west side story of course only really came together as a result of the hard labours of three time oscar winner steven spielberg, arguably one of hollywood s most influential and successful film makers. so, the man who brought us jaws, et, the indiana jones movies, jurassic park, saving private ryan, schindler s list and many other films has finally turned his hand to making a musicalfilm for the first time. i got the opportunity to talk to him virtually a few days ago. i think i wanted to direct a musicalfilm because i knew i could not sing and dance, so it is a tremendous way of sort of throwing myself into a genre that physically i would never be part of except to be able to tell a story in that idiom. i have a very good ear for music, because my mum is a concert pianist,
to black and brown new yorkers who lived on these blocks, it also grapples with some really specific tensions in our own city, in new york city, many of which are still relevant today. and the movie gives a way to think about and reflect on the moment in which west side story was created. in the 50s, in new york, at a time when there was tension and turmoil, at a time when this neighbourhood that we are sitting in right now was demolished to make a space for what we are looking at as we sit here. five or six years ago, we presented west side story, the 1961 movie, on the plaza at lincoln center. it was the biggest crowd that had ever had gathered on the plaza at lincoln center for this summer evening screening and the audience looked like the city
one of the songs that has stuck with me and that i hold onto from west side story is america because it explores issues that are important and relevant to me as a latino in this country. it explores some of the tensions and issues that we are still grappling with today. one of the things that is very interesting to me in considering west side story is that it grapples with not only how this neighbourhood was demolished and raised and what that might have meant to black and brown new yorkers who lived on these blocks,
to get it right in the way that we wanted every single person who plays a puerto rican to be from the latin community and that was a mandate from the get go. i happen to live here on 110th st in upper manhattan and where i am, it is the official boundary between the upper west side and harlem. so, why am i telling you this? because i m new to the neighbourhood, i m very excited to learn that key scenes in the opening prologue of the original 1961 west side story movie were shot right here on this playground. in fact, several new york city locations were used in the making of a picture that has become a revered classic, with legions of admirers. we thought we d get an appraisal of the 1961 movie by seeking out the opinion of a big fan, eugene hernandez, director of the new
it also grapples with some really specific tensions in our own city, in new york city, many of which are still relevant today. and the movie gives a way to think about and reflect on the moment in which west side story was created. in the 505, in new york, at a time when there was tension and turmoil, at a time when this neighbourhood that we are sitting in right now was demolished to make a space for what we are looking at as we sit here. 5 6 years ago, we presented west side story, the 1961 movie, on the plaza at lincoln center. it was the biggest crowd that had ever had gathered on the plaza at lincoln center for this summer evening screening, and the audience looked like the city of new york, people of all ages and backgrounds coming together to watch this movie for free