A little worried about the Rent movie response...

[GirlforTartaglia]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 1:31pm

Well, I am 15 and love Broadway, and I just saw Rent. I cannot wait for the movie because I am a huge fan of the original cast and am SOO excited about them reportraying their roles on screen. However, I KNOW that some people in my school will go and see the movie and come back to school all "oh Adam Pascal he's so hot!" or "woah, there was a man dressed up as a woman!"..and I am kind of nervous about people missing the whole meaning of Rent and people just going to see the movie due to 'hotness' of some of the actors..I think this response'll only happen among teens or ages 13-17ish, but I know I'll get kinda aggrevated if my school turns into a huge Rent forum where they like it for the wrong reasons and then go around singing Rent songs like Christina Aguilera.
That's what happened in my school when Chicago came out..EVERYONE started singing Chicago songs all pop-ish and ruining everything and that's why I can't stand the movie..I hope Rent's response is more with the morality factor and only mature people will go to see it and come back loving it :)

[FabalaYero85]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 1:37pm

Kids will be kids. You know that by doing what you described, they wouldn't have gotten the initial message of what RENT is. Shame on them for not caring about it. I remember when I was in high school and Chicago came out, everyone was all of a sudden a big broadway fan and all. Singing the songs out of tune and thinking they know everything. For those who know the messages that Jon put in RENT it will be frustrating for us to deal with the new crop of fangirls, but that is the consequence of this being put on film.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 1:44pm

I don't know if you guys read what I posted after I visited the set, but this is sort of what I'm talking about in my reservations about having to give up the show to the rest of the world. I'm becoming more and more comfortable with it, partially because I know they're on the right track, but sometimes, it's still there. I know I'm elitist and I know it's a broad generalization - even still you all should probably get the point - but I have this notion that theatre people are just... well, more insightful than the average movie-goer. I think I may still have a little bit of trouble with the entire country's teenagers singing the songs and stuff, but I also know I'm being a little bit selfish. You have to wonder what Jonathan would've wanted, and, with a message like his, maybe he would've wanted it to get so widespread. It's an important thing for people to see, anyway.

That said:
1. Yes. Teenage girls are going to think Adam's hot. Why? Well, because he is. And hey, I condone that, as long as it's not the only thing they're going to get out of the movie, which, unfortunately in some cases, will hold true.
2. As for the "LOOK, A MAN DRESSED AS A WOMAN!" sort of things, yes, kids are going to be kids. They're going to be the immature little twits they are and think it's funny, or gross, or weird. Unfortunately, we're going to have to deal with it, because it's hard to change the views of the closed-minded. I have a younger brother who pulls that ALL the time.

RENT has always been a bit of a phenomenon with teenagers, and I think the movie is just going to take that to a more mainstream level. There have always been people who love it because they really get it and take something from it, and there have always been people who just think Roger's hot, or know they should say things like "ohmyGod RENT is the best thing ever. It like... changed my like... life." It's going to be frustrating, but I don't think there's any way to avoid it.

Updated On: 3/20/05 at 01:44 PM

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 1:45pm

Fab said what I was going to say.

Speaking as a teenager I can say that a majority of teens could care less about Larson's message. However as they grow older i believe they will get the message.
I was introduced to RENT when I was 11, and I loved it (because of the music, and the cursing). Now, almost 7 years later, I can relate to a lot of what is in RENT, and because of that it has grown on me.

[GirlforTartaglia]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 1:50pm

I just hope that it turns out to be more of a 'wow that movie really touched me' rather than a big Hollywood hit like Chicago..

I still can't believe that Rent was so moving..I cried so much during the second half of the show.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 1:52pm

Chicago was very well done, but it got as much notice as it did because of its stars, something RENT doesn't really have in the capacity that Chicago did. I think it's going to be pretty different... probably something more like Phantom, though, hopefully for the sake of those involved, a little bit more of a success.

[playbill_signer_05]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 1:57pm

I'm really worried about that too! Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do. We will all still have each other to talk to!

[GirlforTartaglia]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 1:58pm

Haha, I agree.

Where I live, Long Island, there didn't seem to be such a big response with people in my school to Phantom, probably because of a lack of 'stars' ..

I think you've brought up a point that gives hope to Rent :)

[playbill_signer_05]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:01pm

And yeah, little girls are all going to be like "Adam Pascal's so hot!" but we know that Adam belongs to us... bwahahahaha!

[Dreamcatcher]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:02pm

I agree with everything that was previously said. I'm already mentally preparing myself for the barrage of "Oh my god, he's so hot!" at my school. I am practicing self control so I don't go insane or so I don't get expelled for causing brawls. :-P

[iwearshoes]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:03pm

Well think about it this way...Don't you think Larson would have been thrilled with the opportunity to share the show with the rest of the world? And also dealing with the content the show will most likely get an R rating and therefore in a way alienate the teen audience unless they find a fantastic way to sneek in. But try to look at it in a positive light that no matter what the audience takes away from it, at least the message is out there and peope can see the brilliance and passion that the show has to offer.

