The adaptation of West Side Story into a motion picture is an achievement in getting a theatrical musical to an even larger audience. One of the key elements of the film is how the actors combine their acting with musical performances. The settings of the scenes involving dancing and singing brings out the feeling of a theatre performance, only in a motion picture. Acting music in the film is also another vital component in the scenes it is found in. The combination of these two forms of art helps drive messages home even further. The message carried by songs, lyrics as well as the acting is more visible when the two are used together. The dancing cast involved in the movie also play a vital role in accomplishing the film’s role. The art present in musicals is in itself a vital component in the acts. Having dancers in the “West Side Story” film makes it an even more artistic piece. The method to present theatrical dance and musicals by the films is a historic moment since it represents a time where musicals were brought to a larger audience. Combination of various acts in the piece was in itself a genius way of presenting art while producing the film.
The musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ has two rival gangs in the plot. The two are the Jetts and Sharks who share different identities that hold them together. Each of them has deep connections rooted in the values they share, with the Sharks being Puerto Rican while the Jetts are Americans of European descent. These aspects of the gangs provide for unifying elements amongst the members, ensuring even more binding relations. For the Puerto Ricans, they came from Puerto Rico to the USA for a better life and their rivals deny them of that, pitting them against each other.
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The dance scenes of the film are critical to the movie as they set tone for the plot. At the beginning, the Jetts open by dancing. The dances begin as if they are walking, then slowly pick up speed and set tone for the dance. The dance incorporates Riff’s singing to his gang members. The other key scene is the party scene that has the Jetts and the Sharks at the ball. In this scene, the goal is to suppress hostility with the dance held at the gym. It is while here that Tony and Maria meet and fall in love at first sight. A scene is also seen on the rooftop with members of the Sharks singing about where they used to live before moving. They try to outdo each other while singing and dancing, debating on which one is better, Puerto Rico, or America. The last of the four major scenes in the film is the “Cool Dance” (West Side Story, 1961). In this scene, the Jetts are angry at those who killed their gang members and leader. The song tries to convince the members to suppress their emotions.
The film, given the time of its creation, is quite a memorable piece. It has been heralded as one of the best musicals adopted for a motion picture. Given the work that was put into it by the directors and creators of the content, it definitely was a success. The dances, in particular are choreographed to the best levels and each scene carries such a deep message. Combination of emotions ranging from anger to love with the dance makes the messages better understood by the audience and maintains a hold on the same. Dance, as seen, can be used a means of communication between parties. The gangs use dance to show anger, unity and at times (with the case of Tony and Maria), love. The message is better understood and unity among them is communicated even deeply. With the adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, the dance incorporated is used to depict the messages intended in a deeper manner. With the realization of dance as such a key component of unity, it can then be used as a form of identity, giving it a role in a party’s culture. The gangs in the film have dance as part of their lives, which speaks volumes on their cultures.
References
West Side Story . (1961). [film] Directed by R. Wise and J. Robbins. The Mirisch Company and Seven Arts Production.
