It's an age-old story: two young people fall deeply and desperately in love with each other, as young people are wont to do. But what to do when the lovers are a part of rival factions? Can love transcend everything? Heal wounds, bridge gaps, and all that jazz? We are, of course, talking about the Lloyd Kaufman masterpiece Tromeo and Juliet
, in which the title characters meet and fall in love despite a vicious and violent feud between their two families. The film is chock-full of all the glitz, glamour, sex, and violence we expect from Troma Studios.
It is remarkably similar, thematically at least, to another film: the 1961 winner of the Best Picture Oscar (as well as nine others):
. Set in the streets of Manhattan, Richard Beymer plays Tony a former member and founder of the Jets, a gang with serious rhythm which dances out its fights and encouragements and anything else that comes to mind. Natalie Wood plays Maria, the sister of Bernardo (George Chakiris), leader of the Sharks, a rival gang. Tony and Maria meet at a dance and promptly fall in love – which is problematic considering the politics of the street. What follows is an orgy of song and dance as these two vicious gangs fight for their own conception of justice.
Tinseltown presents two screenings of
West Side Story
tomorrow, Wednesday, as part of the Cinemark Classics series. The film will be shown at 2:00 and 7:00.
Tinseltown is located at 4400 Towne Center Drive. Further theater information and showtimes can be found at the Tinseltown website.
Image: Internet Movie Database
