HOT 4K NEWS
ACCLAIMED DIRECTOR Steven Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner, reimagined the classic tale of fierce rivalries in 1957 New York City and “West Side Story” received seven Academy Award-nomination for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose), Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Cinematography, Best Production.
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will release the 4K Ultra HD (disc) on March 15 and Disney+ and digital on March 2.
The beloved musical stars Ansel Elgort (Tony), Ariana DeBose (Anita), David Alvarez (Bernardo), Mike Faist (Riff), Brian d’Arcy James (Officer Krupke), Corey Stoll (Lieutenant Schrank), Josh Andrés Rivera (Chino); with Rita Moreno (as Valentina, who owns the corner store in which Tony works), and introducing Rachel Zegler (Maria.)
Spielberg films have been nominated for 12 Best Picture Oscars starting with “Jaws,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” “The Color Purple,” “Schindler’s List,” “Saving Private Ryan,” Munich,” “War Horse,” “Lincoln,” “Bridges of Spies,” “The Post” and “West Side Story” will mark the seventh film on 4K Ultra HD. “Schindler’s List” is the only one to win the golden statue.
The original “West Side Story” (1961) won 10 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins.
This year’s Oscars will be broadcast March 27 on ABC.
EXTRAS:
90-minutes of bonus features included on the enclosed Blu-ray disc.
The Stories of West Side Story
· Opening – Director Steven Spielberg begins the journey of one of his career goals – to direct his own cinematic version of the iconic musical. Doing so means he will embrace enormous challenges.
· Prologue – From the iconic finger snaps to the complex choreography, we are introduced to the film’s opening scene and explore its setting. We begin to see Spielberg's vision take shape.
· Sharks & Jets – Meet the actors who play the Sharks and the Jets. Go behind the scenes of "La Borinqueña," the song of the Puerto Rican Revolution, which was added into this vision of the story. Discover the deeper meaning of “Jet Song.”
· Dance At The Gym – Mambo your way through “The Dance At The Gym” and Justin Peck’s choreography, as it leads to the pivotal moment when Tony and Maria meet for the first time.
· The Romance – Explore the budding romance of Tony and Maria with the songs “Maria” and “Tonight” as Rachel Zegler (Maria) and Ansel Elgort (Tony) talk about the casting process, and what led them to this career-defining film.
· America – During a sweltering New York heat wave, the cast and crew take the production to the streets for one of the biggest dance numbers in the film, "America," featuring Ariana DeBose, who plays Anita.
· Gee, Officer Krupke – Spielberg and the Jets make "Gee, Officer Krupke" their own through a new setting, vocal direction and choreography, while they explore the meaning of Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics. Get to know Iris Menas (Anybodys) and the significance of their role.
· Cool – During the first week of production, Spielberg and the cast nervously jump into filming on the elaborate and challenging set of the musical number "Cool."
· From Quintet to The Rumble – Spielberg and his team navigate the intertwining scenes of “The Quintet” and "The Rumble." Once there, they take a scene that is traditionally stylishly choreographed, and instead bring a more visceral authenticity to the fight between the two gangs.
· I Feel Pretty – Screenwriter Tony Kushner sheds new light on “I Feel Pretty.” We see how, in Spielberg’s film, the beloved song by lyricist Stephen Sondheim is given new vision, as it is set and performed within Gimbel’s department store.
· Somewhere – Hollywood Legend Rita Moreno, who won acclaim for playing Anita in the 1961 film, returns as Valentina, a shopkeeper’s widow, as well as an executive producer. She brings extraordinary experience and emotion to the film and sings the song “Somewhere.”
· Finale – In a moving testament to the talented cast and crew of WEST SIDE STORY, Spielberg reluctantly wraps “one of the best filmmaking experiences” of his career.
· Tribute – The late Stephen Sondheim reflects on his career and experience making WEST SIDE STORY in this dedication to the esteemed lyricist.
The Songs
Go directly to your favorite musical numbers from WEST SIDE STORY.
SPECS:
Video – Captured on 35mm Panavision cameras and mounted with anamorphic Panavision lens (2.39:1 aspect ratio), the film was scanned and mastered in true 4K. The physical disc will be graded in HDR10, while the digital version will get Dolby Vision.
Audio – The 4K disc will include an eight-channel Dolby Atmos soundtrack and the Blu-ray will feature the eight-channel DTS-HD.