#851: West Side Story / Red Rocket

When it was announced that Steven Spielberg was mounting a new film adaptation of the classic Broadway musical WEST SIDE STORY, it was entirely reasonable to ask, “Why?” Why a new film adaptation and why Spielberg. The 1961 “West Side,” directed by Robert Wise, was a Best Picture-winner and is regarded as one of the great movie musicals of all time. Also? Spielberg has never directed a musical. And yet, as revered as that 1961 adaptation is, it is not without its faults, notably the casting of white actors as Latinx characters and a pair of romantic leads (Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer) who don’t sing and are arguably the weakest members of an otherwise ace cast. Adam and Josh make the case that with his thrilling new adaptation, Spielberg more than answers the why, without necessarily fixing all of the earlier film’s weaknesses. Plus a review of Sean Baker’s latest, RED ROCKET, which has Simon Rex’s former adult film star making an ignominious return to his Texas hometown.

0:00 - Billboard
1:06 - Review: “West Side Story”
“Cool” (“West Side Story,” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
41:44 - Next Week / Notes
47:22 - Polls
57:02 - Review: “Red Rocket”
1:14:36 - Outro