Today, we can state that “West Side Story” is, by far, one of the most remarkable musicals in the history of cinema; and, its 2021 remake is maybe as good as the original. Nominated for Best Picture and other categories, it is one of those titles of which it seemed impossible to conceive a new adaptation for the big screen. However, Spielberg accepted the challenge of updating this mythical work based loosely on one of the most notorious tragedies written by William Shakespeare.

Spielberg has counted for the occasion with a bulky budget of a hundred million dollars, thus becoming one of the most expensive musicals ever made, but that has not found reflection at the box office, since its failure has confirmed that 2021 has been a fateful year for musicals in terms of money. And that's a shame, since 'West Side Story' is a visual marvel very close to being the best possible version of the story it tells.

In this movie, it is again clear that it is he who is behind the cameras, but from the beginning he chooses to give the film contagious energy, either by the way of planning some situations -there are shots of great visual beauty, and they are not exactly few-, by how sweeping the musical scenes become without ever being rushed or by the freshness that the images transmit at all times, thus giving this adaptation a very modern touch but without ever sacrificing its origins. This new “West Side Story” is a visual delight with which Steven Spielberg makes it clear that his unquestionable talent can also give us great joy in musical cinema.

It was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, and Best Production Design, and won one of them (Best Supporting Actress), which means that we are in front of a complex and solid film. However, and, under the radar of many, perhaps the highlight of this film is the sound.

One of the great challenges for this film was to think of the right technique, one that would offer a differentiating factor with respect to the great musicals of our time, such as Les Miserables, Chicago, or La La Land. One of the techniques adopted in West Side Story was to record live voices while the actors danced. Unlike other musicals, in which the voices are recorded under controlled conditions, on this occasion we opted for naturalness. It goes without saying that to achieve this objective, an excellent mixing job is required, as well as the precision of the actors, who, after much rehearsal, must offer the best sound interpretations without cuts. It is, in a way, an intermediate point between the technique of the cinematographic world and the undisputed expertise of the theatrical world.

On the other hand, the permanent presence of a director like Steven Spielberg was a significant help in achieving such an objective. The eye and ear of an experienced mind are essential if the aim is to fit together all the pieces of a creative puzzle so that the form of a work of art corresponds harmoniously with the content of the story itself. Making a remake is not easy, especially when the first film was so iconic and of such high quality. It is, in fact, a double-edged sword. On the one hand, any mistake in filmmaking implies a comparison with the excellence of the previous film, and this is not unlikely in any case. But, on the other hand, it is possible to build on the shoulders of giants; and it is likely when we are talking about a long-standing and widely awarded director at the Academy.

The film was mixed in Atmos, and what's interesting about this is that, although this is not the kind of work you would expect to be recorded in this way, the use of a large number of sound outputs around the room gives West Side Story a unique sound atmosphere. It's a mix of high-tech and craftsmanship, so to speak. This can be evidenced in the first scene of the movie, where the viewer encounters an end-to-end whistling battle in the middle of darkness. That moment embodies the whole experience of the film, like a tiny fractal of everything that is to follow.

In short, the great prominence of sound in this film translates into confirmation that even though musicals don’t collect much money in comparison to other movies, they still have a place when we talk about artistic quality, in an era seemingly dominated by dramas, comedies, thrillers, and superhero films. West Side Story is a new exploration of sound in cinema, and a vindication of the power of audio over the vivid dream of fiction in our time.

Undoubtedly, the Academy judges' decision as to the best sounding films must have been a difficult one. West Side Story had everything to be a winner, but that is something that will be defined by the audience in times to come.

Read also: Why Dune was the Oscar Sound Winner of 2022

If you want to take the audio quality and technique of your production to the next level, don't hesitate to contact us, Enhanced Media.

*The images used on this post are taken from Pexels.com