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Rent

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ScarletKnight41 Nov 24 2005 08:08 PM

525,600 Minutes How Do You Measure a Year in The Life? This is a tough one to review. The Jonathan Larson music is wonderful, which makes this as good as it is (if you like Larson's music, I'd also suggest picking up a soundtrack to Tick...Tick... Boom!, which was put together posthumously based on Larson's pre-Rent showcase music). The story, however, never grabbed me, either on Broadway or in the movie. I saw this film with my daughter, La Diva, who enjoyed it much more than I did. And I have friends who loved it on Broadway. So you'll either buy into La Vie Boheme or you won't. I just keep thinking that I'd never want to spend five minutes in a room with any of the characters. OTOH, the cast is strong, including many who originated their roles on Broadway (I went back to my old Playbill tonight and saw that I saw Idina Menzel on Broadway in this role, long before her Tony-winning Wicked role). If you're a fan of musicals and can enjoy a good score despite a weak book, then give this one a shot.

MFS62 Nov 26 2005 01:14 PM

Scarlett, I noticed the change in your sig line. Nice. I haven't seen the movie yet, but did see the play, which left me faklempt. No, it wasn't just the music, it was the story. (Of course I have also been known to cry at some Kodak and Coca-Cola commercials. :) ) When I see the film, I'll give it my ranking here. I saw that one reviewer called it "Fame on steroids". Considering the plot lines, I felt that was a little cold. Later

MFS62 Nov 27 2005 05:32 PM

Yep, not as "grabbing" as the play. It worked better in the intimacy of the live stage. Later

Willets Point Nov 28 2005 08:40 AM

I saw the musical several years back as the touring company performed it in Washington. I found it entertaining. Some of the songs were far too top 40 sounding, but the music was enjoyable over all. The main failure of Rent was that the main characters Mimi & Roger who we're supposed to be focused on are totally uninteresting and I found my self not caring about their story and wanted to see more of the stories of the two gay couples. I don't really feel drawn to see the film adaptation.

Vic Sage Nov 28 2005 10:15 AM

RENT is a lame musical. The score has about 3 or 4 songs worth hearing, in its pseudo-rock/Broadway style. The rest is either recetitive, or worse. The book is ludicrous... a rehash of La Boheme, with whiny, pathetic characters and an absurd last-minute resurrection that made me laugh out loud. The director's staging was dreadful... most numbers ended up with the performers proclaiming some simple-minded idea or emotion directly at the audience, standing in a line at the foot of the stage. There is no choreography that i can recall. The design elements are community theater level. I've no idea why this show was a hit, except that the 42ND STREET-style death of the author just before the Broadway opening gave it all kinds of attention that this flawed, off-Broadway show wouldn't have otherwise had. Also, it attracted a young audience that Broadway didn't normally get, with such inexperienced audiences unencumbered by taste. I am curious, however, to see how it transfers to film. Maybe the director found a way to make it cinematic in a way that the stage director failed to make it theatrical.

ScarletKnight41 Nov 28 2005 10:20 AM

Vic Sage wrote: The book is ludicrous... a rehash of La Boheme, with whiny, pathetic characters and an absurd last-minute resurrection that made me laugh out loud. I love you, man! It's nice to know that I'm not alone in disliking the book.

Edgy DC Nov 28 2005 10:23 AM

"recetitive"? Repetitive? Or is this a stage term I'm not familar with?

Vic Sage Nov 28 2005 11:49 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Nov 28 2005 11:54 AM

"recetitive"? Sorry for spelling. It's "recitative". rec·i·ta·tive: n. In both senses also called recitativo. 1. A style used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas in which the text is declaimed in the rhythm of natural speech with slight melodic variation and little orchestral accompaniment. 2. A passage rendered in this style. -------------------------------------------------------- It's a word often used to describe passages in a musical that are primarily non-melodic and expository musical material, where dialogue is sung through. Common in scores by Webber and Boublil-Shonberg. To the extent RENT is an opera, such passages are customary. To the extent RENT is a Broadway pop musical, its a lot of noodling around.

Edgy DC Nov 28 2005 11:53 AM

I was guessing you meant something like that. Sondheim, I guess, does that also, though more judiciously. And, if this fella was something of a protege, it makes some sense that he'd use the same game, and abuse it.

ScarletKnight41 Nov 28 2005 11:55 AM

Jonathan Larson adored Sondheim. It was an underlying theme of Tick..Tick...Boom!

Vic Sage Nov 28 2005 11:56 AM

when Sondheim does it, he's underscoring brilliant lyrics that define character and advance the story. When Larson did it, it seemed because he was practically clueless as to how to advance a story through song and merely served to point out the banality of his lyrics.

soupcan Dec 01 2005 08:26 PM

I saw it on Broadway with the original cast and flat-out loved it. Loved the music, loved the characters. Loved it so much I went back and saw it again with a different cast. Hated it. Maybe I'll see the movie, prolly when it's on cable.

ScarletKnight41 Dec 01 2005 08:52 PM

Most, if not all, of the original cast reprised their roles for the movie. I was happily surprised to go back to my Rent Playbill to discover that I had seen Idina Menzel on Broadway prior to seeing her in Wicked. The more I listen to the song Light My Candle, the more my brain hurts. It is such a lovely song, but the scene in which it appears is just so STUPID!!!!!

soupcan Dec 02 2005 07:11 AM

ScarletKnight41 wrote: Most, if not all, of the original cast reprised their roles for the movie. Yeah but no Daphne Rubin-Vega as Mimi. She was my favorite thing about the original Broadway production. Granted Rosario Dawson is totally hot but can she sing?

ScarletKnight41 Dec 02 2005 08:47 AM

She holds her own. soup - if you have AOL, you can check out the soundtrack here. On Edit - you might even be able to try it if you don't subscribe to AOL - the link opened in my Firefox browser.