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Fontinau

12 snotty observations about the "Rent" movie

...which I finally saw.



1. It was really considerate of them to give us such a prominent milestone to mark Rent's completed transformation from endearingly naîve amateur night at the theater to human zoo.

The only thing that could have made this even better is if the movie had actually been a success instead of a humiliating financial flop. But hey, you can't have everything.


2. Tracie Thoms owned everybody. Makes me wish I actually knew who the hell she was. Otherwise, the quality of everybody's performance was roughly inversely proportional to how much work they've been getting lately.


3. Also considerate of them to provide conclusive proof positive that "Yes, if it was a bad lyric, it's going to sound 500 times worse as dialogue".


4. I'd forgotten what great songs "There's Only Us" and "Will I" are. I think I'll dig up my copy of the cast album and listen to them again tomorrow.


5. Devoting half an hour of screentime to building up Maureen as an irresistable sex goddess doesn't really work when at this point Mimi, Joanne, Angel, and Mark are all prettier than she is.


6. Now that Adam Pascal has to squeeeezzzzeeee those high As out, his voice is way more emotionally resonant than it was before.


7. Here's a MTV-ish scene collage, here's a naturalistic scene, here's an extended close-up... Anyone else get the feeling that Christopher Columbus's pre-conceived strategy for directing the songs was "Try every conceivable style I can think of, and hope to God one or two of them actually work?"


8. That said, it's a credit to Chris's craft as a director that he found a way to smooth over the jarring difference in momentum between the play's two acts: Suck all the energy out of the first half, and throw in enough cuts and time lapses to make it exactly as ponderous, directionless, and schizophrenic as the second half.


9. "Christmas Bells". Ah, "Christmas Bells". The most cinematic song in the entire play. The kind of dramatic crescendo that Rent depends on to keep everybody in the audience awake.

And they cut it?!?!?!?


10. I think it's killing Anthony Rapp a little inside to see what's become of his friend's baby. At least, that's one explanation for why he decided to go into high camp mode every time they hit one of the big numbers.


11. So apparently, when a man is in the terminal stages of AIDS, he becomes emaciated, develop discolored sores all over his body, etc. And when a woman is in the terminal stages of AIDS, she looks like she's relaxing in a sauna prepping for her next photo shoot.

(Or maybe mild hypothermia is just good for the complexion?)


12. "Today 4 U" and "...I lowered my lips to her swollen udder..." are, bar none, the single two worst things I've seen in a movie theater all year.
Pasty

Re: 12 snotty observations about the "Rent" movie

Fontinau wrote:
...which I finally saw.



1. It was really considerate of them to give us such a prominent milestone to mark Rent's completed transformation from endearingly naîve amateur night at the theater to human zoo.

The only thing that could have made this even better is if the movie had actually been a success instead of a humiliating financial flop. But hey, you can't have everything.


2. Tracie Thoms owned everybody. Makes me wish I actually knew who the hell she was. Otherwise, the quality of everybody's performance was roughly inversely proportional to how much work they've been getting lately.


3. Also considerate of them to provide conclusive proof positive that "Yes, if it was a bad lyric, it's going to sound 500 times worse as dialogue".


4. I'd forgotten what great songs "There's Only Us" and "Will I" are. I think I'll dig up my copy of the cast album and listen to them again tomorrow.


5. Devoting half an hour of screentime to building up Maureen as an irresistable sex goddess doesn't really work when at this point Mimi, Joanne, Angel, and Mark are all prettier than she is.


6. Now that Adam Pascal has to squeeeezzzzeeee those high As out, his voice is way more emotionally resonant than it was before.


7. Here's a MTV-ish scene collage, here's a naturalistic scene, here's an extended close-up... Anyone else get the feeling that Christopher Columbus's pre-conceived strategy for directing the songs was "Try every conceivable style I can think of, and hope to God one or two of them actually work?"


8. That said, it's a credit to Chris's craft as a director that he found a way to smooth over the jarring difference in momentum between the play's two acts: Suck all the energy out of the first half, and throw in enough cuts and time lapses to make it exactly as ponderous, directionless, and schizophrenic as the second half.


9. "Christmas Bells". Ah, "Christmas Bells". The most cinematic song in the entire play. The kind of dramatic crescendo that Rent depends on to keep everybody in the audience awake.

And they cut it?!?!?!?


10. I think it's killing Anthony Rapp a little inside to see what's become of his friend's baby. At least, that's one explanation for why he decided to go into high camp mode every time they hit one of the big numbers.


11. So apparently, when a man is in the terminal stages of AIDS, he becomes emaciated, develop discolored sores all over his body, etc. And when a woman is in the terminal stages of AIDS, she looks like she's relaxing in a sauna prepping for her next photo shoot.

(Or maybe mild hypothermia is just good for the complexion?)


12. "Today 4 U" and "...I lowered my lips to her swollen udder..." are, bar none, the single two worst things I've seen in a movie theater all year.



I agree with you on most of those points. The whole slurping during Over the Moon made me cringe in my seat.

Today 4 U was way too over the top.

Tracie Thoms is amazing.

Everytime there was "lyrical dialogue" i wanted to vomit.

I still don't see how people find Idina attractive.

Adam Pascal has ruined his voice. Awful.

Somewhere either in "There's Only Us" or "Will I" made me jump because Aaron Lohr (newsies) was singing.


Hmm, that felt good.
RainbowJude

Representation

Fontinau wrote:
So apparently, when a man is in the terminal stages of AIDS, he becomes emaciated, develop discolored sores all over his body, etc. And when a woman is in the terminal stages of AIDS, she looks like she's relaxing in a sauna prepping for her next photo shoot.


This being RENT, it probably also has something to do with the fact that he's gay and she's straight.

That's how you satisfy the conservative masses, you see. You let the gay man die painfully because of his HIV-infection, which is what the conservative masses believe is right and justified and, to an extent, an awful shame. And in this way the conservative masses can feel really proud of themselves for feeling sorry for the gay man who dies of AIDS, even though they're really happy and validated when the stright girl lives.

Mad Confused Sad

Later days
David
Quique

Rent...

I agree. Killing off that darn "faggot" is such a given. Ugh.

Anyway, I had fun watching most of it but I was disappointed with the following...

  • What is up with hiring directors that know squat about musical theatre? Like the Schumacher, Columbus' direction was your basic, boring "perform n' shoot" approach. We need directors who have a vested interest in the art of musical theatre and actually have something called a "vision." Not just any old one, but a creative, innovative one. Is Chicago going to remain the one and only film adaptation of a musical to revolutionize the art of big-screen movie musicals? So sad...Phantom had the potential to be made into a great film. While Rent wasn't nearly as bad, it still lacked creativity. Even I could think of far more dynamic ways to film "Today For You," that slow bit between Roger and Mimi where they did nothing more than walk up and down an alley in the snow (I actually became impatient), the awful "Over the Moon," "What You Own," and many of the little musical snippets they converted into dialogue.

