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Mr. Jack: Re: I would not want to see Spielberg doing a remake of West Side Story mainly because I hate musicals, so I don't want to see Spielberg "wasting" one of his movies on one.
Just last night on the NBC News, Brian Williams had a piece on how there are many people who haven't the slightest interest in music, and I'm sure you're not alone in hating musicals. Just as I hate most rap and hip hop, others hate classical music and wouldn't dream of listening to an opera. And there's an FSM thread going on right now about how many movie watchers pay no attention whatsoever to soundtracks when they watch movies. But the above announcement of a possible re-make of "West Side Story" is of interest to those of us who do like musicals. But I can understand how you wouldn't want a favorite director to "waste" his time on a genre you happen to hate.
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My main interest in seeing a Spielberg WSS, I have to admit, would be to see how Williams handles the music.
The Kazan-style "social realism" approach, I think, was originally Pauline Kael's idea, in her review of the existing film.
My only "problem" with the Best Picture of 1961 was with Richard Beymer, but I've come to accept his performance as a deliberately stylized element of Wise's (and co-director/co-Oscar-winner Robbins') grand vision for the film as a whole.
It would be nice to see the Latin roles portrayed by actual Latins for a change. I remember being really irritated that they'd had a similar chance in the TV-remake of "Bye Bye Birdie" and cast Vanessa Williams instead.
Spielberg has always said he's like to do a musical, but that he has never had the nerve. NOW he has the nerve? The nerve to remake one of the best-loved musical films of all time?! He should be made to go back and do "1941" as a full-fledged musical first, or "Hook," which was going to be a musical until the last minute. Who is going to film the inevitable Broadway musical version of "The Color Purple"? Imagine having to remake a Spielberg film!
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"West Side Story" as re-imagined by Steven Spielberg. The new "Maria":
. . . I'd buy her as "Anita."
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Why bother remaking West side story, the first was perfect for it's time and leave it at that. BUT if they do the remake have an original music score. Have JAMES HORNER AND HANS ZIMMER DO THE SONGS AND SCORE.
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I would love to see a black & white WEST SIDE STORY made in an Elia-Kazan-social realism style that really emphasizes the grit, poverty and desperation of the milieu, I would like a very blonde, Eastern European Tony (Anton) and a skinny, pretty but undernourished, and decidedly Puerto Rican Maria. It won't happen, but it would make for a nice contrast with the very enjoyable, but too cozy-looking, 1961 version.
That's pretty much what Jerry Robbins wanted. However, the Mirisch brothers wanted a big-scale musical, which he was incapable of handling, which is why Robert Wise was brought on to produce and co-direct. Other than a few numbers, Robbins did very little directing of the film, or direct choreographing, for that matter. Assistance, however, did re-create his and Peter Gennaro's original stage work, for the most part. The original choice for Tony was Keir Dullea and the original choice for Maria was Barbara Luna. Luna was out when the brothers got cold feet and decided their investment had to have at least one name star. Thus, Natalie Wood. Dullea refused to cut his hair, among other things being asked of him, so he was passed over. The thought of what I consider one of only three perfect screen musicals being remade is sort of repulsive. Being remade by one of my least-favorite directors is simply unthinkable, to me. Not that it actually matters. It will go the way of most remakes, and be quickly forgotten, no matter who's starring or directing. When they finally come to their senses and realize that MY FAIR LADY is in most need of a remake, I'm all over that. Been waiting since 1964 for it to happen!
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I've always wished Spielberg would film "The Rothschilds," the final Broadway musical of Bock and Harnick (who gave us "Fiddler on the Roof"). That's a show whose plot sweeps across Europe and across history, and involves major events/setpieces, some only implied onstage, but which someone of Spielberg's resources and clout could realize magnificently. I think either Kevin Kline or Robin Williams could do a credible job with Hal Linden's role as the family patriarch.
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Spielberg has always said he's like to do a musical, but that he has never had the nerve.
He did. It was called Temple of Doom. 
"Temple of Doom" was only one of several Spielberg nods to the musical genre in his body of work. "1941" had the big USO dance/fight number. "The Color Purple" had the "Sistah" number. "Always" has sort of a comical dance moment with Holly Hunter and John Goodman. He's always seemed almost ready to just go the rest of the way and make a whole musical, just never committed to doing one somehow.
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