How Janusz Kaminski found beauty in tragedy

There’s a rhythmic dance in the visual language of Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story� that pulsates with energy. The camera glides through the twirling choreography inviting us to participate, while color, mood and texture honor a lighting style reminiscent of old Hollywood. “It’s a very beautiful story with a dramatic twist,� says cinematographer Janusz Kaminski. “We were making a live version of a Broadway show that needed to look glamorous and enticing.� In a pivotal scene atop a broken bridge, Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Riff (Mike Faist) fight over a gun. The cinematographer enhanced their performance by embracing the location’s bright sunlight and shadows with painterly detail. “Steven is a master of composition and camera movement. It’s one of the most balletic sequences without it feeling like a musical,� Kaminski notes. “The moment is very dynamic and foreshadows what’s going to happen later on in the movie�: an iconic and tragic ending.