  • I REALLY hated the long pauses after each number. It was so awkward, people almost clapped only to realize that if they did, they'd look like complete morons.

  • I think the most poorly shot number was "No Day But Today." It looked like a silly little temper tantrum. It almost made me laugh.

  • Angel was merely a shadow of what he is in the stage version. I think Wilson did an excellent job portraying him though. He looked really cute all dolled-up in drag, hehe.

  • Why does everyone keep saying they have AIDS, when in fact, most of them have HIV? (With the exception of Angel & Mimi). Please correct me if I'm wrong and they actually were all originally meant to have progressed to AIDS simultaneously.

  • What on earth was up with Adam's hair!!!

    I kept thinking, 'Farrah Faucet." (sp?) Laughing

  • Did anyone else find Mark's filmaking wildly laughable, pathetic, and even Kindergarten-ish? Heehee! In the end, when he showed his finished film, I almost burst out laughing.

    Um, great montage of chaotic video collage of your friends standing there smiling and looking pretty. Film-making at its best.


As mean as all this sounds, it really wasn't that bad. Like I said before, I was satisfied for the most part but a lot of parts were done sloppy, in my opinion.
Fontinau

Re: Rent...

Quique wrote:
Why does everyone keep saying they have AIDS, when in fact, most of them have HIV?

I actually wouldn't be surprised at all to discover that Chris Columbus and Steve Chbosky don't know the difference.

(Though that doesn't explain why the cast went along with it.)
Descartes

One thing that got me confused was Roger's whole "I have AIDS, I'm gonna sulk around for a while" attitude. It's just so sudden. He's not too gloomy in "Rent" and "You'll See" and then once we hit "One Song Glory" it's angst-town, population him.

And then when we get to "Light my Candle" he's attempting to be funny.

Des.
The REAL Ciaron

Wow Font. What is with you and I agreeing lately?

Fontinau wrote:
2. Tracie Thoms owned everybody. Makes me wish I actually knew who the hell she was. Otherwise, the quality of everybody's performance was roughly inversely proportional to how much work they've been getting lately.


Agreed, though I do think Wilson did a solid job for the time he was given (except for "Today For You")

I think Angel got lost on the big screen which is a real shame. Wilson was incredible in the stage show!! I was so looking forward to seeing him again. I was let down.
jcstar

Re: 12 snotty observations about the "Rent" movie

Fontinau wrote:
1. It was really considerate of them to give us such a prominent milestone to mark Rent's completed transformation from endearingly naîve amateur night at the theater to human zoo.

The only thing that could have made this even better is if the movie had actually been a success instead of a humiliating financial flop. But hey, you can't have everything.


2. Tracie Thoms owned everybody. Makes me wish I actually knew who the hell she was. Otherwise, the quality of everybody's performance was roughly inversely proportional to how much work they've been getting lately.


3. Also considerate of them to provide conclusive proof positive that "Yes, if it was a bad lyric, it's going to sound 500 times worse as dialogue".


4. I'd forgotten what great songs "There's Only Us" and "Will I" are. I think I'll dig up my copy of the cast album and listen to them again tomorrow.


5. Devoting half an hour of screentime to building up Maureen as an irresistable sex goddess doesn't really work when at this point Mimi, Joanne, Angel, and Mark are all prettier than she is.


6. Now that Adam Pascal has to squeeeezzzzeeee those high As out, his voice is way more emotionally resonant than it was before.


7. Here's a MTV-ish scene collage, here's a naturalistic scene, here's an extended close-up... Anyone else get the feeling that Christopher Columbus's pre-conceived strategy for directing the songs was "Try every conceivable style I can think of, and hope to God one or two of them actually work?"


8. That said, it's a credit to Chris's craft as a director that he found a way to smooth over the jarring difference in momentum between the play's two acts: Suck all the energy out of the first half, and throw in enough cuts and time lapses to make it exactly as ponderous, directionless, and schizophrenic as the second half.


9. "Christmas Bells". Ah, "Christmas Bells". The most cinematic song in the entire play. The kind of dramatic crescendo that Rent depends on to keep everybody in the audience awake.

And they cut it?!?!?!?


10. I think it's killing Anthony Rapp a little inside to see what's become of his friend's baby. At least, that's one explanation for why he decided to go into high camp mode every time they hit one of the big numbers.


11. So apparently, when a man is in the terminal stages of AIDS, he becomes emaciated, develop discolored sores all over his body, etc. And when a woman is in the terminal stages of AIDS, she looks like she's relaxing in a sauna prepping for her next photo shoot.

(Or maybe mild hypothermia is just good for the complexion?)


12. "Today 4 U" and "...I lowered my lips to her swollen udder..." are, bar none, the single two worst things I've seen in a movie theater all year.


1. RENT has got to be the best thing to hit musical-theatre since JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. It tells an emotinally driven story that is relevent to todays generation and ideals. It's edgy, direct, and amzing thratre.

2. Thoms was great. I loved her as Joanne. Her "Take Me Or Leave Me" was great. I just wish she had Joanne's solo, "We're Okay."

3. I find nothing wrong with the lyrics. Nothing. When the lyrics were spoken, it didn't bother me.

4. Those ARE gret songs, aren't they?

5. Menzel is good looking. Though calling Maureen (or anyone in RENT) a sex symbol is a pretty big stretch.

6. I've already commented on Pascal's voice.

7. I suppose you could have done a beter job with the RENT material if YOU had directed the fim? If I was the director, I would have made the same picture, but with every song in there.

8. Wattch the show again. I knew exactl where I was and what time of year it was. The show runs smoothly in my opinion.

9. Yes, I would have loved "Christmas Bells" to be in the film. If PHANTOM can have "Prima Donna," there's no reason for "Bells" to be cut.

10. Rapp was amazing. He is, was and forever will be known as Mark from RENT. I love the camp stuff he did. What's wrong with that? Camp rules!

11. Have you seen "Philadelphia"? Look at Tom Hanks in that film. And who says that Mimi is dying of AIDS at any point in the film? She has a drug problem. She probably got AIDS from sharing a needle with The Man. Also, she'd been missing for threee weeks, and when she was found, she'd "been living on the street." She could have been starving to death.

12. Oh come on! Those are great lyrics! I say them all the time!

... And a partridge in a pear tree!

Andy.
The Very Angry Woman

Re: Rent...

Quique wrote:
I agree. Killing off that darn "faggot" is such a given. Ugh.


Although that comes with the source material. It wasn't going to change with a movie adaptation.
Loppy Again

Re: 12 snotty observations about the "Rent" movie

jcstar wrote:
[


1. RENT has got to be the best thing to hit musical-theatre since JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. It tells an emotinally driven story that is relevent to todays generation and ideals. It's edgy, direct, and amzing thratre.



HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHA

Good comedy. Good comedy, I say.

Edgy? Direct? RENT is by FAR the most watered down and stereotypical theatrical portrayal of modern issues out there.
Desperado

I just saw the movie version...never saw it on stage.

...but the 2nd act was kinda hard to follow. I knew a little about Rent, and that the 2nd act went through the whole next year.

It seemed like it went from New Year to Halloween really quickly and awkwardly.


EDIT:

Also - Idina's ass. Pasty and sloppy looking.

...and not green, wtf?
The REAL Ciaron

Re: 12 snotty observations about the "Rent" movie

jcstar wrote:


1. RENT has got to be the best thing to hit musical-theatre since JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR.


Nuff said
Quique

Re: Rent...

The Very Angry Woman wrote:
Quique wrote:
I agree. Killing off that darn "faggot" is such a given. Ugh.


Although that comes with the source material. It wasn't going to change with a movie adaptation.


Yes. I first got into the show way back in 1996 when it first opened and have seen the OBC at the Nederlander.

For some reason, it never really hit me before, until I recently saw the film. I wouldn't exactly call it discrimination or intentionally being in favor of the hetero couple over the gay one, but killing-off the gay character is repetitive. At least in film.

Have you seen The Celluloid Closet?

Very interesting documentary on the representation of gays in Hollywood and how their roles in film have evolved.

Personally, after watching that, it's more about how gay roles have NOT evolved. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

I've recently heard many make the case about how discriminatory the Rent film adaptation is, toward the gay male couple. There was a heated discussion on this over at BroadwayWorld.com recently, in fact. More than just "killing-off the gay dude" it had more to do with the accusation that straight Chris Columbus intentionally glorified the lesbian couple, while pushing the gay one into the background.

Angel's death and Mimi's near-death experience are in no way influenced by bigottry, whether on film or on stage. Like you said, this was already in place long before the show transferred to the Nederlander and definitely way before the film adaptation.

It's really just newbies who have never seen the stage version, that get all worked up. Funny, hehe.
Fontinau

jcstar wrote:
It tells an emotinally driven story that is relevent to today's generation and ideals.

"Relevant to today's generation"?

When the hell were you born?


jcstar wrote:
I suppose you could have done a beter job with the RENT material if YOU had directed the fim?

Yes. And I have absolutely no creative talent whatsoever.

But assuming you gave me sufficient funds to hire a cast, a band, a competent technical crew, and a scaffold, I could, by the magic of the words "just point and shoot", have made a better movie out of the material than Christopher Columbus did.


jcstar wrote:
Watch the show again.

No.


jcstar wrote:
I knew exactly where I was and what time of year it was.

So did I. That doesn't mean it ran "smoothly".


jcstar wrote:
Have you seen "Philadelphia"?

Regrettably, yes.


jcstar wrote:
And who says that Mimi is dying of AIDS at any point in the film?... She has a drug problem... She could have been starving to death...

Who cares?

The point is, she looked awfully photogenic for somebody on death's doorstep.
fender_outta_hock

Has anyone considered that perhaps the reason the sung-to-spoken dialogue sounds funny having heard the theater score before is because one becomes used to hearing it sung, and it's just that it's different to hear not sung? I'd be interested to hear from someone who never heard the score prior to seeing the movie as to what they'd say about the dialogue.
Dvarg

I am now so looking forward to seeing the show Rolling Eyes

I never really like the cast recording, except for a few numbers (the Tango: Maureen is fantastic), but I always assumed seeing it would do the trick.

Now I fear this will be the next in the series of movie adaptions of musicals I don't dare take my friends to.
stewpidwhytemayun

I still think Pascal's raspier voice suits the part better. He sounds too much like Mark in the OBCR and not much like a rock-and-roller.
Mel AKA Maureen

Eh, yes, things weren't great, but name one moive, espically stage to cinema, where everything was perfect.
B3TA07

fender_outta_hock wrote:
Has anyone considered that perhaps the reason the sung-to-spoken dialogue sounds funny having heard the theater score before is because one becomes used to hearing it sung, and it's just that it's different to hear not sung? I'd be interested to hear from someone who never heard the score prior to seeing the movie as to what they'd say about the dialogue.


Lyrics are written differently than regular dialogue. Some lyrics could be spoken, like say "The Worst Pies in London," and they would seem completely normal. But most of ( specifically the intro "Tune up" lyrics ) the lyrics in the film that are spoken sound out of place and awkward. And having Angel speak "You okay, honey?" was just f*cking stupid.
Kad

The good things about RENT:


* Tango: Maureen
* La Vie Boheme
* Tracie Thoms
* Rosario Dawson

Bad things:

* What You Own
* Idina Menzel's ass
* Idina Menzel's the rest of her
* Christmas Bells- the lack thereof
* Songalogues
Dvarg

Mel AKA Maureen wrote:
Eh, yes, things weren't great, but name one moive, espically stage to cinema, where everything was perfect.


I wonder why the mistakes directors do when making movies of stage shows are so particularly corny, much more corny than when it is a "straight" show that is filmed.

Perhaps it is only me who is paranoid on behalf of my favourite genre Rolling Eyes
Mel AKA Maureen

Dvarg wrote:
Mel AKA Maureen wrote:
Eh, yes, things weren't great, but name one moive, espically stage to cinema, where everything was perfect.


I wonder why the mistakes directors do when making movies of stage shows are so particularly corny, much more corny than when it is a "straight" show that is filmed.

Perhaps it is only me who is paranoid on behalf of my favourite genre Rolling Eyes


Cuase directors in Hollywood like to make everything over dramatic. Whereas theater directors know that the is dramatic enough.

I could be wrong, but that's how I see it.
EponineGiry

Kad wrote:
The good things about RENT:


* Tango: Maureen
* La Vie Boheme
* Tracie Thoms
* Rosario Dawson

Bad things:

* What You Own
* Idina Menzel's ass
* Idina Menzel's the rest of her
* Christmas Bells- the lack thereof
* Songalogues


Tango: laugh-your-ass-off funny.
La Vie Boheme: done perfectly.
Tracie: <3
Rosario: Meh.

What You Own: I normally love this song, but the Halloween/Goodbye Love parts that were cut (which I can't believe nobody's mentioned; they were what made me saddest about the film) give you time in the show to recover from the sad part and get good and pissed for What You Own. Without them" Nothing.
Idina's ass: Yech.
Idina's everything else: Over the Moon scared the living shit out of me. Take Me or Leave Me didn't suck as much as it could have though. But what was with the commitment ceremony business?
Christmas Bells: I was sad about this too! But Columbus would only have screwed it up anyway.
Songalogues: Whatever: a sung "December 24th, 9 P.M Eastern Standard Time" is still a million times better than a monotonous "December 24th.
Nine P.M.

