Welcome, Anthony Rapp!- Page 32

[N0tThatGirl213]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 8:11pm

The Columbus screenplay? Is that what's being hated?

But then so was the Chbosky screenplay...

I don't put much stock in CB. They love to hate anything they can get their hands on.

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 8:15pm

Whatever. There's no point in being blind to it. The CBers are making some solid arguments for why they hate Columbus's screenplay (and your comment that they hated the Chbosky screenplay just isn't true; not once did I get feedback on that which didn't at least lean toward the positive). If you want to dismiss accusations that the screenplay contains some of the same homophobic undercurrents that informed Mrs. Doubtfire, fine. I guarantee you that if it remains in the screenplay, it'll be an issue you hear about regularly once the film is released. It really is just that bad.

[N0tThatGirl213]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 8:17pm

I'm not dismissing anything. I just refuse to panic over something which
1) I have not seen and
2) May or may not happen

And I hate to say this, but the point of this thread was to discuss things other than RENT...

May I have the pleasure of starting up a thread for discussing the Columbus screenplay, or would you like to do it?

[stacey717]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 8:18pm

"thinking about the state of [i]that[/i] screenplay"

*That* is a very important word-- there is a high chance that the exact screenplay you read does not end up being made as described in it--virtually no movies follow scripts exactly and changes could occur anytime--

This said, and I have not read the screenplay you speak of, the actors or others involved on the project (though when I do say actors I say such because of the many that have much Rent experience--and the original production at that) may be able to sway the director to aid in refullfilling a more true-to-the-original screenplay...though this too has the opposite side where everone must obey the all-mighty producers and anyone else that could say "no, you can't do that (*tauntingly* or we won't fund your film)"

I'm still optimistic...have been since first hearing about the movie being made (and even moreso when it surfaced that OBC members were even being considered for the parts--especially when it was rumored/subsequently confirmed that OBC members were interested--no influence of celebrityintervention or anything)... and I believe I will continue to be as I see no reason why not at this pre-production stage... I'm still totally psyched...

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 8:20pm

Please don't start a thread for the purposes of discussing the Columbus screenplay. Whoever posted it online did so illegally (there's a disclaimer to that effect) -- and this is why I won't even go so far as to comment on the particulars of it.

But on another note -- and this is nothing personal -- but it's kind of unfair to attempt to turn the discussion away from Rent only once negative information is introduced, especially since at least a dozen of the posts immediately prior to my first one were about the film. I'm commenting on the screenplay here because I know Rapp reads this thread, and I want him to take note of the concerns about homophobia in it so that -- once this whole collaborative process begins in February -- he has it in mind.

[N0tThatGirl213]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 8:21pm

We stopped the posts before, too. I just don't want this to turn into a flame war.

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 8:24pm

Well god dang it then... I don't want it to turn into a flame war either. But must any form of dissension necessarily lead to flame? It is a Broadway discussion board -- reviews, positive, negative and neutral, are welcomed. It's the constant barrage of "fvck your opinion" type statements on this board that produce flame wars, not people commenting on homophobia in a screenplay.

[N0tThatGirl213]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 8:29pm

All right, in that case forgive me for being paranoid. It seems we have the same interests, so let's try to avoid being in violent agreement.

[BWIDB Charlie]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 9:35pm

Updated On: 11/17/04 at 09:35 PM

[VivaBohemia]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 9:54pm

Also, you shouldn't take how the CBers feel directly to heart. While I love visiting that board, they can be REALLY harsh.

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 9:58pm

"Also, you shouldn't take how the CBers feel directly to heart. While I love visiting that board, they can be REALLY harsh."

Eh, if you can thicken your skin long enough to see the substance in their posts, you'll be fine.

[VivaBohemia]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 10:02pm

Agreed.

[ajayspak2]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 10:06pm

When contracts are signed, when you are in pre-production, you usually know if the movie is going to screen or straight to video. Do not worry rent fans this movie will make it to the big screen.

