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West Side Story (Three-Disc 50th Anniversary Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray packaging)

Natalie Wood (Actor), Richard Beymer (Actor), Jerome Robbins (Director) Rated:
NR
Format: Blu-ray
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 10,074 ratings
IMDb7.6/10.0
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November 15, 2011
50th Anniversary Edition
3
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$7.88 $2.44
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West Side Story (2021) $3.99 $19.99
Genre Drama, Musicals & Performing Arts/Musicals/General
Format Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Original recording remastered, Restored, Subtitled, Widescreen See more
Contributor Gus Trikonis, John Astin, Lynn Stalmaster, Jose de Vega, George Chakiris, Jimmy Bryant, Red Mitchell, Stanley Scheuer, Joanne Miya, Bert Michaels, Jay Norman, Don Weed, Carole d'Andrea, Gordon Sawyer, Robert Tucker, Leonard Bernstein, Franklyn Warner, Yvonne Othon, Penny Santon, Jerome Robbins, Ned Glass, Harvey Hobnecker, William Shakespeare, Tommy Abbott, Larry Roquemore, Harvey Evans, Robert E. Thompson, Allen K. Wood, Sam Gordon, Gilbert D. Marchant, Robert E. Relyea, William Maldonado, Hal Bell, Jaime Rogers, Russ Tamblyn, Walter Mirisch, Maurice Conn, Leon Harris, Richard Beymer, Nick Covacevich, Yvonne Wilder, Suzie Kaye, Tony Mordente, Eliot Feld, Andre Tayir, Murray Spivack, Rita Moreno, Havey Hohnecker, Rudy Del Campo, Maurice Zuberano, Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim, Eddie Verso, Elaine Joyce, Fred Hynes, Fred Lau, Marni Nixon, David Bean, Nich Covvacevich, Linwood G. Dunn, Susan Oakes, Johnny Green, Richard Carruth, Victor A. Gangelin, Robert Thompson, Vinton Vernon, Marshall M. Borden, Tucker Smith, Cecil Love, Robert Wise, Albert T. Viola, Alice Monte, Shelly Manne, Ernest Lehman, Ray Stark, Saul Bass, Robert Banas, Daniel L. Fapp, Natalie Wood, David Winters, Irwin Kostal, Saul Chaplin, Walter A. Gest, Scooter Teague, Howard Jeffrey, Simon Oakland, Gina Trikonis, Boris Leven, John Zaccaro, William Bramley, Ulu Grosbard, Irene Sharaff, Emile LaVigne See more
Language English
Runtime 2 hours and 33 minutes

Product Description

Product Description

Blu-ray/DVD Combo. 50th Anniversary. The Greatest Love Story Ever Told... In the Most Acclaimed Musical of All Time... Is Now on Blu-ray! Experience Every Sensational Song, Dazzling Dance Number and Magical Movie Moment of West Side Story in Sparkling High Definition with Pure 7.1 Digital Sound. Along with Fascinating Special Features Created Exclusively for This 50th Anniversary Edition! Winner of Ten Academy Awards, Including Best Picture, This Electrifying Musical Sets the Ageless Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Against a Backdrop of Gang Warfare in 1950s New York. Featuring An Unforgettable Score, Exuberant Choreography and Powerful Performances By Natalie Wood, Russ Tamblyn, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno and George Chakiris, West Side Story Will Forever Resonate As a True Cinematic Masterpiece.

Set Contains:

The 50th-anniversary Blu-ray edition features a huge selection of extras on both the main disc and a separate bonus features disc. On the main disc, "Pow! The Dances of West Side Story In-Movie Viewing Mode" offers insight into seven of the film's dance sequences by a variety of contemporary directors and choreographers, as well as actors from both the film and Broadway play. The discussion ranges from why specific moves were chosen for individual dances to how extensively choreographed and rehearsed most dances were and how the dances managed to successfully integrate music, word, and dance into a powerful expression of both plot and emotion. The "Song-Specific Commentary by Stephen Sondheim" is an intriguing and candid discussion by Sondheim about how he created the lyrics for 14 distinct songs, which songs he felt were most successful, the lyrics he's most embarrassed about penning, and even an admission that, in his opinion, he was wrong to fight for the reordering of the songs "Officer Krupke" and "Cool." The 20-track "Music Machine," which allows viewers to go directly to their favorite musical numbers, is the final special feature on the main disc.