Eastern. Standard. Time.

From here on in.

I shoot. Without a script."
Kad

Oh: the lack of a proper, time-accurate NYC skyline. It's 1989- WTC should be a PROMINENT part of ANY NYC skyline shot. It's not offensive. It's accuracy.
jcstar

Mel AKA Maureen wrote:
Eh, yes, things weren't great, but name one moive, espically stage to cinema, where everything was perfect.


Three words:

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (1973).

Andy.
Mel AKA Maureen

While the Jesus is awesome, his Gethsemane is missing a lot of the cool improvisations, and some of it drags a bit at times.

According to others.
LoneWanderer

jcstar wrote:
Mel AKA Maureen wrote:
Eh, yes, things weren't great, but name one moive, espically stage to cinema, where everything was perfect.


Three words:

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (1973).

Andy.


There are a few weak moments in that movie. I havn't watched it for a while but at times a bit of it wasnt as good as I thought it could be (that said I still think it kicks ass).

The tank thing with Judas bugs me whenever i see it, but I guess others might like the tanks...charging judas. Ha. Also, the priests in general were not as exciting as I thought they'd be. This jesus must die in particular was not as "holy crap" as I think it should be. The rattaling of the scaffolding was just strange. Trial before pilate wasn't as powerful as I thought it might be as well...though I'm not sure if it was that song that I had a problem with or Pilate and Christ...one of those two was disapointing.

Great movie though.

~The Lone Wanderer
LoneWanderer

Mel AKA Maureen wrote:
While the Jesus is awesome, his Gethsemane is missing a lot of the cool improvisations, and some of it drags a bit at times.

According to others.


I am not a plural, as much as I'd like to be Wink . And the gethsemane is...yeah somehow not as vocally amazing as it could be, just because a lot of the crazy awesome improvisations were not added until later. Damn though...guy's got some pipes.

~The Lone Wanderer
RyanJ

Mel AKA Maureen wrote:
Eh, yes, things weren't great, but name one moive, espically stage to cinema, where everything was perfect.


SOUND OF MUSIC! Very Happy



I also noticed that as it was taking place in 1989-90, Benny's Range Rover looks pretty new.
Mel AKA Maureen

RyanJ wrote:
Mel AKA Maureen wrote:
Eh, yes, things weren't great, but name one moive, espically stage to cinema, where everything was perfect.


SOUND OF MUSIC! Very Happy


HA! Not only is the music itself not the greatest (show or movie) but the actors who played the children could not sing worth a damn, and the plot was distored in many places.
PatrickDennis

EponineGiry wrote:

What You Own: I normally love this song, but the Halloween/Goodbye Love parts that were cut (which I can't believe nobody's mentioned; they were what made me saddest about the film) give you time in the show to recover from the sad part and get good and pissed for What You Own. Without them" Nothing.


Ok. I'm going to try to decipher that post...

Halloween/Goodbye Love, for me, is one of the saddest parts of the show. It's when you see this group of friends fall apart and give up on each other. I don't think it's a 'recovery' period at all. In fact, it's downright sad.
Mel AKA Maureen

PatrickDennis wrote:
EponineGiry wrote:

What You Own: I normally love this song, but the Halloween/Goodbye Love parts that were cut (which I can't believe nobody's mentioned; they were what made me saddest about the film) give you time in the show to recover from the sad part and get good and pissed for What You Own. Without them" Nothing.


Ok. I'm going to try to decipher that post...

Halloween/Goodbye Love, for me, is one of the saddest parts of the show. It's when you see this group of friends fall apart and give up on each other. I don't think it's a 'recovery' period at all. In fact, it's downright sad.


Thanks for that, I know I wasn't even going to TRY to touch that. Nowwww I get it.
Fontinau

PatrickDennis wrote:
Halloween/Goodbye Love, for me, is one of the saddest parts of the show. It's when you see this group of friends fall apart and give up on each other. I don't think it's a 'recovery' period at all. In fact, it's downright sad.

I think the point was that they give you some time to absorb Angel's death.

But maybe I'm wrong.

It actually happens.
PatrickDennis

Goodbye Love has always hit me the hardest.
Dvarg

jcstar wrote:

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (1973).


King Herod's Song is misdirected and not slightly funny.
RyanJ

Mel AKA Maureen wrote:
RyanJ wrote:
Mel AKA Maureen wrote:
Eh, yes, things weren't great, but name one moive, espically stage to cinema, where everything was perfect.


SOUND OF MUSIC! Very Happy


HA! Not only is the music itself not the greatest (show or movie) but the actors who played the children could not sing worth a damn, and the plot was distored in many places.


The kids couldn't sing because Julie Andrews was still teaching them how you goober! Wink
John Milewski

i love rent i cant wait to see it you guys shouldnt knock it so much its just a movie
The Very Angry Woman

John Milewski wrote:
i love rent i cant wait to see it you guys shouldnt knock it so much its just a movie


Hi, I'll be your waitress tonight at the Café Mnet.

Would you like some punctuation with that drivel?
John Milewski

The Very Angry Woman wrote:
John Milewski wrote:
i love rent i cant wait to see it you guys shouldnt knock it so much its just a movie


Hi, I'll be your waitress tonight at the Café Mnet.

Would you like some punctuation with that drivel?


what are you saying that im really a girl and that im having my period?! lol!!
and i dont drive so i dont know what your talking about asking me if i want to have my period while i drive!
wow your goofy lady!
B3TA07

This is getting out of hand. Kid, I thought you said you'd been lurking around here for a while. If so, then you should have taken a hint at what would tick us off.
John Milewski

B3TA07 wrote:
This is getting out of hand. Kid, I thought you said you'd been lurking around here for a while. If so, then you should have taken a hint at what would tick us off.


okay okay i can see im doing something wrong with all this negativity whats going on then?
The Very Angry Woman

John Milewski wrote:
B3TA07 wrote:
This is getting out of hand. Kid, I thought you said you'd been lurking around here for a while. If so, then you should have taken a hint at what would tick us off.


okay okay i can see im doing something wrong with all this negativity whats going on then?


In a nutshell:
* You're posting too much in a small period of time.
* You overuse "LOL" (or, in your case, "lol")
* Your punctuation sucks.
Chi

I just went to see the RENT movie today. Although I enjoyed it quite a bit, I agree with most of the critisisms posted here. Really, what bothered me more than anything else was that "Halloween" was cut. I feel like out of every song in the show, that "Halloween" is the most important character development song for Mark, and without it a big chunk of his character was missing.

