The Steven Spielberg Movie That Left Spike Lee “Just Amazed”

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West Side Story

When you reach the status of Spike Lee, it becomes increasingly difficult to be blown away by a film. Lee, the idiosyncratic visionary behind Do the Right Thing and Malcolm X, is one of the totemic directors of his generation due to his unmistakable style and unflinching social commentary. To a certain extent, Steven Spielberg, the ultimate crowd-pleaser and creator of dreams, is the polar opposite of Lee, a subversive filmmaker challenging the status quo in film and culture. Still, being exceptional and accomplished directors is where they meet in the middle of the Venn diagram. They also both know a great movie when they see one, such as Spielberg's own reimagining of a beloved musical, West Side Story, a film that left Lee "just amazed" while visiting its set.

Spike Lee Was "Amazed" Watching Steven Spielberg Direct 'West Side Story'

Who would have the gall to remake West Side Story? The Robert Wise adaptation of the original Broadway play is not only one of the most acclaimed musicals (and films) of all time, but its songs, numbers, and classical love story are simply timeless. If there was anyone who could revere the original while adding a unique spin to the Romeo and Juliet-inspired story of two rival gangs on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, it was Steven Spielberg. Despite all the odds stacked against it, Spielberg's West Side Story brings the house down. Written by Tony Kushner, the 2021 film captures the magic of the original while providing necessary revisions, with the casting of actual Latin actors to play the Sharks being the most eminent. Along with its marvelous filmmaking, West Side Story is also a triumph in casting, as Spielberg raised the profile of some of today's most promising stars, including Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, and Mike Faist.

In an age of CGI pre-visualization and the degradation of movies as "content," West Side Story reminds audiences of the power of extraordinary direction. Spike Lee, visiting the set as a guest, was lucky enough to experience Spielberg's mastery in person. In an interview with FilmInk, Lee revealed that he had befriended Spielberg and increased his reverence for the E.T. director after watching him direct these lavish musical numbers. "I was sitting next to him watching the monitor and just seeing him work," Lee said, recalling his "amazed" feeling watching Spielberg's film. "It’s just amazing to see a master anywhere," he continued. On Instagram, Lee described West Side Story as "Cinema Art Registering On Da Highest Frequencies." Before becoming vocal supporters of each other's work, Spielberg once broke up a feud between Lee and Clint Eastwood after the former criticized the latter's lack of diversity in his World War II films.

Steven Spielberg Puts a Reverential Spin on 'West Side Story'

If you've seen the opening number in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, or any of his action sequences for that matter, it's clear that Steven Spielberg was born to direct a musical. A gifted blocker of set pieces, Spielberg's seamless editing patterns and a keen awareness of the geography of a given scene suited him to the rhythms of song-and-dance numbers. The director's stylish camera movements propelled the visceral rush of the street-jumping number, "America," and his ability to pull the camera back and paint impressive wide shots within a singular location, such as in the school dance and "Gee, Officer Krupke," leave viewers in awe. While Spielberg's tastes and interests have matured, the film reignites the archetypal Spielberg wonder of the '70s and '80s. Despite the flashiness of his precise editing and long takes, Spielberg trusts his talented troupe of stage performers to carry the show, refraining from the gratuitous close-ups and cutting that hinder many modern musicals.

Steven Spielberg's West Side Story honors its original artists, Robert Wise, choreographer Jerome Robbins, songwriter Stephen Sondheim, and playwright Arthur Laurents while being forwardly inventive. Most filmmakers would be tempted to modernize the film in contemporary New York, but the period setting helps to restore the timelessness of the story, making it as relevant in 2021 as it was in 1961. The minor alterations to the story, such as replacing the Doc character with Valentina (played by original cast member Rita Moreno), setting "Gee, Officer Krupke" inside the police station, and moving the "I Feel Pretty" number after The Rumble, feel like calculated decisions rather than randomized impulse changes, and the concentrated effort to humanize the Puerto Rican community is done so without preachy hand-wringing. Reaching the heights of the original West Side Story was impossible, and remaking it was a fool's errand, but Spielberg took on the challenge anyway and defied the impossible, because, of course, he's Steven Spielberg.

West Side Story is available to watch on Disney+ in the U.S.

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Two youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.

Release Date December 10, 2021

Cast Mike Iveson , Ansel Elgort , Ariana DeBose , Yassmin Alers , Iris Menas , Rachel Zegler , Annelise Cepero , Corey Stoll , Josh Andrés , Josh Andrés Rivera , Rita Moreno , Jamila Velazquez , Brian D'Arcy James , David Alvarez , Rory Curtiss Cook , Jamie Harris

Runtime 156 minutes

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