On the bonus features disc, "A Place for Us: West Side Story's Legacy" explores how incredibly groundbreaking and innovative the film was. Offering their musings are contemporary producers, directors, actors, and choreographers, among them Adam Shankman (Hairspray and Rock of Ages), Zach Woodlee (Glee), and Mikhail Baryshnikov (White Nights and Baryshnikov on Broadway), as well as Sondheim and assistant director Robert Relyea, and even composer Leonard Bernstein's daughter Jamie Bernstein. What comes through loud and clear is that West Side Story was a revolutionary film: a project in which three men from three separate disciplines came together to tell a story in a completely new way and in which the traditional boundaries between dancing, acting, and singing simply dissolved. The feature explores the emotional impact of this then-new form of storytelling and how it led the way for musicals, and later music videos, to tackle serious subject matter. It also looks at the global reach of the film, gives a nod to the many modern films and television programs that have paid homage to the film over the years, and explains how the musical inspired the West Side Story Project, in which police and theaters in places like Seattle join forces to facilitate open conversation and interaction among gang members, police, and local theaters. The 56-minute "West Side Memories" features director and coproducer Robert Wise, playwright Arthur Laurents, lyricist Sondheim, executive producer Walter Mirisch, various other cast and crew members, and even the voice of Jerome Robbins, thanks to a recording of a 1960 interview. They expound on everything, from the unique form of this musical to the genius of Leonard Bernstein and his uncanny way of combining popular music with Cuban and jazz influences, as well as aspects of classical music. They also touch on the complex choreography of Robbins and the intense relationship he had with the dancers, and Sondheim's uncanny ability to tailor a song to a specific role and to function as an extension of the author. There's discussion about how different the characters of Maria, Anita, Tony, and Riff are and how markedly the demands of playing each role differ, as well as an interesting and very frank conversation about Saul Chaplin's insistence on dubbing many of the singing voices. Other special features include a storyboard-to-film comparison montage and four trailers: original theatrical, original issue, reissue, and animated. --Tami Horiuchi

Product details

  • Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 2.20:1
  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 4 ounces
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ 22969916
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Robert Wise, Jerome Robbins
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Original recording remastered, Restored, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 33 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ November 15, 2011
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Saul Bass, Rita Moreno
  • Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ French, Spanish
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English, French, Spanish
  • Producers ‏ : ‎ Maurice Conn, Robert Wise, Franklyn Warner
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Mgm (Video & DVD)
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B005BDZN62
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 3
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 10,074 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
10,074 global ratings
Just as Promised: As Good As New
5 Stars
Just as Promised: As Good As New
Ten years ago, I bought the Blue Ray of West Side Story (1961) which only contained the one disk. A few days later the 50th Anniversary Edition was released with the Blue Ray + DVD + Extras. Boy, was I annoyed, so I took a chance and didn't buy it, a decision I later regretted. Thankfully, I was able to rectify my mistake when I found this "as good as new" 50th Anniversary Ed. from The Beat Goes On. I really appreciate having it especially with hoopla over the Spielberg (2021) release. The bonus materials are great!
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Top reviews from the United States

MurphtheSurf
5.0 out of 5 stars Spielberg's West Side Story 2021: A Remarkable Story Telling, Marvelous Song, Stunning Dance...
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2022
Verified Purchase
it is REALLY WORTH SEEING (MORE THAN ONCE)

I KNOW...I KNOW....it was a box office flop....but it remains a critics' smash hit....and among audience members like myself who saw it in the theaters (6 times!) and now own it....the reception was even better.

92 Percent of the Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave it a BIG THUMBS UP....8.3 out of 10 was the average rating. 94 Percent of the audience gave it a STANDING OVATION ....4.6 out of 5 was the average rating.

Each time I enjoyed it tremendously. It is moving, provocative, powerful, and pertinent. I took 16 others to see it and only one regretted the trip. 14 were as impressed as I was.

You can read the reviews......both professional and audience generated. Here is mine...

West Side Story: 8 Ways The 2021 Remake Improves On The 1961 Original

1961’s West Side Story has been hailed as one of the greatest movies of all time – certainly in the musical genre – so Steven Spielberg had some huge shoes to fill when he set out to re-adapt the iconic Broadway show. Here is where his version stands out....

8- The Camera Is More Active In The Remake with a vibrant, varied, and disturbing New York City as it stage

7- Stronger Performances by a truly ethnically diverse cast of strong singers, dancers and actors who actually did all of their own performing! And Rita Moreno, a star in the first film, is not to be missed in a role created for her in the remake.

6- Bernstein’s Music and Sondheim’s Lyrics Have Never Felt More Alive or Poignant...speaking to contemporary American (and Global) realities

5- Taking Gang Violence Seriously and in a Wider More Realistic Context that Shines a Light on Mindless Deep Divisions in Society, including Our Contemporary Society.

4- Spielberg Updated The Themes: Racial Tension, Immigrant Struggles, the Price of Pricey Urban Renewal, and the Nature of Unbridled Hate Based in Empty Prejudice, Anger, Anxiety, Resentment.

3- Expressionistic Visuals That Will be Remembered. Ex.The “Rumble” in a Domed Salt “Arena” begins with the Shadows of the Two Sides Touching First in an Eerie overhead shot which is then revisited after the rumble when the police arrive. Stunning.

