(no subject)

[ayrdaomei]

Finally got around to seeing RENT. There was a free screening at the University Center, so I went with katiebabe46. I don't know if it was the fact that the mixed reviews I heard when it came out really lowered my expectations, or if it was the fact that the screening I saw was free, or maybe a combination of the two, but I actually liked more about it than I disliked. So did most of the people we saw it with - the crowd broke out into a little applause at the end. Hee.


++ I love RENT, I do, but man alive, it feels so dated! I mean, there are certain stories that feel really timeless, and you're never very conscious of the specific circumstances under which the story unfolds. With RENT I was very much aware of how different the world feels now than it did when I first heard the cast recording, or first saw the show. This story doesn't feel anywhere near as relevant to me as it once did. I mean, I think the message that you have to live your life, because this is the only shot you get, I think that's a pretty classic idea, but the way it's communicated here, the way it's so tied up into the AIDS storyline... it just shows its age very much. I noticed, btw, that they added dates to Mark's first voice over. It's not "December 24th, 9pm", it's "December 24th, 1989, 9pm". An acknowledgment of sorts, I guess. It really does play like a period piece, in a way.

++ I'm not sure how I feel about the choice to start the film off with Seasons of Love like that. I suppose I liked it, as a tribute to the original musical. But I dunno. It felt weird. I think maybe just vocals playing over the title cards might have worked better.

++ Robert De Niro had a producer's credit on this, I think. Kinda random.

Things I Liked:

• I was pleasantly surprised by how well talking a lot of the stuff that's sung in the show worked out. It felt a little weird in Mark's first voiceover, but I got used to it pretty quickly.
  
• One thing I enjoyed about the movie was hearing a lot of the songs I usually skip right over when I'm listening to the OBR in my car. Santa Fe, Today 4 U, La Vie Boheme, Maureen's performance, Rent... It's been a long while since I've listened to the OBR all the way through, so it was nice.
  
• I really liked the flashbacks during One Song Glory. The casting people did a really good job picking the April. There was something about her smile and her eyes that was rather similar to Mimi. And she just kinda fit with how I'd always pictured April, so I approve :-P
  
• Tracie was great as Joanne. So much love for her.
  
• I cried during the I'll Cover You reprise. I always cry during the I'll Cover You reprise. Jesse L. Martin sounds amazing on that piece.
  
• I really liked how they set certain songs in places I never thought about them being set in. Take Me Out tonight starts out as Mimi's performance at the Cat Scratch Club, and we follow her home from work to Roger's door. I thought that inspired. Same with setting Santa Fe on the subway and putting Take Me or Leave Me at the country club, during the engagement party. Btw, I laughed at loud at Mimi slapping Roger's shoulder to get his attention, all "omg look! catfight!" And the way Mimi and Collins lead the charge, scampering after Maureen and Joanne, not wanting to miss a second - priceless.
  
• I loved Jesse L. Martin's Collins in this. I loved all his non-verbal stuff, and I thought he really took advantage of the new medium to add a little more...flavor? to his character. I don't know. Like, I thought Anthony Rapp was good, but I got the feeling he played Mark on film pretty much the way he'd played Mark on stage. A lot of big emotion and big movement. With Jesse, I loved little stuff that got thrown in - like Tom's "You gonna put that trashcan back?" to Angel after Angel gets them back into the loft. (Also love Angel's matter of fact "No."). Jesse's film!Collins has a lot of fun with his friends - how much did I adore him mocking Mark's reactions to all things Maureen? - but you can tell he loves them dearly.
  
• Speaking of, I adore Collins and Angel. I know you're supposed to, they're so full of life and love, and they're just so...vibrant in each other's company, but I can't help but say how much I love them. They're my favorite part of the story, no matter how many times I've seen it.
  
• When I first heard the recordings of Rosie's voice on this soundtrack, I was a little wary, but I thought she held her own for the most part. And I thought she did a good job with communicating Mimi's relative youth to the other characters.
  
• The casting on Alexi Darling was pretty great.
  
• I really liked the stuff that was added with everyone searching for Mimi. And Benny calling the guys to ask if they'd seen her. Aww. I've always liked the Benny character in this story; I think he's really easy to get wrong and some of the touring actors do get him wrong, and play him really one note. Taye gets that there are layers to Benny, that he's ambitious, but not necesssarily heartless, and sometimes things don't go like he planned. I like that there's a lot about him that we don't really get to explore.

Things I Disliked/Missed:

• Even though I knew it was coming (before the film ever came out, I read that it had been cut), I really missed Goodbye Love. The film leaves the scene right after the ensemble's I can't believe this is goodbye. . . ., so we don't get the Mark/Roger fight. I think it's an horrible omission, because it's an important thing for the Mark character, having Roger call him on the carpet about his own failings. The audience gets the majority of the story through Mark, so I don't think we're too conscious of how he's messed up, too, until Roger finally rips him. I've always loved that part. And I've always loved that Mark calls Roger on leaving not because he's jealous of what's going on with Benny, but because Mimi's getting sicker and he can't handle it. If it was a time issue, and SOMETHING had to go? I would have preferred to see them cut La Vie Boheme B, since I've always found that part overkill anyway. I wonder if it's on the deleted scenes?
  
• Roger didn't do the flex-of-his-hands-over-his-head-crossed-at-the-wrists gesture during I didn't recognize you without the handcuffs.... I think every Roger I've seen on stage does it. I love that part. I was waiting for it! Heh.
  
• There were quite a few fairly quick transitions from song to song that I didn't think really worked well on film. Where you can get away with them a little better in the show, because it's understood that most of what's going on happens in song, on film they seemed rough, and a little too obvious.
  
• This isn't really a failing of the movie, but I've always disliked the finale. Roger sings her that (horrible) song and it brings her back from the brink: it's so fucking cheesy. And it's even cheesier on film, because it's like she faints and wakes up two seconds later and she's fine. Meh.

I'm gonna have to buy this. I liked it well enough to watch again, when I don't have to resist the temptation to sing under my breath. Plus I'm really excited to check out the extras; especially the cast and director commentary.

Btw, Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire at the UC next weekend. Granted, I've already seen it in theatres 3 times, and the dvd I bought two weeks ago remains unopened, but if anyone wants to go, I'm game.

+ I know I joked about it earlier, but I did not jinx Korea, y'all. I said a couple of days ago that Japan was bound to be up for this match, having lost to the Koreans twice in this tournament. So, yes, I'm going to pretend like I called it. And calling and jinxing are not the same thing!