10 Irresistible Movies Inspired By The Genius Of Shakespeare
9. West Side Story
Based on the Broadway show, in turn based on Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story follows the love story of Tony and Maria against the backdrop of 1950s west side Manhattan as the rivalry of the Jets and the Sharks unfolds in the background.
The film is probably most famous for its dancing, musical numbers - including Maria and America - and its constant appearances in pop culture, including an ample amount of references in film and television- chiefly the use of I Feel Pretty in Anger Management and Friends comes to mind. It has got to the vaunted stage that certain musicals, like Rocky Horror manage, where the songs transcend the film, and it becomes a cultural phenomenon rather than a single entity. It may be somewhat comically considered, and is often suggested as a guilty pleasure, but that is to do the film a disservice. In all honestly, I would much prefer to watch the Jets and Sharks rumble-down than sit through Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet, and this is coming from a very big Leo DiCaprio fan.