly moves with the motion witho…