The filmmakers behind the re-do of WEST SIDE STORY (1961) did not win a lot of internet love upon the release of a production still of Steven Spielberg’s redux filming of Jerome Robbins/Robert Wise’s iconic WSS “Prologue,” with menacing gang members dance-trawling the streets of Manhattan. It’s hard to give fewer points for either the hoi polloi of costumes or the undistinguished dance movements caught in fragmented disarray in this photo ….
that is … unless, as artsmeme friend Jon Michel points out, the film is actually a WSS mashup with SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (1977) and the Jets are “doing the hustle.” In that case, bravo?
Here’s what it looked like when Jets were Jets. In perfect position are three dancers: Harvey Evans at far right, to his left Robert Banas, and flying at center, Anthony Teague. At far left Tucker Smith doesn’t quite get up in the air but he makes it up in spades when performing “Cool.”
an artsmeme ‘thanks’ to jon michel