Chi
Quique

The Very Angry Woman wrote:
John Milewski wrote:
i love rent i cant wait to see it you guys shouldnt knock it so much its just a movie


Hi, I'll be your waitress tonight at the Café Mnet.

Would you like some punctuation with that drivel?


LOL!
Caitlin (Pipes)

I really enjoyed the film.

I bought the Rent cast album in 1996, so I'd listened to it a good deal for many years, but I had actually never seen the show onstage.

Yes, the rhyming dialogue made me flinch, Idina's mooning was unnecessary, and I wish they would've included some of the other songs. Sure, Idina Menzel's voice is going to the dogs, and she makes the "Elphaba faces" during "Over the Moon." Adam Pascal's hair was a tragedy (but the show takes place in 1989, so it's appropriate), and yes, his voice is raspier, but it works for the part of Roger. If we want to talk about inaccuracies, I agree, there were quite a few.

If anything I would've preferred, it was more dialogue. While musicals that are entirely sung-thru work very well onstage, I think it can sometimes be overwhelming on film when it's right in your face. However, for someone who knew the story and the music well, yet had never seen it onstage, I found it extremely touching and the performances were quite moving. I think it's definitely worth seeing.

I think another point that needs to be observed is that no movie musical is ever a perfect replica of the stage show, and if we go in expecting that, we are going to be disappointed. Cuts have to be made and adaptations have to be made to make the movie musical work. Obviously, in reading all of the previous posts, this movie adaptation was quite different too. However, it does seem to be fulfilling its purpose. It's making the musical more accessible to the masses (and they actually used Broadway actors in this one - no tragic Emmy Rossum or Richard Gere casting errors), and if anything, it's at least a testament in preserving the original stage show.
Mel AKA Maureen

RyanJ wrote:
Mel AKA Maureen wrote:
RyanJ wrote:
Mel AKA Maureen wrote:
Eh, yes, things weren't great, but name one moive, espically stage to cinema, where everything was perfect.


SOUND OF MUSIC! Very Happy


HA! Not only is the music itself not the greatest (show or movie) but the actors who played the children could not sing worth a damn, and the plot was distored in many places.


The kids couldn't sing because Julie Andrews was still teaching them how you goober! Wink


BUT they sould SOUND good, so we dont want to cut our ears off!
Quique

Yes, I definitely agree with Caitlin. It did fulfill its purpose.

It had many flaws and it's always fun to take something apart and criticize it...

...but I was really satisfied for the most part and didn't leave the theatre twitching like I did with the Phantom film. Mad
Caitlin (Pipes)

Quique wrote:
Yes, I definitely agree with Caitlin. It did fulfill its purpose.

It had many flaws and it's always fun to take something apart and criticize it...

...but I was really satisfied for the most part and didn't leave the theatre twitching like I did with the Phantom film. Mad


Yeah, I saw the "Phantom" film with Lakmé, and we were laughing hysterically through the whole thing. However, I've gotta say at least that film was thoroughly entertaining...

Now I absolutely can't wait to see what they do with "The Producers." Very Happy
Quique

The Producers...

Caitlin (Pipes) wrote:
Quique wrote:
Yes, I definitely agree with Caitlin. It did fulfill its purpose.

It had many flaws and it's always fun to take something apart and criticize it...

...but I was really satisfied for the most part and didn't leave the theatre twitching like I did with the Phantom film. Mad


Yeah, I saw the "Phantom" film with Lakmé, and we were laughing hysterically through the whole thing. However, I've gotta say at least that film was thoroughly entertaining...

Now I absolutely can't wait to see what they do with "The Producers." Very Happy


Yes. I can't wait for that too. I'm completely unfamiliar with it though. I'm forcing myself not to listen to the CD. I like discovering shows without any preparation.

I know, I know, The Producers is old news and it's pretty incredible I haven't seen it. Even my twin sister has seen it and we are like glue, we stick together and hardly ever see a show apart.

I would've seen it by now, if only I would stop being so obsessed with 80's musicals. Mad

*CoughLesMisCough*

According to my sis, The Producers is really hilarious and she said she could definitely see it working perfectly on film. We'll just have to wait and see.
Caitlin (Pipes)

lol, no worries. I haven't seen The Producers either. Unfortunately, I've been living in a bubble for the past year and half, and I've basically been immersed in opera and art songs for awhile.

I'm really missing musical theatre, so I've got to find some way to balance it with this degree, lol.
Loppy Again

Well, the only good thing I can say about this movie is that at least I wasn't a huge fan of the show to begin with, so therefore I wasn't devestated when they took everything good about the show and ripped it to shreds.

I laughed. A lot. I don't think that was the intent of the movie, but at least I can say I was entertained.

Amazing how much less convincing one can be as a starving Bohemian when one LOOKS to be in his or her mid-thirties. Get a job.

Clearly the way to keep warm is to throw your fire out a window. Pay your rent.

Can someone explain to me WHY it is that the friends of an ex-junkie would support getting him involved with a current junkie? Have I mentioned to get a job.

"Thelma and Louise" didn't come out until 1991. Pay your stinking rent.

Did anyone else get the feeling that Mark seriously wanted to bone Roger?

And, lengthening the first act takes away from the whole point of that intense bonding night.

They killed "Life Support" and "Will I". Dead. And then they danced on its grave

And how the hell would Maureen know that "a year later it would be mass produced at the GAP" when she didn't even know Angel for a year.

The whole thing was, as Font said, completely schizo. And the continuity of how well and how long everyone knew each other was all over the place

And, as I've always said....these people need to shut up. Don't tell ME to fight AIDS when everything about your lifestyle is condusive to spreading it.

I do not understand this celebration of bad choices and people who don't want to live up to the consequences of their actions.

Pay your f*cking RENT
I don't understand why this show is so popular. I really don't.
Quique

I agree with nearly everything you mentioned.

But the way I see it, there was something that made me care about the characters. Just like the way I cared for them in the stage version.

I think it's the fact they are all blatant losers...

...and damn proud of it.
Kevinm1986

Loppy Again wrote:
Did anyone else get the feeling that Mark seriously wanted to bone Roger?


Nah, I kinda thought he wanted to bone Collins.

Quote:
And, as I've always said....these people need to shut up. Don't tell ME to fight AIDS when everything about your lifestyle is condusive to spreading it.

I do not understand this celebration of bad choices and people who don't want to live up to the consequences of their actions.

Pay your f*cking RENT
I don't understand why this show is so popular. I really don't.


This is all true, but it's been true ever since the play debuted ten years ago. I'm an asshole conservative, so I can certainly sympathize with the view that these lazy bums need to get a job. All though they seem to do pretty well without one, I guess, so why bother? Hell, drug addict Mimi is the only one of them who's managed to hold down a job--what the hell do these people do all day, anyway?