2- Rachel Zegler And Ansel Elgort, A Polish Tony, and a Puerto Rican Maria Sell The Shakespearean Tragedy: They are star-crossed lovers in a relationship doomed from the start with Every Possible Happy Ending eventually impossible since they cannot walk away from the forces that surround them and the history that weighs them down

1-The Final Scene Hammers The Message Home SOOOO Effectively.......

Ultimately, the message in West Side Story is that “hate begets hate.” The rumble’s energy and chaos, uncontrollable and unrelenting, leads to two unintentional but unavoidable deaths, and then a third one that ends the film (and any hope of happiness). Responding to violence with more violence, to hate with more hate, will only lead to even more violence and even more hate. Lessons for today I think. But lessons unlikely to be learned.

This message is conveyed beautifully in the original movie, but Spielberg hammers it home even more so in the remake. In the final scene, before Tony’s body is carried away, María grabs Chino’s gun and gives a powerful monologue that sums up the story’s messaging and then “soldiers” from each side, moved by her words, carry his body through the streets as the police converge on the scene...too late….but the pain is far from over.

Shakespeare, in Romeo and Juliet, the ground on which West Side Story stands, closes the tragedy in which both young lovers are dead, with the words of the Duke, the symbol of authority and law in the play. Speaking to both families (the gangs) he angrily condemns them with these words:
"See what a scourge is laid upon your hate, That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love! You have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished. Yes, All are Punished.

It is a moving moment made more powerful by Spielberg’s take:, Tony is physically dead, Maria is emotionally dead, the gangs from both sides have lost nearly everything, the police are shown to be impotent and the city is in ruins. And Rita Moreno’s character, a Puerto Rican woman in her 90’s who married an Anglo Man hoping that their love might be a living example for all of those divided by race, faith, belief, power, and raw hatred might find that love can find a way….picks up the gun and with head bowed is the last of the shadows to pass through the streets.

SO...why did it flop?

The audience it was aimed toward, the 50 plus crowd, is the smallest demographic going out to movies (COVID, changes in viewing habits etc.)

The film is a very serious one with a message that strikes deep but is largely without hope.
While, West Side Story did well on the stage and the screen in the past, it was not a hit with audiences in general...my guess, is that even then the message struck a little too deeply and there was no happy ending.

Musicals on film do not do well generally unless they are light, airy and fun (think My Fair Lady and Sound of Music).

But it is my guess that in the years to come, WSS 2021 will be very highly regarded. So, see the film at home...so worth it....

