the film version of "America: is a vast improvement over the stage version of the song..having it be between bernardo and anita makes much more sense.and this version is used in most pro stage versions now. and Chakaris as Bernardo is damned sexy!.

over all i love both versions..as it was stated earlier they are different animals.

So my mother was right then... But that's weird, cuz I have the song on my computer, downloaded from Kazaa and I would swear that it is the track from the movie, but it has the counterpart... Hmm, perhaps I'm wrong.

I saw both and I prefer the movie.
I dont know, you just fall in love with actors

as i am in love with the guy who plays bernardo *swoons*


lol, i adore west side story. but it just can't compare to RotK. I'm a huge Lord of the Rings fan..as you can see from my sig..I cry at both movies! but still..not as good as RotK

... and because Maria wasn't allowed to sing "and I pity any girl who isn't me tonight!" ("What are they doing at night? They won't have sex, will they?") she sings "I feel pretty and whitty and GAY" - her friends standing around her - I like that mistake.

I think "Cool" feels horribly awkward where it is in the movie. That just doesn't seem like the right place for a big ensemble dance number.

I love the movie but I also like the stage version better. I tend to find this true with all musicals. There is just something about being there live, seeing the dancing, hearing the singing, lol and in the case of the productio my brother was in....seeing the gun not go off when Chino shoots Tony.

The film is brilliantly structured but I'm not a fan of most of the cast or of their performances. For me, part of the wonder of West Side Story is watching the synthesis of dancer, actor and singer in one person. And the dubbing of just about everyone in the cast ruins that part of experiencing this narrative. I also feel that the dubbed voices are rather bland and don't seem particularly well acted. This is particularly problematic in the characterisation of Maria and Tony, both of whom have remarkable developments in character embedded in the score.

The stage is a very difficult show to pull off because it demands so much from its performers. But if the right cast works on the project with an insightful directing and choreographic team - well, it's just magic. So I guess I prefer the stage show overall.

Later days
David

Regardless of which one's better, I'm just happy they HAVE a movie version for those of us who can't afford to go see it.

Can someone please explain to me why in a vote between the movie and show there is only a box to tick for the movie. Not exactly suprising that it has 100% of the vote.

I think you misunderstand the reason for the change. In the show the song is sung late at night after the rumble. In the film it is sung musch earlier just as the shop is going to shut. That is the reason the words were changed. Plus at that time the word gay only meant happy.

Stage show. I just saw it last month, and the ballet...

You just can't compare a movie with it's musical. There are things you can do with film that you can't do on stage, and vice versa. Such as the ballet, as they obviously decided. My two cents.

-Tani