Some of the most popular movies ever made did not do well when they originally opened. The Wizard of Oz and It’s a Wonderful Life were both saved after becoming TV staples. The Big Lebowski, initially seen as the Coen brothers’ disappointing follow-up to Fargo, is now their most watched film. No one even knew what The Boondock Saints was until enough people bought the DVD. So when West Side Story, which is to say Steven Spielberg’s new take on the classic musical, tanked in theaters (where, for the record, it’s still playing), there was hope that the critically adored and Oscar-nominated movie might enjoy a robust second act.
Here’s a good sign that that will happen: On Friday night, someone posted a clip of a single, incredible shot from the movie. It’s from the dance at the gym, where our star-crossed lovers wind up meeting. Before they do, though, everyone else is busy dancing up a storm. Spielberg, one of cinema’s most kinetic directors, and his longtime cinematographer Janusz Kaminski shoot the hell out of it.
This shot from WEST SIDE STORY is fucking insane. pic.twitter.com/krmqHHklRr
— Shane Anderson
(@ShaneM_Anderson) February 26, 2022
That includes an acrobatic long take that lasts just over a minute. It starts with Ariana DeBose’s Anita, David Alvarez’s Bernardo, Rachel Zegler’s Maria, and crew entering the gym. As they open the doors, the camera, on a crane, dashes into the crowd. It hovers over people dancing in unison. It swoops in amongst them. And it ends its epic journey back with Anita, Bernardo, Maria, et al., all without a cut.
The clip received thousands and re-tweets and even more likes, with people blown away by the choreography, of the dancers and of the camera crew. It was so stunning that those in the know had to point out that it’s completely real, without any digital touch-ups.
Aside from the technical mastery AND the choreography, look at how much character and storytelling Steven Spielberg packs in here! https://t.co/Wq7zPLM8cR
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) February 26, 2022
Others pointed out it’s not the film’s only doozy of a shot.
I saw some people asking for it so here’s the puddle shot from Steven Spielberg’s WEST SIDE STORY: pic.twitter.com/pHssxx9w5J
— Maaz M. (@gazingdarkness) February 26, 2022
#OscarsCheerMoment The “America” scene in Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” Ariana DeBose, the colorful costumes, cinematography and spectacular choreography put a smile on my face seeing it on the big screen. pic.twitter.com/x3fZSlyjA0
— Max Hechtman (@Max_MHVP) February 20, 2022
Others pointed other incredible Spielberg shots throughout his career.
Incredible. Spielberg is indeed a genius with the oner, but if you ask me to pick out his best ever shot, it’s the dolly zoom on Chief Brody in Jaws. It’s so disorienting, and totally captures that moment when the world goes askew during a crisis. https://t.co/v7HvYQZWFO
— Andy Scholes (@AndyScholes1) February 26, 2022
Another killer Spielberg shot from MUNICH, like… we are not dealing with the student here, we are dealing with the professor pic.twitter.com/4eQyFrJv3K
— Jesse Hawken (@jessehawken) February 26, 2022
Before he was a Hollywood legend, STEVEN SPIELBERG directed the first episode of COLUMBO. Right from the first shot, you can see his visual flair… pic.twitter.com/urg4z2qbLY
— All The Right Movies (@ATRightMovies) September 21, 2021
Wild to hear people don’t want Spielberg to do a Bullitt movie, like he isn’t a master of action. He directed Tom Cruise taking out a fleet of jet pack cops in one of the best staged chase scenes ever pic.twitter.com/GzToqqpPpA
— Marcelo J. Pico (@MarceloJPico) February 26, 2022
while we’re talking about god-mode Spielberg shots, this shot from A.I. almost knocked me over when I rewatched it pic.twitter.com/XBcivn5rkF
— mitch f. hellyeahson (@MitchFAnderson) February 26, 2022
As it happens, Spielberg’s West Side Story is scheduled to finally make its streaming debut, hitting Disney+ on Tuesday. A viral clip isn’t the only recent big Spielberg news. (The 1961 version, meanwhile, currently streams on HBO Max.) On Friday, it was revealed that the legendary filmmaker was interested in making a film about the iconic detective Steve McQueen plays in the classic thriller Bullitt, which features another thing Spielberg loves: car chases.