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 11/17/04 at 10:33pm

yaay when it comes out Ill spend all my allowance and job money on it muahaha I will see like 10 shows!!! muahaha

[Whiteboy Spice]

Posted: 11/18/04 at 5:41am

Evelyn --

I just have to respectfully but *vehemently* disagree that there's anything remotely homophobic about the screenplay. What on earth are you referring to?

And I haven't been over to the CB boards, but I am surprised to hear that people are so up in arms about the screenplay. What are they so upset about and/or appalled by?

Although having said that, I was surprised at how many people were upset at the notion of members of the original cast recreating our roles in the film. You can't please all the people all the time, I suppose.

But regarding homophobia, I am usually incredibly attuned to such things, and I really have *no* idea what you're talking about.

And I just received a more recent draft, followed by new pages to add to that draft, so you can all rest assured that the screenplay will continue to evolve until the cameras roll. We will all do our utmost to make it as great as possible, I promise.

*Please* try to have a little faith...

I guess a lot of Lord of the Rings fans were all freaked out before the films came out, and as far as I know, the worldwide Lord of the Rings fan organization wound up being very happy indeed with the finished product. Hopefully our film will share a similar fate. We shall see.

to everyone else --

I know, I know, I have a pile of questions to get through, and I will I will I will... Updated On: 11/18/04 at 05:41 AM

[N0tThatGirl213]

Posted: 11/18/04 at 5:50am

Am I the only one on either of these boards who liked the Columbus screenplay?

There are elements of the Chbosky screenplay that I liked better, but this draft is certainly truer to the show and still really very meaningful in my opinion. I think my biggest complaint is that the timeline is different, but it is more realistic. From what I could see, it's basically the Chbosky script put back in order and toned down a little. And if toning down the level of raunchiness widens the audience, well, so much the better. It's still not less than there is in the show.

I think the only way I can compare the two is to say that the Chbosky screenplay reads like and incredibly good piece of fanfiction which is highly stylized, whereas the current Columbus script stays much closer to the actual show. I would be happy seeing either version produced.

And can I just say how happy I am that the pizza and the watch got to stay? I don't know why, but that was my favorite scene from the Chbosky draft.

Edit: And no, I didn't just post that because Anthony agreed with me. This just happened to be when I woke up after staying up half the night reading it

Updated On: 11/18/04 at 05:50 AM

[OneBlazeOfGlory]

Posted: 11/18/04 at 9:14am

I've only readthe Chbosky one, and I thought it was okay. The one thing that really bothered me was the ending how it was all a movie about making a movie? Or maybe I understood that wrong? I don't know but having Angel alive at the end is just weird. Correct me if I misunderstood though... So where can I find a draft of the Columbus screenplay?

'And I haven't been over to the CB boards, but I am surprised to hear that people are so up in arms about the screenplay. What are they so upset about and/or appalled by?'

CB has a reputation for fighting about everything. A lot of them only care about the physical appearence of the actors rather than talent, and they always flame eachother to death whenever someone doesn't agree with them. So I guess if the script is not exactly like the musical, they think its the apocolypse of musical theatre. I don't know... I stopped visiting those boards a while ago.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 11/18/04 at 10:04am

Ok, have to jump in here and say that the generalizations being made about CB should really stop. There are hundreds of members at CB, and some of them are the most knowledgeable people I've met when it comes to Rent. Sure there are some idiots but there are also some idiots (some of the same ones probably!) who post here. The main core of members at CB are those who were in previous incarnations of Rent forums for the past eight years. So let's not generalize that they're all newbies who enjoy fighting and flaming. End of rant.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 11/18/04 at 10:06am

what does knowing the facts about rent have to dow ith anything excpet stalking the cast, spending thousands of dollars on the show, and memorizing the COFFEE TABLE BOOK (it's not a bible.. sorry kids)