[Dreamcatcher]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:05pm

Yeah, that's very true Iwearshoes.

[TGIF]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:09pm

I feel how everyone else feels, but like Emcee said I realize that I AM being selfish. Its just something we are all going to cope with.

When previews start playing and if kids in your school start saying how they want to see it, encourage it and say "Its an excellent show with a great message".

Many might not get it, but some will. At the very least they can go in knowing its MORE than just pretty faces and shock value.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:12pm

If the kids in your school don't like it, than they won't like it. If they make fun of it, they make fun of it. How this will personally impact your life, I'm not sure but I am sure that somehow, at some point, you will get over it.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:12pm

Sneaking into an R rated movie isn't exactly a "fantastical" feat. Kids under 18 can definitely find ways to see it - the R rating isn't going to keep the younger teenagers away from this movie. That's a pretty naive comment.

I do agree that no matter what the general public takes from it, the message is going to be immortalized, and that's pretty cool.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:13pm

I think it's totally something worth worrying about. I remember when the A Chorus Line movie came out I was like running around all afraid that everybody was going to be singing "Surprise Surprise" from the movie and thinking that THAT was even in A Chorus Line and I was right they did and it was very upsetting. In fact, I worried myself into a bleeding ulcer over it, complete with bloody stools that worried my doctor into thinking I had something MAJOR wrong with my colon.

So basically what I am saying is I can understand your getting worried but totally see a therapist before you end up hurting yourself physically over this.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:22pm

I'm not sure why so many are worrying about the 'Adam is so hot' new fangirls. There are many, many fangirls now who behave in exactly that way. All you need to do to find proof of that is to read through any Rent forum on the internet, including this one. It's always been that way and always will be with Rent. There have always been obsessed Rent fangirls, from day 1, and there will continue to be those annoying people, who, though they may 'get' the message of Rent, are still annoying and obsessive. It's not limited to teenagers either. Some of the more annoying obsessees that I see posting on forums these days are well into their twenties. :)

[GaLiNdaFied]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:36pm

Good God, there are other people that feel the same way. I realized it when my sister, who's in high school, called me and told me how annoyed she was with everyone talking about Phantom at school, and singing the songs, and going to see it 5+ times and saying how much they love musicals, it's ridiculous. I want the movie to happen, because, from what I've seen and heard, it's going to turn out wonderful, and I do believe that Jon would want to share his message. I was also worried about the Adam issue, but playbill is right, he belongs to us!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:38pm

To be completely honest, even if the fanbase DOES expand, and the squealing is more obvious in places other than the internet, that isn't going to change anything for people who have seen otherwise. You know, unless the explosion is so big that when he starts performing again, you'll have to be up and ready to buy tickets the MINUTE they go on sale, I'm not sure you have to worry beyond the prospect of annoyance.

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:40pm

This is so like weird cause like i was thinking the like same thing. After Irma la Duce came out it was like well Shirleay McLein is cute and whatever but everybody in school is like goona say that shes not and she is cause i know she is and i said that she was so. But all the guys..you know like the hotties like football and chess...they all like thought that she was really hot..hhahaha...so i guess thats why we had a spring dance called La Duce and then we drank punch and Cheryly said that she was sick but she wasnt because she wanted to get away from Troy who is a big dork and jerk cause he drives a Toytoa so she said bye and i saud bye and we all left.

Updated On: 3/20/05 at 02:40 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:42pm

[kangaroo]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:42pm

GirlforTartaglia, I was actually just thinking about the same exact thing the other day. I don't want to have a bunch of fake fans running around saying how much they've loved Adam and Anthony forever because of the movie... on the other hand, they've worked hard, and they deserve a bigger fan base... but I agree with you, I don't want a bunch of fakes that will just waste my time saying how much they were big fans of RENT before the movie even came out. Nobody in my school is a RENThead, and I know that as soon as the movie comes out, they will be... I guess it's kind of difficult thing to process... but I do hope that RENT fans are true fans and the stars and the show get the viewing they deserve.

[FabalaYero85]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:48pm

Ok so I'm in the shower thinking about what people were saying about this, and I was thinking...merchandicing...what the hell are they going to do. I see it now you walk into your friend's bedroom and there is a big ass poster of Adam as Roger on their wall or one of Rosario. I see merchandise being individual posters and the one regular film poster (which I am totally going to buy). Not sure what else yet, this was just a ponder moment.

I hate fake RENTheads...they arent cool. I am a new fan myself, but not fake. I am very loyal to the OBC and the show itself and uber estatic for the film. But the people that dont understand are going to make me a little upset and frustrated

Updated On: 3/20/05 at 02:48 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:51pm

Hey, now. I will own multiple copies of the big posters with Adam on them, provided they end up existing.

[kangaroo]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:58pm

ME TOO!!!