Come to think of it, I didn't hate the movie but the "Lease"/"Everybody Has AIDS!" section from Team America:World Police was better than Rent. But ultimately, I guess it touches enough nerves (in the right way) to succeed. As I told you last night, the movie didn't totally ruin the stage version (IMO as a non-Renthead and the opinion in most of the Rentheads I know), so it's really just continuing on with what made the stage play succeed. It's not a bad show; Jonathan Larson knew a lot more about theatre than some of the people trying to write musicals these days, so he deserves a lot of credit. And I believe you've mentioned it before, but dying at just the right time didn't exactly hurt the show.

Perosnally I find Jonathan Larson's life and death more interesting than Rent or Tick Tick Boom--yes, I know Tick Tick Boom is somewhat about his life, but not really. His death is about as good a real-life tragic story as theatre has had in the past few decades--he went to the emergency room twice in the days before he died. I'd love to see someone string together a musical about him using his songs--it'd probably end up better than Rent or TTB, because at least Larson actually had a job.
jcstar

Loppy Again wrote:
Well, the only good thing I can say about this movie is that at least I wasn't a huge fan of the show to begin with, so therefore I wasn't devestated when they took everything good about the show and ripped it to shreds.
Pay your f*cking RENT
I don't understand why this show is so popular. I really don't.


Exactly what shows do you like/love?

I love RENT because of the rock music, great vocalists, and the tragedy of Larson dying and not seeing his success. Storyline comes second to me. I go for the miusic.

Andy.
jcstar

And to the people complaining about the staging of some numbers (like Take Me Or Leave Me, for example), get over it.

Who cares where or how it's staged? It's a great song, it sells the song, it's bloody RENT. Shut up.

Andy.
Fontinau

jcstar wrote:
I love RENT because of the rock music, great vocalists, and the tragedy of Larson dying and not seeing his success.

Liking a show because its author dropped dead isn't just stupid. It's f___ing creepy.

And how much rock music do you actually listen to?

(BTW, I don't think you ever answered my question about when you were born. Oversight, or will you willfully torture me unto the grave by condemning me to perpetual ignorance?)
Tenor4Life

Fontinau wrote:
jcstar wrote:
I love RENT because of the rock music, great vocalists, and the tragedy of Larson dying and not seeing his success.

Liking a show because its author dropped dead isn't just stupid. It's f___ing creepy.

And how much rock music do you actually listen to?

(BTW, I don't think you ever answered my question about when you were born. Oversight, or will you willfully torture me unto the grave by condemning me to perpetual ignorance?)


I think that if Larson had not died, Rent would have been reworked a TON. However, once he died, everyone felt awkward saying it was bad.
The REAL Ciaron

The movie version of RENT was bad. Anyone who knows anything about film can see this. Those who do not agree with me on this are most likely amateur film critics.

Thanks!!
PatrickDennis

Tenor4Life wrote:


I think that if Larson had not died, Rent would have been reworked a TON. However, once he died, everyone felt awkward saying it was bad.


I recently got my hands on a 1994 Workshop recording of "Rent."
He DID rework it a ton, for the better from the sounds of that crap.
Tenor4Life

PatrickDennis wrote:
Tenor4Life wrote:


I think that if Larson had not died, Rent would have been reworked a TON. However, once he died, everyone felt awkward saying it was bad.


I recently got my hands on a 1994 Workshop recording of "Rent."
He DID rework it a ton, for the better from the sounds of that crap.


Explain more about this workshop. I'm interested.
The Very Angry Woman

http://bennytour.com/nytw/nytwlyrics1.htm
jcstar

Fontinau wrote:
And how much rock music do you actually listen to?)


I listen to quite a lot of rock music:

Queen
Styx
The Who
The Beatles
Elvis Presley
Metallica
Kiss
Rush
Tragically Hip
David Wilcox
Deep Purple
Pink Floyd
...and 500 other rock bands/artists

I was born before you.

Plus, Larson died on my birthday.

Andy.
Fontinau

Re: 12 snotty observations about the "Rent" movie

jcstar wrote:
I listen to quite a lot of rock music... Styx... Kiss... Rush...

I was expecting mere ignorance. This is worse.

Oh God, this is so much worse. Neutral

Oh well. The obligatory name drops notwithstanding, we've stll got a pretty good explanation for why you like Rent "for the rock".


jcstar wrote:
I was born before you.

Well, I'm pretty much in the middle of "today's generation". Which means you're not really part of "today's generation" at all. Thus, do you see how comments like this --->
jcstar wrote:
Rent tells an emotinally driven story that is relevent to today's generation and ideals.
---> could look a little... well... stupid?

(Not to mention demonstrably wrong.)
The Very Angry Woman

Re: 12 snotty observations about the "Rent" movie

Fontinau wrote:
jcstar wrote:
I listen to quite a lot of rock music... Styx... Kiss... Rush...

I was expecting mere ignorance. This is worse.

Oh God, this is so much worse. Neutral


You could elaborate instead of just being pretentious. Or be pretentious and elaborate.
RainbowJude

Issues

CUT NUMBERS.

jcstar wrote:
Yes, I would have loved "Christmas Bells" to be in the film. If Phantom of the Opera can have "Prima Donna," there's no reason for "Bells" to be cut.


I'm not sure whether the inclusion/exculsion of either of these numbers has anything to do with the inclusion/exculsion of the other. Confused

HOMOSEXUAL REPRESENTATION.

Quique wrote:
I agree. Killing off that darn "faggot" is such a given.

The Very Angry Woman wrote:
Although that comes with the source material. It wasn't going to change with a movie adaptation.

Quique wrote:
Angel's death and Mimi's near-death experience are in no way influenced by bigottry, whether on film or on stage. Like you said, this was already in place long before the show transferred to the Nederlander and definitely way before the film adaptation.... It's really just newbies who have never seen the stage version, that get all worked up.


I'm no newbie. And I have been grappling with the issues surrounding the representation of homosexuals in RENT for a long time. Of course no one's going to make an obviously bigoted statement against homosexuals. That would be easy to deal with and protest. The problem with the narrative in RENT is that is governed by complacent and latent prejudicial attitudes. These are embedded below the surface; the internal thoughts that underline the physical action. That's more dangerous than something that obviously declares its presence.

On the contrary, I think that the film was the perfect time to make changes. I think that the text of the show was prematurely frozen because of Larson's death and people seem to view it as some kind of blasphemy to even think about making alterations to the narrative.

Even though, as PatrickDennis pointed out, Larson had done a lot of work between the workshop and the previews on Broadway, I think there would have been room for more work and I believe that more work would have been done had he lived. I also think that RENT would have been more critically appraiased in the mainstream press and I think it would have been interesting to see his reaction to the criticism.

Still, I don't think that the adaptation should be about not killing Angel off; it should be about killing Mimi off too. The choice is let Mimi live is the primary flaw of the text on stage, on record and in the film.

