Rent Reactions Inspire Terror

[zilliow]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 12:52am

I have seen the film three times and some people's reactions, both online and in theatres, towards the HIV/AIDS aspect of the story have alternately terrified, infuriated, and nauseated me. I have had to listen to teenagers who somehow truly believe that AIDS has magically been cured and has no relevance to their lives. I have heard people disseminate the most ludicrous factoids as pure truth. I have listened to people near my own age scoff at the idea of safe sex and dismiss it as unimportant. The incidents which really incense me though, are the handful of people coming out of the theatre and spouting such homophobic, backward rhetoric like, “Oh, they deserved to die, so who cares.” Have we truly regressed this far? Has anyone else noticed this attitude in any showings attended?

[Marquise]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 12:54am

May I ask you where you live?

[JulianHookbucks]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 1:00am

I don't think it's have we regressed this far... I think it's do we really have this far left to go? and the answer is yes... people haven't yet realized the importance of these issues, whether it be because of age, or age old beliefs... but the only thing to do it show them why we believe what we believe, and try to show them why we believe in the importance, and urgency in acceptance, and acting upon these subjects. It also will change in time. This movie is ahead of it's time... had it come out 100 years later, I hope, it will be totally normal. Maybe this movie will speed the process of the global acceptance of issues like homosexuality, and sexual protection, and urgency of global epidemics... and of course there will be people that will never change... and they'll ALWAYS be there... but it will get better.

[ajayspak2]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 1:03am

I completely agree with you regarding this country's complacency towards HIV and AIDS. So many believe a protease inhibitor is a cure, which is a laugh. I am from NYC (emphasis in Downtown Manhattan) so luckily I haven't heard homophobic comments but the complete opposite in the screenings i've seen. But I too am curious where you are from?

[zilliow]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 1:29am

I am originally from West Virginia and I would have somewhat expected this reaction there, but I'm living in Los Angeles. I think its that which threw me so off balance.

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 1:36am

I, too, am rather upset that too many people are deriding RENT's lack of topicality. I mean just because it isn't "hip" or "edgy" to use AIDS in a movie anymore doesn't make it less relevant. They're treating the disease as if it was some sort of passe fad since everyone was talking about it 15 years ago.

[goodygalinda]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 1:51am

to quote the show, "America, America!" on behalf of all teenagers I am so sorry that some of us are SUCH IDIOTS, but everyone must have noticed that all of America is completely disenfranchised from anything that "doesn't directly effect them" Now,if one of their favorite anorexic pop queens or movie stars were to contract AIDS there would be such a push for the cure, that pisses me off.

Posted: 11/25/05 at 1:54am

well this really bothered me... at the beginning when john larson's name came up, everyone in the audience cheered, but then some idiotic teenagers who have obvioulsy never seen the show, and could care less were liike "booooo!" then laughed like they were so cool, when really, they just looked like idiots. i wanted to slap them, along with the rest of the audience, who gave them dirty looks.

people can just be so aggravating.

[angelrock25222]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 2:06am

this isnt just teenagers or whatever; there have been reviewers, adults, who say it isnt relevant any more. im not exactly sure what they mean by that since poverty, aids, betrayal, love, coming-of-age, drugs, etc, are all things that are still very prominet in our world.

i dont mind if a bad review about the movie is written BUT to call it irrelevant is quite .. i guess the word would be ignorant

[ajayspak2]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 2:16am

I would have bi*ch slapped any teenage punk that booed Jon Larson. What as*holes! And to all the reviewers that raved about the musical when it came out and now call it "dated" or "irrelevant" is f**king ridiculous. The film is set in 1989-1990, plain and simple a time we are revisiting in the film. Why was that not said about "Chicago" everyone went gaga over the "ingenious" (what a laugh) idea of dealing with the musical numbers as something occuring in Roxie's head. Which honestly should of had her in the psych ward. Unfortunately, this movie will be pushed to the side once "The Producers" hits the big screen which is soon. So I say get the message out to anyone you know and this is my opinion here, but Rent is far more of an innovative, inspirational, and important piece than the redundant stylings of the typical Musical Comedy that is "The Producers".

[Mimi Imfurst]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 2:21am

the problem is this- we live in a "post aids crisis" time. I don't mean that AIDS isnt a crisis anymore, but people don't die from AIDS in the same way that people used to. Having AIDS is not a death sentence in the way it used to be. I am troubled by the sheer negligence of people my age who don't think of the AIDS epidemic with an intence urgency to help end infection and keeping yourself safe. I am excited that people can live more healthy, and closer to normal lives and have AIDS thanks to advancements in medicine, however the AIDS medication industry has so painfully glamorized AIDS. Because it's been glamourized people don't protect themselves from it. After all- the advertisements show hot and sexy people living with AIDS, climbing mountains and living lavish lifestyles. They neglect to show the horrible side effects of both AIDS and the medication itself..