BY the Way.....The extras on the DVD/Blu Ray are wonderful. One set is just the songs/dances lifted from the film and played one after the other. These are the heart of the film and this format allows those who know the film well to revisit its core easily. The other extra is a long feature about the making of the film. You get inside the creative process in a way that is most enlightening. So worth it......
25 people found this helpful
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PA AMZ Mom
5.0 out of 5 stars The review is of the original 1961 film
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2024
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I was shocked to see so many low reviews (1-2) for this film but after scanning through a bunch of them, it is clear the bad reviews are for the awful Spielberg remake starring that smug, mediocre creature who thought the Disney original Cinderella was a bad movie. The 1961 West Side Story is possibly one of the most perfect films I have ever seen. The story is timeless. The music, singing and dancing are brilliant. The actors all did a great job in their roles. Even Shakespeare would have loved this film. This is one film worth having a hard copy of because nothing as perfect will ever be made again.
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JAG51
5.0 out of 5 stars Best movie in a long time...
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2024
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Awesome movie. Such talented singers, dancers, actors. I thought this one better than the original, and I did not think I would ever say that, as I loved the original too. Different era's I guess. I will for sure watch this one again. Watched it with my 14+15 yr old granddaughters, and they too loved it.
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Kevin
4.0 out of 5 stars At First!
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2023
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At first, I was going to return the disc for a refund because when I ran it for the first time, it froze up during "One Hand One Heart" and I had to skip over a lot of the movie all the way until I got to "A Boy Like That." After that, the video was fine again. I called my sister and I told her what the problem was and she suggested that I wipe the disc with a soft, clean and dry rag which I did but that didn't work very well either! So I took the disc out and I wiped both sides of the disc and put it back in the Blue-Ray player and it worked just fine. However, the video people should be more careful when packing up video discs. Be sure to tell them good and loud!
2 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars good
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2024
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got this for mom. she is happy so that makes me happy
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Lisa Larsenberger
5.0 out of 5 stars Best
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2024
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Better than the original.
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Joshua R. Schuetz
3.0 out of 5 stars Steven Spielberg's re-do
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2024
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I saw this as a kid on stage. The original movie was honestly better than this re-make. Sorry Steven.
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Michael Douglas Malloy
5.0 out of 5 stars Not a remake. This is an entirely new production of an American masterpiece.
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2023
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This interpretation of Bernstein's masterpiece is far better than the first one. Heresy you say? Too many people continue to call this a re-make of the 1961 movie. It is not a remake. This 2021 film is based on the stage version, not the 1961 movie.
In the 1961 film NONE of the major characters sang their parts. The four main characters all lip synced their parts as sung by other people. Natalie Wood (Maria) was voiced by Marni Nixon, Richard Beymer (Tony) by Jimmy Bryant, Russ Tamblyn (Riff) by Tucker Smith for 'Jet Song', and Rita Moreno (Anita) by Betty Ward for the song 'A Boy Like That'. This should have been considered when the Academy Awards were handed out. The 1961 film is wonderful eye candy but the musical performances are dishonest. The actual singers should have been filmed rather than the actors who didn't sing the parts.
Restrictions during the COVID era had a significant negative impact on the box office return. Historians should make note of this when it comes to comparisons of this film and the 1961 film. I was shocked to discover the 2021 film years after it was released. There was virtually no promotion of the film at a time in which motion picture audiences had largely given up on trips to theaters.
Those who love this music may, with the passage of time, give Steven Spielberg and everyone involved in the 2021 film the recognition they deserve. There is so much good in this project it's difficult to know where to begin praising it. The singers are all relatively unknown, but their voices are breathtaking. They bring the parts to life. No matter how familiar the music may be each performance is fresh and brilliant.
The extra features in this package are a major draw. Production procedures and introductions to the actor/singer/dancers are terrific. I understand the story much better having watched the extra materials on the disc.
Critics may pan the film, as is their right, but it is their loss. Nobody can take away from the production now that it is available for all to see and hear. Master Spielberg created a most special present for his audiences with this film.
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Cliente de Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente Video
Reviewed in Mexico on August 18, 2023
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La versión de Spielberg, es buena hace del Clásico una buena Película, sin compararse con esta, ya que musicalmente la original es superior. Aunque en Fotografía y Escenografía es muy buena.
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netman383
5.0 out of 5 stars Comédie musicale/film remarquable et surtout marquant
Reviewed in France on October 24, 2023
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Comédie musicale/film remarquable et surtout marquante. Après l'avoir vue une seule fois à la TV il y a plus de 15 ans, je me souviens parfaitement de certaines scènes marquantes ainsi que de plusieurs chansons, c'est incroyable! J'ai voulu me ré-imprégner de cette version avant d'acquérir la version récente de 2022. Des chanteurs et danseurs acrobatiques fantastiques et un scénario encore bien d'actualité de cette guerre raciale des gangs.
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Glenn
1.0 out of 5 stars Er is geen NL ondertiteling voor dit product.
Reviewed in the Netherlands on November 10, 2021
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Ik heb van te voren gevraagd of er Nederlandse ondertiteling beschikbaar is op deze film. Ze antwoorden met ja! Nadat ik heb besteld en ontvangen bleek dat het toch niet zo is. GEEN NEDERLANDSE ONDERTITELING!! Jammer en retour gestuurd.
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SILVIO OJEDA TABASCO
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy buen título en 4K UHD.
Reviewed in Mexico on April 15, 2024
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Llego muy bien y sin daños en él slipcover, bien protegido.
La imagen es muy buena y se ve bien y mucho mejor que en lo sistemas de streaming. La saturación del color y la profundidad de los negros es donde hay ganancias, así como en la nitidez.
El audio en inglés Dolby Atmos es potente, sin pérdidas de señal en los diálogos o en las secuencias de canto. También español latino Dolby Digital 7.1, así como subtítulos en ambos idiomas y más.
El código digital es válido solo para USA.
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SILVIO OJEDA TABASCO
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy buen título en 4K UHD.
Reviewed in Mexico on April 15, 2024
Llego muy bien y sin daños en él slipcover, bien protegido.
La imagen es muy buena y se ve bien y mucho mejor que en lo sistemas de streaming. La saturación del color y la profundidad de los negros es donde hay ganancias, así como en la nitidez.
El audio en inglés Dolby Atmos es potente, sin pérdidas de señal en los diálogos o en las secuencias de canto. También español latino Dolby Digital 7.1, así como subtítulos en ambos idiomas y más.
El código digital es válido solo para USA.
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Francois A.
5.0 out of 5 stars Les ballets de Jerome Robbins et la musique de Bernstein sont SUPERBES
Reviewed in France on October 25, 2023
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Il s'agit d'un chef d'oeuvre qui a sa place dans tous les salons. On remarque à quel point les jeunes "voyous" des années 50 font petit jeunes gens propres sur eux comparés aux actuels. Il est vrai que la vie est sans doute aussi devenue plus dure qu'à l'époque des Trente Glorieuses. Mentions spéciales à "Gee, Officer Krupkle", "Quintette" et "Keep Cool !".
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