CATCH A CLASSIC
2021 TCM Classic Film Festival Kickoff: ‘West Side Story’ 60th Anniversary
TCM, 7 p.m.
Tonight, tonight, won’t be just any night when Turner Classic Movies begins the 2021 TCM Classic Film Festival, being held virtually this year, with a 60th-anniversary screening of “West Side Story.” The 1961 classic is the Best Picture Oscar-winning adaptation of the smash Broadway musical, a retelling of Romeo and Juliet set amid the world of rival street gangs and boasting an iconic soundtrack with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The film won nine other Academy Awards, making it the musical film with the most Oscar wins to date. Rita Moreno won Best Supporting Actress for her screen-dominating performance as fiery Anita, and she will be on hand during a cast reunion featured with the film, giving new and exclusive interviews along with George Chakiris (Bernardo, leader of the Sharks) and Russ Tamblyn (Riff, leader of the Jets). Later this evening, more highlights from the festival include an airing of Martin Scorsese’s “Mean Streets” (1973), with an introduction by the director; a restored version of the 1932 horror film “Doctor X”; and a screening of “Ocean’s 11” (1960), with an introduction that costar Angie Dickinson gave for the 2019 festival. Linear cable network TCM and its sister streaming service HBO Max will continue airing and streaming content from this year’s virtual film festival over the next three days. The titles available for streaming on HBO Max cross over in some cases with, but mostly differ from, those on TCM; the streaming titles fall under various themes and will be available on demand over the next few days. For more information, visit www.filmfestival.tcm.com.