Don't even get me going on Bug Chasers, both as a reality and an exploited, sensational myth.

We need not forget that AIDS exists and having it, while not a death sentence, is nothing to just brush off the shoulders.

RENT is still VERY relevant and delivers a poignant message. Not just about living for today, but also about the people who have been marginalized and brushed to the corners of society's mind.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 2:25am

Well, when people start dying again, maybe people will wake up.

Close to half the gay men in lower Manhattan are HIV+

[dmb_rent]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 2:27am

I just had a blowout argument with my mom tonight, on Thanksgiving of all days, nice....but UGH somehow she said some comment about homosexuality and just set me off, and then was like "i'm sorry, but they're going to hell" --- she is majorly christian, and while i'm not gay, it offends ME so much to hear her talk like that, and to think that she really believes that (as well as other people who are super religious and bible nuts) is exactly what turns me off to organized religion. how can they be so stupid....i just want to ring her neck sometimes. this is what i get for being 22 and still living at home.

[ajayspak2]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 2:30am

Mimi Imfurst, don't mix up HIV+ with AIDS, they are two different beasts. Those with AIDS still die horrible deaths, and I agree wirh Jrb actor that a large amount of people are still HIV+. And don't get me started with the lack of safe sex practices ive seen in the past five years, it makes me sick.

[Act0r721]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 2:50am

"Close to half the gay men in lower Manhattan are HIV+"

Where is this statistic coming from?

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 2:54am

It was in an article in NEXT magazine.

[Mimi Imfurst]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 2:56am

sorry- i do appologize for putting both those in the same basket. it's late. i was just angered to write. my appologies. i stand (in heels) corrected.

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 2:58am

Interesting thread title. So simpleminded people are really getting worked up over the fact that the film concerns AIDS at all? My guest and I felt the disease was discussed in the film so underwhelmingly that we sometimes forgot the characters had it (and we have both been familiar with the show for years). I think that has something to do with the presence of so many songs that have nothing to do with it. Anyway, I wonder how many people left the theater not knowing the film's plot or being able to identify the characters.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 2:59am

Allow me to clarify---the statistic is for gay men UNDER 40.

40 - 45% are estimated in lower Manhattan under the age of 40 to be HIV+

One in 3 don't know it.

[jimmirae]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 3:28am

This talk here is confusing. People are still dropping like flies due to AIDS as well as ARC and others are making this whole epidemic seem like a cake walk, Not only that, But when you read the gay personals ads, it seems that most sexually active gay men would rather a bodybuilder with full blown aids than an average looking guy without - which is very strange! I have had almost 50% of my loved ones die gruesome deaths from this monster and the others live day to day taking more pills than you can shake a stick at just to live another day in a country where your blood is welcomed if spilled for oil overseas but you are denied the rights to marry the one you love in your homeland.
I remember the fact that just being gay was so IN back in 1978, It was so great to be young and gay, and then the village people sang a song, almost a phrophesy called "Ready for the 80's!" and boy did it change everything!! I can tell you exactly where I was when I first heard of "Gay Cancer" and I had to have 2 stiff drinks to even tell my friend that such a thing was IMPOSSIBLE, that a disease cannot CHOOSE to infect based on sexuality. And yes, It is sad to see people still have sex that would fully expose them to this thing, and they may get it then become just another patch on the quilt - that is, if they have anyone left who cares enough, If not, Just another number. It is a very sad thing and I thank the Gods I do not have it, But my life has been touched by many I love deeply who do have it, So we just carry on and live the best we can, But anyone who thinks that this doesn't or cannot effect them is simply ignorant. You know who has a great rising number of cases now? Retirment Communities! It's true, The Men went out and had a great time with easily bought hookers but never thought they would be bringing Aunt Granny home a little something extra. You live to be eighty something then have to die from aids? Oh well, something has to take us off this damned planet sometime I suppose. Aids is simply an awful and ugly way to have to go and it is still as much a damn shame as the first time I heard of it.

[ajayspak2]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 4:07am

jrb, im curious, does Next say where they got the info and demographics from? I'm interested in the topic and i must have missed that weeks issue.

[caitiesus1522]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 9:57am

Even though it isn't just the youth that is thinking these things, I am really getting bed up with the youth! At my showing I heard nothing negative about the AIDs or homosexuality issues, and no one walked out (in live in northern ohio). But at my college in Wasshington DC people were making jokes about AIDs and talking how they arent going to go see a movie "where fags are on screen" and that they "hope the characters with AIDs all die." I was horrified to hear such things. We are a pretty liberal campus.
In DC. supposedly, in every Metro car of about 20 people, at least 1 that lives in the city has AIDs. Dont ask me where this statistic comes from, I have heard it about 5 times now and it was even in our newspaper once for no reason. And these college students say "well if I don't have sex with anyone who lives in DC I will be fine" Wow...that is all i have to say about that...just wow

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 11/25/05 at 10:21am

People actually believe AIDS has been cured? Wow.