RENT SCREENING review (11/8/05) — Page 3

"Well, Ebert does like Rosario, so I can't imagine him being too harsh."

Her acting or her breasts?

IMO: If people don't like the film, they should just say so. No sense in leading people to believe that the film version does the stage show justice. I would think that would make them less likely to see Rent in one of its Broadway or touring incarnations...

I actually just had that discussion with a close friend (who posts here) the other day. Spike might have jazzed things up by making Rent a racial polemic, which would've been cool because it's so much more provocative than what seems to have been filmed, but also disturbing because one of the reasons why I fell in love with Rent at the Nederlander was that everyone was in an interracial relationship but no one took issue with it. I wished that could be plausible.

"Her acting or her breasts?"

Well, he does like him some chesticles, but he seems pretty entranced by her in general.

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I find it interesting that there have been reviews that have praised this film over the past week or so and today there are a few people that had some issues with the film and a lot of people start to fall to pieces. So what? Some people will not like this film and others will. That will also be the case with the critics. Just relax and form your own opinion when the film comes out. Is anyone really going to base their decision on seeing RENT on what has been said here (good or bad)? I respect the opinions of the people who have problems with the film AND of the people that loved it. I would say, however, that the people who have problems are no more credible or are any less bias than the people who did not have a problem. Is a person now deemed more brave because they don't like something and those that did are looked at as just another Renthead?

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It sounds like Columbus may have done what I was afraid he might; it sounds like he put syrup and whipped cream on the meat and potatoes.

For a PG-13 rating, they still could have been more forthcoming about April's death and it's impact on Roger. No need for a bloodbath, no pun intended. An arm dangling out of the tub, some blood, the note, the shock, the spiral into the abyss that is depression. CSI is more gory that that by far.

I'm extremely upset that my second favorite song, What You Own, is now campy. And cutting Halloween...no, no, no, all wrong.

I didn't like Rosario's Goodbye Love, but I agree it is needed. I've had some heated arguments in my life; but one set to song, filled with the individual pains and profound collective loss, it's more powerful than spoken dialogue and lingers longer.

Of course I will see the movie, 100 times probably before the DVD, but my heart is a little bit broken over here. Thanks for the honesty of the people that have seen it. Not what I wanted to hear, but thanks just the same.

Fix it Chris, fix it now. I'd even wait a couple of extra weeks (ouch!), but I would.

I'm fearful, but at the same time...

I know I'm gonna like the movie. I'm not very hard to please, I guess (the movie has to REALLY suck for me not to like it), and that Making Of RENT video from Starz really had me near tears. I never cry, but I just feel... I don't know.

I feel really conflicted.

I'm being extremely silly. I WILL like it. There's no way I possibly couldn't. The cuts don't really offend me, and I've always felt the first act of the show is much stronger than the first, so I'm not expecting anything different in the film.

I guess I'm just worried that my friends who I'm dragging to see this film won't see the same magic I have in the stage show.

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Updated On: 11/9/05 at 01:09 PM

pab, I'm certainly not basing my potential thoughts on the film on what any reviewers here are saying. Most of my doubt, much like Evelyn's, has come from clips I've seen, the screenplay draft, the mentioned cuts in the film, and some aspects of the soundtrack.

As Michael Bennett said, film musicals are a very hard craft, especially when you have something like Rent, where the theatrical staging is nearly void of any solid set, and it's very abstract and fluid. How do you make that work on screen, where there IS a defined set and a very different spectrum to be working with?

And since Michael Bennet mentioned directors...for some reason I keep thinking it would've been interesting to see someone like Mendes direct this. I've thought that from the start.

I couldn't bring myself to read the first post, but, I am so, SO scared even though i'm still excited...it's killing me that I have to hear all this negativity for TWO WEEKS unti lI ca nsee for myself...I just don't know what to do with myself ::fidgits:: I still have to have faith in the cast, and my fingers are still crossed for Oscar gold. I swear I'm going to go into cardiac arrest before this film comes out....

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for one thing i am new to this and i also agree with you that they should come out with the extended version it would do jothan proud to know the fans really love his work !

I avoided that post for over 5 hours this morning. Hey, it's my first day off in 10 days and the kiddies are in school. I have nothing better to do than be happy with the Starz footage and utterly beside myself with worry over the reviews.

Oh, Speilburg or maybe even Cameron for cinematography. Tarantino for almost everything else. No idea for the musical side. You guys are younger and more informed about this stuff. Last new movie I saw was Guess Who last spring. Oh, and Spike Lee would've "Spiked" it for sure.

I think Baz Luhrman would have actually been the obvious choice, but he apparently turned down the film a couple of times.

Another Day is still there. Stills from the last minute of the number have been used for FYC ads.

I think Tarantino would be an extremely edgy choice, but he definitely has the potential to make a film heartfelt.

Hell, Kill Bill Volume 2... the end... had quite a bit of emotion in it.

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