#126
Posted: 11/4/05 at 12:25pm
joniray, it's really hard for me to respond to you, because you've used the "would Larson be okay with this?" clause, and to be perfectly honest with you, reading what you say reminds me of how I had expected myself to approach the movie. It sort of feels like stepping back in time, you know? I feel like I'm looking at my old own opinions, and looking at how I expected myself to react when this time finally came. I know that what I say now can sort of make me look like a sheep, or a hypocrite... or just a cock-eyed optimist. It's really hard to give a response that I feel like will be of any validity... maybe it's because deep down, as much as I trust the creative vision embraced by the cast, etc, I am still going to be a bit afraid until I've seen the movie and it's all said and done.
I think as far as the part about Jonathan... last year, I wouldn't hear anything of the movie because I felt that it was unfair for this to go on without him present -- I felt like... whose right is it to edit and change his work when he can't be there to see it happen? But then I think I realized that it's in the right hands, and while no one knows what he absolutely would've wanted, there isn't anything anybody can do about the fact that he isn't here, other than not make this movie -- which at this point, I don't believe is even a fair solution. I don't know, it's hard to verbalize. But I think I just realized that I needed to get over that notion. In a sense similar to my wonderment of who had the right to tweak his piece (aside from the fact that it IS imperfect), who was I to pass judgement? I have too much faith in the cast not to, I think. And, I trust their opinions.
But, I guess with my new-found optimism, as opposed to where I stood one year ago, I'm going to try, based on certain promises that I've been made. Granted, this is sort of my spitting back what I've been told, and what I want very, very badly to believe (I think I'll be able to, anyway), rather than my own opinion after having scene the movie -- so, take your grains of salt, I suppose.
but what about the millions whose first and perhaps only exposure to Rent will be without it?
The only thing I can offer is that it works. If it's someone's first exposure to Rent, and if we're to assume that this works, then they won't know that something is missing, and accept that this is the way it is. In this sense, it's okay that the movie isn't an *exact* translation of the show. It's an adaptation. They'll get the same things from it -- by seeing close-ups of facial expressions, etc. It doesn't need to be TOLD, but it can be SEEN. I think those things can be just as painful or emotional. I find it hard to assume that just because a line is gone, the emotion has been drained. I mean, just look at the intensity of facial expressions anywhere in the trailer. The end of Goodbye Love was in that movie up until the very end of the editing process; it wasn't cut out on a whim, it wasn't just taken away without consideration. On the same note, though, (while this may fuel the fire of anger) that also meant no re-shoots. I'm not sure how else to put it, unfortunately. I have nothing else to offer but that I trust the decisions, the opinions of the cast and that I hope I'm not disappointed.
However, I ramble.
We'll see.
A work of art is an invitation to love.
I think as far as the part about Jonathan... last year, I wouldn't hear anything of the movie because I felt that it was unfair for this to go on without him present -- I felt like... whose right is it to edit and change his work when he can't be there to see it happen? But then I think I realized that it's in the right hands, and while no one knows what he absolutely would've wanted, there isn't anything anybody can do about the fact that he isn't here, other than not make this movie -- which at this point, I don't believe is even a fair solution. I don't know, it's hard to verbalize. But I think I just realized that I needed to get over that notion. In a sense similar to my wonderment of who had the right to tweak his piece (aside from the fact that it IS imperfect), who was I to pass judgement? I have too much faith in the cast not to, I think. And, I trust their opinions.
But, I guess with my new-found optimism, as opposed to where I stood one year ago, I'm going to try, based on certain promises that I've been made. Granted, this is sort of my spitting back what I've been told, and what I want very, very badly to believe (I think I'll be able to, anyway), rather than my own opinion after having scene the movie -- so, take your grains of salt, I suppose.
but what about the millions whose first and perhaps only exposure to Rent will be without it?
The only thing I can offer is that it works. If it's someone's first exposure to Rent, and if we're to assume that this works, then they won't know that something is missing, and accept that this is the way it is. In this sense, it's okay that the movie isn't an *exact* translation of the show. It's an adaptation. They'll get the same things from it -- by seeing close-ups of facial expressions, etc. It doesn't need to be TOLD, but it can be SEEN. I think those things can be just as painful or emotional. I find it hard to assume that just because a line is gone, the emotion has been drained. I mean, just look at the intensity of facial expressions anywhere in the trailer. The end of Goodbye Love was in that movie up until the very end of the editing process; it wasn't cut out on a whim, it wasn't just taken away without consideration. On the same note, though, (while this may fuel the fire of anger) that also meant no re-shoots. I'm not sure how else to put it, unfortunately. I have nothing else to offer but that I trust the decisions, the opinions of the cast and that I hope I'm not disappointed.
However, I ramble.
We'll see.
Updated On: 11/4/05 at 12:25 PM