As Loppy said in an earlier post, RENT deals with some of the issues it confronts in a superficial and stereotypical manner.

LYRICS AS DIALOGUE.

fender_outta_hock wrote:
Has anyone considered that perhaps the reason the sung-to-spoken dialogue sounds funny having heard the theater score before is because one becomes used to hearing it sung, and it's just that it's different to hear not sung? I'd be interested to hear from someone who never heard the score prior to seeing the movie as to what they'd say about the dialogue.


I don't think that this is the case at all. Lyrics and spoken dialogue are two completely different things. Lyrics are very specifically constructed. They are often more economical in terms of word usage than dialogue and have a specific cadence when spoken aloud. That is why lyrics sound strange when they are just spoken as dialogue without alteration.

GOOD MOVIE MUSICALS.

Mel AKA Maureen wrote:
Eh, yes, things weren't great, but name one movie, especially stage to cinema, where everything was perfect.

jcstar wrote:
Three words: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (1973)


I hardly think so. That film is, at best, an interesting attempt at putting the show on film. Some of it works, much of it does not. But I guess the real point here is that every film adaptation will have it's detractors. Maybe perfect is the wrong word to use. Off the top of my head, I'd say that Chicago, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof and Cabaret are great film adaptations of stage musicals. Even when they aren't particularly faithful, they are good films in their own right.

Later days
David
Kevinm1986

Re: Issues

RainbowJude wrote:

HOMOSEXUAL REPRESENTATION.

I'm no newbie. And I have been grappling with the issues surrounding the representation of homosexuals in RENT for a long time. Of course no one's going to make an obviously bigoted statement against homosexuals. That would be easy to deal with and protest. The problem with the narrative in RENT is that is governed by complacent and latent prejudicial attitudes. These are embedded below the surface; the internal thoughts that underline the physical action. That's more dangerous than something that obviously declares its presence.

On the contrary, I think that the film was the perfect time to make changes. I think that the text of the show was prematurely frozen because of Larson's death and people seem to view it as some kind of blasphemy to even think about making alterations to the narrative.

Even though, as PatrickDennis pointed out, Larson had done a lot of work between the workshop and the previews on Broadway, I think there would have been room for more work and I believe that more work would have been done had he lived. I also think that RENT would have been more critically appraiased in the mainstream press and I think it would have been interesting to see his reaction to the criticism.

Still, I don't think that the adaptation should be about not killing Angel off; it should be about killing Mimi off too. The choice is let Mimi live is the primary flaw of the text on stage, on record and in the film.

As Loppy said in an earlier post, RENT deals with some of the issues it confronts in a superficial and stereotypical manner.


I really don't see how the play or film is anti-homosexual, because it's highly doubtful that Jonathan Larson had anything against homosexuals, consciously or subconsciously. You can't prove that the play is anti-homosexual because Angel dies and Mimi doesn't. It's pretty commonplace for musicals to change their source material for the sake of a happier ending. Is West Side Story anti-white because Tony dies but Maria lives, unlike in Romeo and Juliet? Of course not. Whether or not having Mimi live is a good dramatic choice is certainly debatable, but to say that it's proof for homophobia is utter nonsense. And I don't see what's simmering under the surface that isn't Larson's presumably accurate depiction of what prejudice and hatred there was at that time period. It was more than a decade and a half ago; I think people don't tend to realize that it was a different era.
jcstar

Re: Issues

RainbowJude wrote:
jcstar wrote:
Three words: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (1973)


I hardly think so. That film is, at best, an interesting attempt at putting the show on film. Some of it works, much of it does not. But I guess the real point here is that every film adaptation will have it's detractors. Maybe perfect is the wrong word to use. Off the top of my head, I'd say that Chicago, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof and Cabaret are great film adaptations of stage musicals. Even when they aren't particularly faithful, they are good films in their own right.

Later days
David


But, JCS has all the numbers in it, plus one new one. It has awe-inspiring performances from everybody in the film (I defy you to say anuything against Neeley, Dennen, Anderson, Elliman, Bingham, Yajhan, Mostel). It was also filmed by a Canadian director who wanted to be faithful to the priginal work (the concept album), rather than Broadway.

Chicago, Sound of Music, Fiddler On The Roof and other movie-musicals have numbers missing. They're all great films, but I'd rather have evey single song from the show in the film.

That's why I consider JCS to be the perfect movie-musical. OIt has everything.

I can't see why every song in RENT couldn't have worked on film.

That being said, it's great.

Andy.
jcstar

Re: 12 snotty observations about the "Rent" movie

Fontinau wrote:
jcstar wrote:
I listen to quite a lot of rock music... Styx... Kiss... Rush...

I was expecting mere ignorance. This is worse.

Oh God, this is so much worse. Neutral

Oh well. The obligatory name drops notwithstanding, we've stll got a pretty good explanation for why you like Rent "for the rock".


I'm afraid I don't understand. I was asked to tell you how much rock music I listen to, and I gave you a list of what you wanted me to tell you.

I gave you what you wanted.

Quote:
jcstar wrote:
I was born before you.

Well, I'm pretty much in the middle of "today's generation". Which means you're not really part of "today's generation" at all. Thus, do you see how comments like this --->
jcstar wrote:
Rent tells an emotinally driven story that is relevent to today's generation and ideals.
---> could look a little... well... stupid?

(Not to mention demonstrably wrong.)


(shrugs)
I give up. Tell me now.

Stop being pretentious. Stop boring me. Start explaining yourself.

Andy.
Dvarg

jcstar wrote:

Storyline comes second to me. I go for the music.


Umh... it's a musical. The music is there to support the storyline. If the music doesn't serve the plot, it's badly written dramaturgically.

jcstar wrote:

I defy you to say anything against ... Mostel.


Except for ruining the song by being unfunny and embarassing?
Desperado

Fontinau

Re: 12 snotty observations about the "Rent" movie

The Very Angry Woman wrote:
Fontinau wrote:
jcstar wrote:
I listen to quite a lot of rock music... Styx... Kiss... Rush...

I was expecting mere ignorance. This is worse.

Oh God, this is so much worse. Neutral


You could elaborate instead of just being pretentious. Or be pretentious and elaborate.

Hey, I know. Why don't I elaborate by being more pretentious?

Here's a rough equivalent to jcstar, with the musical genres reversed.

jcstar wrote:
I like Rent for the rock.


rough equivalent wrote:
I like Rod Stewart's Greatest Hits for the Broadway songs
.



jcstar wrote:
Fontinau wrote:
How much rock do you actually listen to?

I listen to quite a lot of rock music... Styx... Kiss... Rush...


rough equivalent wrote:
Fontinau wrote:
How much Broadway do you actually listen to?

I listen to quite a lot of Broadway... Jekyll & Hyde... Cats... Wicked...



