Rent Movie- Page 4

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 1:17pm

To me, the best chance of this turning into a disaster is the hiring of Chris "Mrs. Doubtfire" Columbus to handle some pretty heavy material. And as for people standing around singin in the street, singing in an apartment, singing on another street...c'mon now, you have to realize what an enormous challenge it is to make that visually interesting and compelling. Unfortunately, on the big screen to sell worldwide, you need a little more to bring to the table.

As for casting, the general public is not going to accept anyone over 30 in most of these roles. Hell, people and critics can barely stand it on TV anymore (ie. Theresa on The OC). You think the midwest isn't going to look at people in their mid-30s running around NYC on crack and living in in squalor and think, What losers! Film is too literal to take that chance.

So sorry OBC, I love you, they're probably going to go with one or two "names" and cast unknowns to fill out the rest of the cast.

As for Timberlake, I think we're being a little harsh on someone who is really beloved by not only white audiences, but also "urban" and internationally. Financially, he would be a good choice. And who knows, maybe he can handle the material, you can't really judge him by his NSYNC days. And folks, he hasn't even been cast!

But I was just thinking, remember how so many people freaked out everyone was they starting casting the major roles in Chicago? I remember my office went into mourning for a day when Renee was cast, and Richard Gere over John, Hugh, et al? And Mrs. Tom Cruise starring in a musical by Baz Luhrmann?

We all know what a disaster those movies turned into...

[GirlfriendFromCanada]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 1:22pm

As much as I believe that a lot of the success of current popstars resides in their marketing, that does not necessarily take away the fact that they are indeed talented. This does not go for everyone, but Justin Timberlake is quite a talented individual. I am not a huge N'Sync fan, nor a huge Justin fan, so I like to think that my opinion of him is somewhat objective. That guy knows how to perform. If you don't think so, go and rent the PopOdyssey DVD from your local Blockbuster and watch "Gone". He knows how to sell, and he is a very natural entertainer. I think he'd be able to pull off pretty much anything handed to him, within reason, and I wouldn't be disappointed to see him in this.

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 3:03pm

Even if Daphne still 'looked the part,' I don't think it'd be something she'd want to do. As for all the celebrity casting ideas...let's face it, you can really trash a movie-musical by putting people like Timberlake and Beyonce in it. Not that it won't be enjoyable, but I don't think it'd do the show any justice.

[GirlfriendFromCanada]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 3:25pm

I think whether or not people like Justin and Beyonce can do the show any justice would have to wait until they do the show. I mean, what makes them any less worthy of doing the show justice than people in the show now? Because they make a lot of money and are really famous? It just doesn't make sense to me. Talent is talent.

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 3:27pm

My point had nothing to do with whether or not the make money...I don't really care WHO is cast, as long as they're talented. J.T and Beyonce aren't my idea of 'talented' people.

[GirlfriendFromCanada]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 3:29pm

Well, that is the difference then. Obviously, SOMEONE thinks they're talented.

I, personally, don't see how anyone can not see how talented Justin Timberlake is, but I guess that is just me. And that's not saying he SHOULD be in this movie, or even that he'd be a good option for it, but when the day ends, that boy oozes talent. Liking him is one thing, saying he doesn't have talent is another.

[BroadwayDiva]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 5:01pm

Broadwaygirl107- I just think that a RENT movie might totally change RENT, and i love it as it is.

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 5:46pm

Turning a stage musical into a film is inherently going to change it, much as turning a book into a musical (a la Wicked) inherently changes it. The exciting part is seeing how new artists interpret the existing material and re-imagine it. I can't wait to see what Columbus and crew make of Rent.

As of late, I have been thinking that it will much more interesting to see Rent revived in 20 or so years, when it is played as a period piece, reflecting the attitudes and ideals of the late 90's.

[nystateomind04]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 7:28pm

jonhpopa- i believe that transfering rent from stage to screen would involve altering the part where people are just "standing around singing in their apartments" and in the streets. you have to make a movie more visually interesting, and that is why you need a director with a good vision of what would work on screen, i dont like what he did with "harry potter" and i dont know if he can handle the kind of storytelling decisions which would have to be made in the case of rent either.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 7:55pm

My Cast:
Mark- Ashton Kutcher?
Benny-Taye Diggs
Maureen- Brittney Murphy
Joanne- Jennifer Hudson
Mimi- Beyonce
Angel- Jai Rodriguez

What They Should Cut:
"Contact"
"We're Okay"
"Santa Fe"

Updated On: 5/8/04 at 07:55 PM

[GirlfriendFromCanada]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 8:31pm

Ashton Kutcher as Mark would be incredible. Mm hmm. "HAHAHA, Mimi isn't really addicted to heroin! Come on out! Benny and the drug dealer were really just Al and Dax!"

