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Amos Lassen wrote on 11/22/2011:

It is hard to believe that “West Side Story” is fifty years old. I watched the new blu ray release last night and I was taken back to a time that was while the movie held its own. It is as beautiful and glorious now as it was in 1961 and even more important, it is just as meaningful. The same intolerance still exists and while we may see it in different ways, many have not adhered to the message of this gorgeous retelling of “Romeo and Juliet”.

“West Side Story” is the award winning story of two feuding families become who two warring New York City gangs- the white Jets led by Riff (Russ Tamblyn) and the Puerto Rican Sharks, led by Bernardo (George Chakiris). Their hatred escalates to a point where neither can coexist with any form of understanding. But when Riff’s best friend (and former Jet) Tony (Richard Beymer) and Bernardo’s younger sister Maria (Natalie Wood) meet at a dance, no one can do anything to stop their love. Maria and Tony begin meeting in secret, planning to run away. However, the Sharks and Jets plan a rumble under the highway and whoever wins gains control of the streets. Maria sends Tony to stop it, hoping it can end the violence but things goes terribly and tragically wrong, and before the lovers know what’s happened, tragedy strikes and doesn’t stop until the climactic and heartbreaking ending.

The winner of 10 Academy Awards, this 1961 musical by choreographer Jerome Robbins and director Robert Wise remains irresistible. Set on the west side of New York City, the movie focuses on the problems between two gangs—one, Hispanic and the other, “Anglo-Saxon” in the 1950s era of juvenile delinquency, the film stars Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer as the star-crossed lovers from different neighborhoods–and ethnicities. The art of the dance is what really makes this movie so special and the music takes you away, Put Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins together with young talent and we get this wonderful movie musical. Of course I must mention Rita Moreno as Anita who shines throughout the film.

This is a three disc set that contains some very special, special features:

Disc 1: “West Side Story” remastered in 1080p Hi-Def with 7.1 DTS-HD Sound
Pow! The Dances of West Side Story In-Movie Viewing Mode
Song-Specific Commentary by Stephen Sondheim
Music Machine

Disc 2: Blu-ray Additional Special Features
A Place for Us: West Side Story’s Legacy
Creation and Innovation
A Timeless Vision
West Side Memories

Storyboard-to-Film Comparison Montage

Disc 3: DVD
West Side Story Digitally Restored in
Standard Definition
Music Machine

Bill Miller (Miltronix2004@wmconnect.com) wrote on 12/04/2004:

What can I say?! Timeless... classic... flawless... masterpiece. I never tire of watching it yet again.
Any lover of great music and/or great drama simply MUST have this in their collection.
It's one of the few movies which was not ruined or distorted in the transition from the (Broadway) stage.
The only VERY MINOR annoyance is that it's somewhat obvious when certain songs had 'dubbed in' voices... such was the state of the audio art in 1960, and it would seem that some of the leads were chosen without regard for their ability to sing (well enough to get into the film), which necessitated the dubbing.
I read somewhere that in fact Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer despised each other, in real life. If that is true, they are consummate pros... in the film I don't detect that at all.

This film will live on forever, like Shakespeare.