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Post by logan0215 on Nov 26, 2005 14:56:41 GMT -5
post your review of the film version of RENT here.
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Post by logan0215 on Nov 26, 2005 14:57:06 GMT -5
I can start off by saying I really enjoyed the film version, but for those who have seen the show, you have to take it at face-value… as a film version. I can consider myself guilty of going in hoping to see basically the show on film, but I was part pleasantly surprised and part dreading some of the changes.
I feel the cutting of certain songs/acts really changed the message and feeling of the film as compared to the stage show. For example, changing certain scenes to make what seems like one night (Christmas Eve) to 3 days made things a little confusing for someone who knows the show well.
I was conflicted on some things, I did love the Tango: Maureen change, but on the same token I felt like it added some big, old-school Broadway musical nuances to a show that seems to be the antithesis to that. Many of the songs in the show are placed in an order that conveys an emotion in a certain way that was lost when changed in the film. Moving ‘Out Tonight’ from after ‘Life Support,’ although a gorgeous scene, took away from the transformation of Mimi. I also feel that ‘Light My Candle’ and ‘Out Tonight’ didn’t show enough contrast between Mimi, the struggling junkie, and Mimi, the dancer at the Cat Scratch Club.
Casting I thought was wonderful, after hearing the soundtrack initially I felt the musical numbers would be weak with Rosario or too rocked up, but the music matched perfectly and the voices were great. I can’t say the same for the acting… the Broadway based actors seemed to not transition to film very well, namely Adam Pascal as Roger. The cast for the most part were really great aside from him, I just felt like he was emotionless, lacking the fire that the stage Rogers I have seen had.
I can agree with bad editing, they left time after musical numbers for applause that weren’t going to be there. It was actually a little awkward sitting in the audience and having this amazing performance, like ‘Today 4U,’ and then complete silence, both on the screen and in the theater. I can’t think of what could have remedied this other than cutting to other scenes or dialogue quicker. The conversion of songs to dialogue was terrible, and even worse for someone who knows the show and CD, it was like torture. I remember this feeling seeing Phantom of the Opera and certain scenes being spoken yet rhyming, not having seen the show live in 5 years, and thinking that something seemed odd.
Commendable things in the film would be the amazing ‘Life Support’ scenes (minus the conversion of song to dialogue). They were quite powerful, as well as the ‘I’ll Cover You (reprise)’ scene. I can almost say it had more power than the live show, but the live show as ‘Contact before which really boosts it. Surprise cameos of Anna Deavere Smith (TWILIGHT: Los Angeles 1992), Aaron Lohr (Bare/See What I Wanna See), and Sarah Silverman were great. I did miss having the cast of characters the show has though. The performances were wonderful, and I can say that I do really love Idina more now, having been a semi-hater after Wicked. Her acting and uninhibited performances really made the movie for me.
I’ve never considered myself much of a ‘RENT-head.’ In high-school during play rehearsals most of the drama geeks would crowd around a CD-player and listen to RENT, but that just wasn’t me. I have seen the show live in 2000 followed by December 2004 and May 2005 and have enjoyed it every time and can simply say that the movie is a great movie as its own entity, but I wouldn’t call it a fair representation of the emotion conveyed in the Broadway show, a horse of another color if you will.
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Post by eugwicked on Nov 26, 2005 18:10:26 GMT -5
After seeing it twice, I'm giving my RENT movie review. It's thorough but fun! While you may read some critical and negative reviews from some individuals who aren't familiar with the show enough to have well-shaped ideas, I'm an advocate for knowing the material at least a bit before seeing the movie. You want a review? You talk to RENT-heads. This film reminds us why we fell in love with RENT in the first place! 6 of the 8 Original Broadway Cast members, folks! This film brings us back to the magical time when these people were creating the roles for the very first time, an almost rebirth of our passion. RENT relit the candle. READ EUG'S RENT MOVIE REVIEW:
www.livejournal.com/users/eugloven/163343.html#cutid1Whatever I may have listed as criticsm above is nothing when compared to how much I loved this movie. Loved it! I've never seen a movie twice in a theatre before, and because I want to go see it again is really saying something! This film is epic, amazing, a modern-day fairy tale. And beautiful. It's just surreal to see 8 of my most favorite actors and hands-down some of the best performers in American entertainment together, in the defining film of our generation. PLAYBILL: "In an example of how the movie industry dwarves Broadway in audience scope, with "Rent"'s $5.3 million opening day take and U.S. movie tickets pegged at an average price of $6.42 in 2005, more people (over 800,000) saw "Rent" in movie form in one day than saw Rent onstage at Broadway's 1181-seat Nederlander theatre in over a year and a half of sold-out performances." |
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Post by Theresa on Nov 27, 2005 18:24:31 GMT -5
Well I only got to see half of it because I was crying so, of course, these kids were making fun of me. Long story short, I beat the crap out them, and got kicked out.
What I saw was amazing though.
Especially in Over the Moon, with the tv's that had Maureens face on them...so funny!
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Post by logan0215 on Nov 28, 2005 16:13:23 GMT -5
While you may read some critical and negative reviews from some individuals who aren't familiar with the show enough to have well-shaped ideas, I'm an advocate for knowing the material at least a bit before seeing the movie. You want a review? You talk to RENT-heads. " Not sure if thats directed at me or an in general statement but I don't consider myself a RENT-head because it's not a constant on my playlist, I've loved it everytime I've seen it and amd all about the message and emotion of the show, but can't say that I was completely satisified with the film. Pretty sure I'm familiar enough to give a thorough review... |
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Post by ElphabaJCB on Nov 29, 2005 17:46:16 GMT -5
I loved it. I was disappointed that they cut "Halloween" and "Goodbye Love," but I thought the entire cast was outstanding.
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Post by livefromny611 on Nov 30, 2005 16:56:39 GMT -5
After seeing it twice, I'm giving my RENT movie review. It's thorough but fun! While you may read some critical and negative reviews from some individuals who aren't familiar with the show enough to have well-shaped ideas, I'm an advocate for knowing the material at least a bit before seeing the movie. You want a review? You talk to RENT-heads. Eug: If people have to be familiar with the show then the point of the movie is defeated. If the viewer/reviewer has to have background on the show and history of it, the movie doesn't do its job. The movie should be a beautiful movie to those seeing it for the first time. If the only points of a review are that things were changed from the show then the reviewer was not qualified to be "reviewing" this movie to begin with. Just my opinion :-P |
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