Rent

haggard · December 14th, 2005, 03:27 AM

So I just saw Rent (late much?) and OMG that was seriously so hard to watch. It was REALLY boring and I could stop thinking of that "Everyone Has AIDS" song from Team America. And "We arent going to pay rent"?? Wtf was that about? I really dont understand what the message of this movie was...one minute its about rent and being evicted, the next its about relationships, the next its about aids.

I really dont understand what everyone was raving about...

**NoDayButToday** · December 14th, 2005, 04:00 AM

I'm on the other side of this, I'm an absolute fanatic of the musical (in case you couldn't tell from my screen name

). I also LOVED the movie (and saw the very first showing available in my area), with the exception of the first 20 minutes, those scenes did not transfer well to the screen. I cried for a lot of the movie because I know the story so well that I'd see a couple together and know their fate.

Rent is loosely (well, not really THAT loosely...) based on an opera called La Boheme (which there is a bit of a tribute to the opera in the musical whenever Roger plays Musetta's Waltz on his guitar). Except, of course, America must Disney-fy everything and have certain characters come back to life in the end (anyone who sees the movie knows what I'm referring to, I'm not going to spoil it for those who might see it in the future). In every market the stage show plays in, with the exception of the US, of course, that character dies in the musical. I was hoping they would go with that ending for the movie, but the obviously did not. The movie/story is about a lot of things. The thing I take from it is living your life to the fullest now because you never know what is around the corner (hence the "No day but today" mantra in the music). It deals with love and loss and a lot of very human emotions. My dad saw it and said that while he can't really relate to most of the characters (since he is not gay, a drug addict, or living with AIDS-he has been a struggling artist though), the stories were human and touching. The story doesn't stand up to much scrutiny though-particularly the character who nearly dies at the end. With the circumstances they are in, that character would not last nearly as long on the street, in winter, as they did.

The song "Rent" is a bit of a thinly veiled metaphor, but I happen to like the song anyway. I just like the music from the show, and I fall into the large group of fans that just totally connect with the story and love it.

By the way, here's a link to a summary of La Boheme, if you are interested in it. http://www.clevelandopera.org/tour/e...e/synopsis.htm

By the way, I apologize for all disjointed thought and I know I probably did not explain the attraction as well as it could have been, and I may be able to do better tomorrow. I have yet to go to bed because I've spent the last couple hours dealing with the fact my washing machine just broke and have the prospect of spending my day at the laundromat tomorrow. Not in the most awake or most awesome mood right now, so sorry. Time to go put on my Rent soundtrack and go to bed, that will hopefully brighten my mood a bit

haggard · December 14th, 2005, 04:38 AM

Just watching it it was like "Oh thats sad that guy has aids...wait that guy has aids too? Well thats a bummer. Oh shes got aids too? Wow well, what are the chances? Oh he has aids as well...well I suppose that figures since he was dating her...but this other girl has aids too? Wow um, thats...something..."

It was just really hard for me to get on board with. I really didnt care about any of the characters at all, they came off to me like the snobby artsy uppity crowd, who talks about the problems with everything, but never really do anything to try and help anything. Fight aids! Yeah! Good message! But what are we gonna do about it? Hook up with people that we've JUST met on the street! Do drugs! And once we all die from it, that'll show them!! Oh we're being evicted for not paying rent for a year! Thats not fair! Lets put on a self serving one woman show! Look how great I am on stage! Yeah!

I dont know, perhaps it does translate better on stage, but this movie definitely didnt make me want to attempt to see it...

simplekindoflovely · December 14th, 2005, 05:44 AM

I was never familiar with the broadway show, but I loved the movie. Although somewhat cheesey (the whole "What You Own" scene was pretty funny, and the brief guitar solo in "Rent" reminded me of the Power Rangers), I really liked the characters and songs.

trousers · December 14th, 2005, 09:00 AM

The director really forgot to make the musical into a MOVIE. It's just the play with better sets.

Now, if they had followed Chicago's example and put in more character development, dialogue, etc, I would have enjoyed it more.

**NoDayButToday** · December 14th, 2005, 09:01 AM

^What You Own, when merely listened to and not seen onscreen, is one of my favorite songs in the show. For the most part it could stand up outside of the show, and I like Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp's voices together.

Not EVERYONE has AIDS in the show. Mark, Maureen, Joanne, and Benny (who is considered one of the Bohemians merely because he used to be one)do not have AIDS, so it's really half the characters. The character with AIDS did sort of jump into relationships, but only after they knew their partner already had the disease. Prior to that knowledge (especially in Roger's case), they either made it clear from the start they were infected (Angel) or did not seem to be interested in being involved with another person. Mimi is the only one that didn't see to care and well, that fits the character. It is not unfathomable that the characters would have AIDS either. In the show, April (Roger's ex) is presented very differently than the movie. In the show she's the druggie whore that commits suicide and Roger only gets a clue he might have AIDS b/c of the suicide note she leaves. Pretty different from the loving couple who found out together that the movie portrayed.

The premise was not something created by Jonathon Larson either, it was merely updated for the 90's. It was previously the opera, and follows the storyline pretty closely-including the part about being kicked out of their home for not paying rent. By the way, I thought Maureen's show was even more ridiculous in the movie, it's supposed to be sort of fun (and a crowd pleaser onstage-the audience is encouraged to join in the mooing), it came off as stupid and pretentious in the movie. The movie was a decent representation of the show. There are a lot of fans who for whatever reason have not had the opportunity to see it onstage, but connected with the music for whatever reason. It was a good way for them to see it, and it was loyal enough to the original that the fans can accept it. It is still MUCH better onstage though, and that's pretty much the general consensus I've seen among fans.

misskris · December 20th, 2005, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haggard

Just watching it it was like "Oh thats sad that guy has aids...wait that guy has aids too? Well thats a bummer. Oh shes got aids too? Wow well, what are the chances? Oh he has aids as well...well I suppose that figures since he was dating her...but this other girl has aids too? Wow um, thats...something..."

I brought this issue up w/ my bf bc I really liked it, except for being confused by the number of people with HIV/aids. He pointed out that these are people who are borderline homeless, they are doing drugs/doing them in the past, sharing needles, etc. so it is more likely for the number of infected people to be higher than the number in the general public. That being explained, I quite enjoyed the movie. I've not seen the stage version which I think helps me to enjoy it so much. I find once I've seen the live version of something, it is often impossible to enjoy the non-live version as much.