Amazing.

[tappedout]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 9:31pm

I'm not a huge fan of turning musicals into movies either.....but at least on the bright side there is no role that Kristin Chenoweth could possibly play in the movie. Unless they were to make the character of Mimi a little more kewpieish. Can't you see it now~ "ouuuut (giggles) tooo(more giggles) night." And then of course we finish with a huge grin.

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 11:25pm

You can't scratch Santa Fe!!

Anyway, here's my cast...


Joanne: Cher

Angel: Gilbert Gottfried

Benny: Donald Trump

Roger: Ruben Studdard

Tom: Linda Tripp

Mimi: Michael Jackson

Mark: me

Maureen: This cow that I just saw on the news who escaped a slaughter house (moo!)

All other speaking roles and solos shall be divided amongst Anne Heche, Maya Angelou, P-Diddy, and Steve from the Dell commercials

with an Osama Bin Laden cameo to draw in a crowd.

[nystateomind04]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 11:36pm

the idea of ashton as mark is exactly why a big screen version of rent makes is a little uneasy.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 11:38pm

The idea of Scary Spice in RENT is exactly why the stage version of rent makes me a little uneasy.

[nystateomind04]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 11:47pm

amen to that too.

[stop!]

Posted: 5/9/04 at 12:00am

get real on some of your choices....please yes studios make weird choices...but u people pull names out of the air. Oh how i love punked why not ashton kutcher. Please tell me that those of you with those type lists do not plan on being casting agents or we are all in for a nightmare...

[nystateomind04]

Posted: 5/9/04 at 12:13am

i think we should all reside ourselves to the fact that the studio wouldnt pick anyone with absolutly no talent to do a role in rent. they may however pick someone who doesnt have the right kind of talent for this project. i dont see justin t. as roger (or mark, for that matter). his voice is too pure, too... well, pop, and also too boyish for both of these roles. nothing about him suggests urban (maybe wannabe urban) or east village for goodness sake! and he isnt an actor either and he'd be playing someone with aids if he was playing roger. not only someone with aids, but a guy whose "girlfriend april left a note saying 'we've got aids' before slitting her wrists in the bathroom", and as johnathon larson continually reminds us throughout rent, that is some pretty heavy "baggage" to deal with, even for an acomplished actor- especially when combinded with those out-of-this-word notes that roger has to hit. you cant fake the singing that roger does in rent, this isnt chicago or moulin rouge. and you cant fake how intensely the actors who play these roles will have to understand and be able to portray these characters. sorry, j.t. will not due.

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 5/10/04 at 3:20pm

Chris Columbus directing RENT? God help us all....

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/10/04 at 3:25pm

"As for casting, the general public is not going to accept anyone over 30 in most of these roles."

Yes they will. Grease.

[Ruffian]

Posted: 5/10/04 at 3:26pm

Mister Matt scores again

[TheGirlinTheFrock]

Posted: 5/10/04 at 3:34pm

i keep trying to picture someone in the "pop" world doing Roger. i am finding this to be very difficult. The problem is, as nystateomind04 said, there is alot of baggage in Roger and his voice has to have a rock edge to it. Since i hardly ever listen to the radio i dont kno anybody out there currently who has the voice not to mention acting experience to handle the role. That said I could see somebody like Bon Jovi would be perfect for the role IF he was in his twenties. hah! i dont expect him to be cast but someone along those lines (vocally). Btw, I know John Bon Jovi was in some movies .. but i cant remember which. Anybody know?

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 5/10/04 at 3:38pm

For Jon Bon Jovi's acting creds: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000954/

Honestly>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000954/>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000954/

Honestly, Jon's 42 but looks young. There's really no reason Roger can't be in his 30's (is there?)

[nystateomind04]

Posted: 5/10/04 at 3:48pm

someone once told me that the lead singer from the "goo goo dolls" was being considered for roger on bway- keep in mind that that may be b.s., but he has a good voice.

or the guy from matchbox 20, perhaps? is it rob thomas?

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 5/10/04 at 3:50pm

Johnny Reznick is the singer for The GooGoo Dolls. He tends to beat up his voice when the band is on the road but he might be right for a movie version. But he's got the right earnestly soulful rock star thing going on.