Film version of Rent already generating Oscar buzz- Page 2

[Sarah2]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 6:25pm

When does the producers movie come out?

[Sarah2]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 6:27pm

Ooh, sorry about that. My computer was being slow and I didn't know it would triple post if I clicked the "post message" thing more than once...

[Sarah2]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 6:27pm

Ooh, sorry about that. My computer was being slow and I didn't know it would triple post if I clicked the "post message" thing more than once...

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 6:42pm

I think Sarah2 is having some computer issues...

THE PRODUCERS is out December 23.

[Liz_Bennet]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 6:45pm

Until October or November last year a lot of people were saying Phantom was a sure-fire Best Picture nominee, and look where that went. Just sayin'.

I have very little faith in this project solely due to the presence of Chris Columbus, whose touch can turn almost anything into a glutinous blob. Rent is already a bit prone to sentimentality (especially the end), so they desperately needed a director capable of bringing a touch of reality and grit to it (I actually thought Spike Lee would have been a stellar choice). That's not something Columbus has a strong record of doing. I hope the cast can redeem it, or maybe Columbus got a personality transplant.

[TennesseeTwang]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 7:10pm

EW didn't really predict that RENT would win an Oscar or even say that it would be nominated. What they did say was that it and The Producers are high profile movies that have a good chance of getting Oscar consideration if they deliver.

I think that reviews may have a much larger than normal effect on the box office for BOTH movies. Certainly the gradual release schedule for Chicago and the mostly favorable reviews, contributed to the anticipation that drove the box office for that movie.

Also, I think that Chicago attracted a mostly older core audience many of who actually remember a time when movie musicals were not so rare.

I think that The Producers will appeal to a like-minded core of movie goers because it's a very traditional type of movie musical. It may attract the type of movie goers that someone upthread referred to as casual. But they are much larger in numbers than people realize and can be a formidible market force when they are motivated to see something.

Case in point, The Passion of the Christ.

RENT has the renthead core audience that is fanatically committed, but are they enough to push it into hit status if non-rentheads are uninterested?

I think that THIS is the movie that will trickiest to market. I don't agree that young people will go to see it simply because it has young characters or because it has what is still considered to be controversial subject matter that is sure to upset some parents.

And Let me be careful when I say this, but will this film appeal to heterosexual teenage and twentysomething males? It's unfair to paint all or even most young men in this group as homophobic. But at a volatile time of sexual maturation, even some "nice" guys, are so insecure about their own sexuality that they are put off by any repesentaion of gay males.


Updated On: 7/18/05 at 07:10 PM

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 7:13pm

"If its subject matter isn't enough, there's the fact that it's a fully-sung film."

I'm not sure that this is fact.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 7:20pm

There are many people aren't traditional theater fans that will probably see it, so it's not like only the card-carrying Rentheads will see it. Hell, even my 83-year-old grandmother has heard of Rent, so just because they've never seen it on Broadway or even listened to the music doesn't mean they won't check out the movie.

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 7:23pm

Most people I know no nothing about Rent. Don't set yourselves up for disillusionment. The movie won't be a hit, but it may be good.

[TennesseeTwang]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 7:26pm

"Hell, even my 83-year-old grandmother has heard of Rent, so just because they've never seen it on Broadway or even listened to the music doesn't mean they won't check out the movie."

I'm not saying that only rentheads will be interested in seeing it. I'm just saying that you can't automatically count on it having universal appeal to young people.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 7:26pm

Honestly, I'd just rather it be a good movie. I'd rather that it looks good and sounds good and feels right than be a huge box office success. That'd be an added plus, and I'd certainly have to be at least a bit happy, but as far as good film goes, that's not everything.

[Sarah2]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 9:14pm

Haha Capnhook, I was definitely having some computer issues...sorry about that.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 10:09pm

i could forsee a handful of nominations (in addition of course to the tech ones) for anthony (leading), jesse, and wilson(both supporting)minimally. Wouldn't it be nice if wilson ended up joining the likes of joel grey and win the oscar and tony for the same role

[One Song Glory]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 11:05pm

There are a lot of people who know OF RENT. They just never really heard anything from it besides 'Seasons of Love' and they're gonna see the movie. Some people I know are going to see it and many of them have only seen the teaser. It's just the matter of the publicity they put out for the film and the trailers they show.

My brother wants to see the movie because Rosario Dawson is gonna be in it. My mom wants to see it 'cause Jesse L. Martin is in it. My friend wants to see it 'cause Idina Mezel is in it. Some people might see it because of the people in it as well.

I don't really care of the awards or what people say of it as long as I can see the movie and get it on DVD or even PSP.

[TabooWickedFan]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 11:21pm

im not sure where to post this question, but, where do you think the premiere will take place and do you think like people could buy tickets to get in? I was just wondering about this.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 11:25pm

It will surely be in NYC -- probably the Ziegfeld. Movie premieres aren't ever open to the public...

[TabooWickedFan]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 11:28pm

yea I figured at the Zigfield. Thanks for the quick response MB

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 11:29pm

The Phantom premiere was at the Ziegfeld, and I know a lot of fans went out just to watch. I remember hearing that if you were standing in a certain area, extra tickets were given out, or something.

[TabooWickedFan]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 11:34pm

extra tickets hmm, that would be amazing.

[TennesseeTwang]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 11:41pm

"There are a lot of people who know OF RENT."

I think it will be a while longer before they actually start tracking interest in this movie.

Until then, people's perception of interest is all anecdotal. For every person who knows serveral people who want to see the film, there's someone else who knows people who have never heard of RENT and aren't particularly interested in hearing about it.

That isn't a knock on the project, it's simply something that's true about any movie.

And yes, regardless of it's box office take, to people who love movies and movie musicals in particular, what's most important is whether or not it's good.
Updated On: 7/19/05 at 11:41 PM

[Qfan2.0]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 1:42am

I saw the rent trailer (for the 10th time i wanna say) before i saw "Happy Endings". the trailer was better than the movie and generated applause in a theatre with about 20 elder people(i'd say late 20s-late 60s) and me(today matinee in south beach, florida)

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:33am

Well, I think we can play a part in the film's success by urging our friends to see it. All my friends consider me the musical "genious", since they don't know much about musicals. So, since I am already way too excited about the film, they also want to see it, because, they say that, if it's my favorite musical and they trust my judgement on the subject, they are very interested to see what RENT is all about ! So come on, spread the word !!!

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:56am

i think the RENT movie will do well because
1) being people we like sex, drugs, and all that stuff which both Chicago, and RENT (sorta) have
2) its an emotional sorta story, and can be dramatic and touching, and Oscar people like dramas, and those sorta movies

i prob dont know what im talking about, but i think the RENT movie will definitely do well, and i hope the producers does well too...just my opinion

O but i saw chicago for the first time yesterday, and i love it!!!...yup (wow im out of it)

:)

[Forester]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 4:08am

Internationally, I think Rent will not do well. Outside of the US, Rent is an unknown entity. The big test will be how well the movie do in East and Southeast Asia. That is the big market internationally.

[bella cantato]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 9:50am

Hmmm well, I think that even if Rent is very well done, I would be very, very surprised if a bunch of Broadway stars were given Oscar noms, let alone actually win. Let's be honest, in this day and age, Broadway stars are considered to be the lowest of the low... I just can't see Hollywood, which is so obsessed with classes and movie stars and image, giving a bunch of noms to people who, in Hollywood standards, are considered to be D-list stars. I mean, Hollywood generally looks down its nose at Broadway.

I could be wrong but even if they give stellar performances (which I am sure they will!) I can't see our beloved Rent stars getting noms.

Just some food for thought.