Guillermo del Toro Explains Why Spielberg's West Side Story Gym Scene Is Genius
Academy Award-winning director Guillermo del Toro has praised the direction of Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, breaking down the gym dance scene. The 2021 remake of the classic 1961 musical was directed and co-produced by the famed E.T director. Del Toro won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director for The Shape of Water in 2018.
Released in December 2021, West Side Story revisited the iconic Jets and Sharks gangs of West Side Manhattan in 1957. When conflict between the two gangs begins to build, a pair of star-crossed lovers fall for one another, as Tony and Maria do all they can to avoid the violence. The film was originally scheduled to be released in December 2020, but it was delayed to the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While upon release the movie was critically praised for its direction, performances, and cinematography, West Side Story underperformed at the box-office, resulting in a box-office bomb. While it may have underperformed financially, del Toro thinks it's still worth a watch.
Related: Every Song In West Side Story 2021 & What Order They're In
Taking to his personal Twitter, del Toro created a thread dedicated to the film's gym dance sequence, breaking down the scene for his audience. The director emphasized how difficult the shots within the sequence were to shoot and how Spielberg was able to make the camera «dance» alongside the performers. In his thread, del Toro stated how important every last aspect of the equipment was to create Spielberg's sequence, comparing his work on West Side Story to prior musicals. After discussing how important a filmmaker's vision is, del Toro stated he should be working on a script before closing his thread. Check out del Toro's detailed
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