Summary:
The 1961 musical "West Side Story" utilizes the same theme as in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," in which the relationship between two lovers is not accepted by others because of their different backgrounds. The artistic devices, characterizations, and music all serve to explain the differences and the conflicts between the American and Puerto Rican groups. Uneasiness about the presence of Puerto Ricans in America during the time of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights acts lends a tremendous sociopolitical message to the story.
West Side Story came out in 1961 as a melodramatic musical that took place in New York. It takes the same theme as Shakespeare's, Romeo and Juliet, in that it is about two lovers whose relationship is not accepted by others because of conflicting backgrounds.
The artistic intensions of this film are implicitly stated everywhere throughout the film. All of the dancing, singing, acting and pretend fighting was done thoroughly and very well, although the miking and mixing during the pretend fighting did not seem realistic. Specific actors, dancers, and singers were trained and taught how to perform in order to get the message across to the audience that this West Side Story is not just a film, but a theatrical, musical, choreographed, work of art. Specific messages are portrayed in different art forms such as.....
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