West Side Story is the most overrated film in history

[Sandpiper]

Completely lift the plot and premise from Romeo and Juliet, set it in New York in the 1950s, add some campy songs along with a couple of ridiculous singing, dancing street gangs, and what do you get...

West Side Story, a 3 hour long block of pure velveeta cheese that somehow won 10 academy awards. Blech.

[jimbo fett]

1. That's the point. It was a modern, musical retelling of R&J.

Many other movies have done the same.

[aquart]

2. Sublime Bernstein score. Did you check who wrote the lyrics?

We sang those songs for years. One of them just turned up recently on a Gap commercial, I think.

Cheesy? Hardly. Campy? You must be quite young. And therefore forgivable.

[Sandpiper]

4. The Jets and Sharks

Are the two wimpiest street gangs in cinematic history.

[terrya]

6. And Jerome Robbins did the choreography...

And Arthur Laurents did the book.

One of the most amazing collaborations of genius ever.

Terry

[Emboldened Chimp]

3. Waiting for the inevitable 'dupe, locking' post...

[Love Bug]

5. No, it's not! Now, Star Wars Episode I however,

was hyped beyond all belief and was a disappointment, at least to me.

[Sandpiper]

7. I think for a film to qualify as overrated

It has to be generally well regarded. Star Wars Episode I was universally panned.

[Dookus]

8. Them's fightin' words!

Bernstein, Sondheim, Robbins....

a fantastic film, even if dancing street gangs seem a little "fey".

[Moderator]

9. The overrated film discussion is here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=699525