Bright Lights Big City Synopsis?

[Johnnytoc]

Posted: 7/29/05 at 11:19pm

Does anyone know of a good synopsis of Bright Lights Big City (with Patrick Wilson, Jsse L. Martin...)?

[Alix7272]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 12:36am

no (maybe if you hunt around a little you can find one) but do you have the cd? if you read all the songs, you can pretty much get an idea of what it's all about and what's going on.

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 9:50am

It is 7:45am in Denver and I am listening to it right now for the 1st time. I am a bit out to lunch on it. I am enjoying the slower songs more. It is sounding a bit like it wants to be another RENT. JMO

[musicals4ever]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 11:35am

That's pretty much what it was concieved as...but I still think it has some great high points, and the recording is a lot of fun to listen to with all those big names...

Patrick Wilson is amazing...

[citylights]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 12:40pm

From the iTunes clips I've heard, I feel like it's very much "Random Number Generation" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch mixed with The Who's Tommy and a little Rent.

[thesparklingdiamond]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 1:20pm

is the cast recording worth getting? I like most of the cast so I've been curious but not sure whether or not I should buy it...

[theatreboi11]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 1:26pm

I do think it is worth getting. Many great singers on it! I would have to agree, I have yet to fall in love with it. I am not sure how much it helps but it has been a book and a movie as well, so maybe finding synopsi (?) on those would be easier. Not sure how much different they are from one and an other.

[life_so_far]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 1:30pm

I love the cast recording... although half the time I am confused about what is going on.

[jczelyph]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 2:29pm

I like it, and although it SO wants to be RENT (a goal it doesn't achieve, btw) I still quite like it. I like anything Gavin Creel sings in it, so really, that's Brother 1, 2 and 3.

[perfectliar]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 2:43pm

jczelyph - You forgot his wonderful duet with Sherie Rene Scott, "Heart and Soul." Gorgeous song.

I say get the recording... it's interesting, to say the least. I got mine a couple days ago and found a few that I just keep repeating over and over and over. A lot of the big rock songs are catchy (although VERY Rent-esque) and the slower songs are beautiful (Gavin Creel, Sherie Rene Scott, Ann Marie Milazzo - all beyond amazing). I have yet to fall in love with it as well, but I do enjoy it. And $16 including shipping isn't a bad deal at all for a cast recording (on the official Sh-K-Boom site).

[jczelyph]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 2:51pm

Well blow me, I don't think I realised that that was Monsieur Creel. I love that song too. Well done, perfectliar.

[Johnnytoc]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 2:53pm

I agree it's a great cast with some really great songs, but I'm also a bit confused as to whats happening at certain points...

[perfectliar]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 2:56pm

I think I melted the first time I heard Gavin sing that duet... this CD is my first exposure to him, and DAMN I can't wait to hear/see more.

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 3:56pm

I've had the CD for a few months now, and I didn't quite get it either so I read the book - that helped clear up most of the plot points. It's a pretty good book - definitely worth getting.

There isn't much PLOT per se anyway. It's more of a style/character study novel than anything else. The main character is living the high life (pun intended) in the 80s in NY - fast drugs, fast women, bright lights, big city. His wife left him for a photographer in France where she has fallen into the modeling profession (in the book it almost sounds like she got into the work accidentally.) His brother is trying to get in touch with him to celebrate the anniversary of their mother's death, and at the end finally shows up at Jaime's place (I think they created the name for the show, because I don't remember them saying it at all in the book). His friend (Jesse Martin) sets Jaime up with his cousin who he falls in love with. There are other things that happen - like the news story about the coma baby and a missing girl that serve as metaphors in the book, but I don't think, at least from just hearing the recording, they worked quite as well. I kept getting this Harry Potter image of a girl in a photo singing....

[Johnnytoc]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 5:57pm

Thanks so much Jason, that does help, a lot actually.

[Cages or Wings]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 6:22pm

Go read Jay McInerny's novel. It is incredible and it clears up most plot points of the musical as well. (The book is far superior to both the musical and the movie)

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 7:27pm

Johnny - you're welcome, glad I could help.

Did anyone else catch the references to BLBC on Six Feet Under a couple of weeks ago? Thought there was a metaphor there, but I'll be damned if I could figure it out. Ruth wasn't like the main character in any way that I could see, other than maybe her disillusioned life, but that's a stretch.

I love that the book was written in second person. It's a little strange at first, but it works.

[adamized88]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 8:11pm

agreed - read the book - it's a quick read and totally worth it

Updated On: 7/30/05 at 08:11 PM

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 4:17pm

Read the book and saw the movie. Am now listening to it for the 2nd time. It is growing on me a bit more. Don't like all of it. Jesse L. Martin delivers some lines in Monstrous Events exactly the way he delivered some lines in RENT (I think in Santa Fe or La Vie Boheme). I like the slower stuff still and some of the mid-tempo songs. I really like "Stay in My Life". But still, in my opinion, it sounds like RENT meets Jesus Christ Superstar meets Tommy. I am sure after a few more listens I may like more of it. It's not the best, in my opinion, but I am glad I purchased it. Always nice to check out something new.

Updated On: 7/31/05 at 04:17 PM