Although I suspect you actually got the point already.
Fontinau

jcstar wrote:

Stop being pretentious.

No.

jcstar wrote:
Stop boring me.

If you're bored, why read it. Why reply?

jcstar wrote:
Start explaining yourself.

*sigh* I really have to spell it out, don't I?

Fine.

You do not have the slightest clue what is "relevant" to "today's generation".

Saying that Rent is "relevant to today's generation and ideals" makes you look stupid, both

(1) because you have no point of reference which would lend credibility to such a statement, and

(2) because Rent is as obvious a product of the 80s/early 90s "why doesn't anybody understand us?" slacker ethos as Tales for an Accelerated Culture or The Breakfast Club. In other words, if it's relevant to any generation at all, it's relevant to yesterday's generation.
Quique

Re: Issues

RainbowJude wrote:

HOMOSEXUAL REPRESENTATION.

I'm no newbie. And I have been grappling with the issues surrounding the representation of homosexuals in RENT for a long time. Of course no one's going to make an obviously bigoted statement against homosexuals. That would be easy to deal with and protest. The problem with the narrative in RENT is that is governed by complacent and latent prejudicial attitudes. These are embedded below the surface; the internal thoughts that underline the physical action. That's more dangerous than something that obviously declares its presence.

On the contrary, I think that the film was the perfect time to make changes. I think that the text of the show was prematurely frozen because of Larson's death and people seem to view it as some kind of blasphemy to even think about making alterations to the narrative.

Even though, as PatrickDennis pointed out, Larson had done a lot of work between the workshop and the previews on Broadway, I think there would have been room for more work and I believe that more work would have been done had he lived. I also think that RENT would have been more critically appraiased in the mainstream press and I think it would have been interesting to see his reaction to the criticism.

Still, I don't think that the adaptation should be about not killing Angel off; it should be about killing Mimi off too. The choice is let Mimi live is the primary flaw of the text on stage, on record and in the film.

As Loppy said in an earlier post, RENT deals with some of the issues it confronts in a superficial and stereotypical manner.


I agree. And yes, you're absolutely right in quoting Loppy's statement. Complacent, latent attitudes regarding things that often times don't readily produce an answer or solution, is definitely one of society's most detrimental ills. The need to cheat one's way toward a conclusion is the lazy man's approach to that which he doesn't understand. Even though I don't consider myself to be that sort of person, I'll admit to having viewed the mere surface the issue.

Like you said, it's easy to argue the issue from the typical anti-hate point of view but at the same time, there isn't much to be said about society's handy stereotyping of those that are different and the complacency that results from it. Unfortunately, it's one of those things that will take, God knows how long, to undo. It's a sad reality, really, and if anything, mere acknowledgement of this can effectively lead to progress.

Now, if only we can make everyone in the world acknowledge this together, all at once, hehe.
RyanJ

Never saw RENT on broadway, but I loved the movie. I think the people who have seen the show tend to dislike the fact that some songs were cut, while newbies think it's cheesy that Mimi comes back to life.

I think it's funny though how there are things like a modern Range Rover in 1989 or the line "Like Thelma and Louise did, when they got the blues" when Thelma and Louise didn't come out until 2 years later, etc.


Stop worrying about the film versions of shows, if you go into a movie with high expectations you are more than likely going to come out of it disappointed.
Fontinau

RyanJ wrote:
Stop worrying about the film versions of shows, if you go into a movie with high expectations you are more than likely going to come out of it disappointed.

So we should what? Lower our standards until they're already met by whatever piece of crap we happen to be seeing at the given moment?
Loppy Again

Not to mention that several of us didn't go in with "high expectations"
ADistantMoonAgo

Quote:
The choice is let Mimi live is the primary flaw of the text on stage, on record and in the film.


The reason that Mimi didn't die is because the show is about survival. If she had died it would have been too over-dramatic and Webber-esque.

There are a million things in this thread I should comment on but I will restrain myself, and remind myself that 80% of the people on musicals.net are pretentious snobs.[/quote]
Fontinau

Dude, you just used the word Webber-esque. You are a pretentious snob.


ADistantMoonAgo wrote:

The reason that Mimi didn't die is because the show is about survival.

Says who?
ADistantMoonAgo

Quote:
Says who?


"People say, "Why doesn't Mimi die?" Because it's about living another day with your diseases, emotional roadblocks, and realizing they're only roadblocks"-Kevin McCollum in the "Rent" book.

http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Reviews/Rent/Images/Rent-Book.jpg
[/quote]
Fontinau

Kevin McCollum wrote:
Because it's about living another day with your diseases, emotional roadblocks, and realizing they're only roadblocks...


Mimi Marquez wrote:
There's only us, there's only this, forget regret, or life is yours to miss. No other road, no other way, no day but today...


I think I'll take her word over his.
Loppy Again

Looking at AIDS as nothing but an "emotional roadblock" is basically the same thing as letting it spread.

Until we, as a society, look at AIDS as what it is- a disease which infects millions and ultimately KILLS every one of them - we're allowing it to spread through ignorance and a lax attitude.

Want to "Act up. Fight AIDS"? Then educate people to the true horror of what it is. Glassing it over as something that can be overcome by love is doing a disservice to our society. And it is outright insulting to the millions of people who are affected by AIDS.
ADistantMoonAgo

Well if we're citing Rent quotes, what about

"To people living with, living with, living with
not dying from disease"
Loppy Again

ADistantMoonAgo wrote:
Well if we're citing Rent quotes, what about

"To people living with, living with, living with
not dying from disease"


Which would be dandy if she didn't DIE from the disease. They had the chick die, see a light, and come back.

You can't tell me that you actually think that's the same thing
Kad

The movie specifically shows her suffering both from withdrawel and what appears to be complications from AIDS. However, after she hears Roger's amazing song (a let down, especially after a whole year..One Song Glory kicks Your Eyes in the ass) and sees the light and Angel, she miraculously gets better (until two weeks later when she actually does die.). It's hands down the corniest ending ever conceived for a musical.

The "survival" moral of Rent is hammered into the audience's heads in the majority of the songs. Hammered and hammered and hammered. I think it makes a better point if Mimi did die.
Quique

Finale...

I've always had a problem with the ending. It's by far the worst, most silly ending since the laugh-inducing one in Carrie.

I believe the only reason people feel uplifted at curtain call, is because most people go to a Broadway show to have fun and be happy. Any opportunity to celebrate is eagerly seized by an audience, so when Angel skips out in perfectly healthy condition wearing a cutesy outfit at show's finale, to join his friends in chanting the sung contradiction that is "No Day But Today," the audience has already forgotten about...*GASP!*...AIDS.

The film version only revealed the weak finale for all to see and for die-hard fans to defend.
jcstar