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 11/18/04 at 10:13am

I was really surprised at the amount of people who were displeased at the original cast being featured as well. That blurb in Entertainment Weekly particularly surprised me. But people would still complain if they cast Justin Timberlake or Britney Spears in the film. Stupid public. Updated On: 11/18/04 at 10:13 AM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/18/04 at 10:51am

I haven't read the Columbus screenplay but the Chbosky one irks me something bad. Way too many songs were cut and I had a hard time even following it. I guess it was supposed to seem like somekind of movie whithin a movie. I dunno. The opening song "RENT" being done like that... eww. Made no sense to me. Why would Roger have written a song about not being able to pay the rent when Benny has yet to ask for it in that resturant scene way latter. I did like getting to see Roger find April and those two slut girls who were all "Bit*h go find someone else's di*k to suck..." that made me laugh. And I liked all the extra stuff with Angel and Collins in the hospital but other than that the whole thing just went downhill as I continued to read...

[ajayspak2]

Posted: 11/18/04 at 11:15am

THANK YOU Anthony! I have no idea what Evelyn is talking about either. The Columbus SECOND draft and i emphasize SECOND draft is not homophobic at ALL. This is coming from a gay man who is very aware of homophobia, if Evelyn found homophobia in the second draft than she must have found it in the original play. This version is a million times better than Chobsky's First Draft. As you said it stays very true to Larsons vision and the songs are sung in context with the exception of Out Tonight. And as Anthony said in his post he is still getting revisions, trust me, no one shoots a Second Draft.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/18/04 at 11:25am

I skimmed the Columbus screenplay... I actually thought that what I read was pretty similar to the original, (which I never really minded in the first place) if only a little bit less raunchy, i.e. the now non-existant sex scene (I think... I may have just not found it). At first glance, it also seemed like it was a little bit closer to the actual libretto. I do need to take a closer look at it at some point, though. Some of the stuff that I had thought was kind of weird in the Chbosky one is gone, too I think, which makes me happy - stuff like RENT being sung at CBGB's. I really liked that we saw all of that old stuff, but RENT didn't make all that much sense in that context. I'm getting more used to this, and trying to have a some faith that it will all come together well.

Updated On: 11/18/04 at 11:25 AM

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 11/18/04 at 11:35am

I have to get dressed and go to class but I will say this quickly:

1) Spice, I will PM you with the specifics of what I found homophobic about the 9/04 draft of the screenplay -- and previous works by Columbus that feature similarly homophobic moments. Of course, I'm a little taken aback that you respond to my assessment by saying, "What on earth..." etc. as if there's no chance in hell that I could be making a valid statement. It sort of reminds me of Quentin Tarantino saying, "Whatever" to Spike Lee and Denzel Washington's accusations of racism in Pulp Fiction. The only difference is that in this case, we're both queer so we should be able to discuss this issue with less dismissiveness from either side. While I respect your talents as a performer IMMENSELY, I don't think you have any sort of an upper hand on gay issues to write me off once and for all when it comes to interpreting homophobia (or, to make myself more clear, works that poke fun *at* GLBT people but not their heterosexual counterparts). In that sense, I'm also a little amused that ajay thanks you for what he perceives to be shutting me up. The homophobic overtones and undertones that I found in Columbus's screenplay are inventions of his own that don't appear in the book of the stage musical. Honestly, after his portrait of the gay couple in Mrs. Doubtfire as these marginalized figures who help Robin Williams' character with his makeup and rock their heads to showtunes, I don't know why people find it so unbelievable that he could lack a queer sensibility. He's not a gay man. And ajay, weren't you the one complaining about rhyming dialogue in Chbosky's screenplay.... hmmmmmmmmmmmm........

The reality is that some of the most popular films of all time are encoded with racist, sexist, and homophobic subtexts. In this case, I consider some of it to verge on overtone. And I don't care if revised drafts are being produced... if there's any chance that the two incidents I have at the forefront of my mind are going to end up making it to the screen, it's worth discussing.

Bonfire of the Vanities and Ragtime are two of my favorite literary works that were adapted into critically-loathed films. Now that the studios greedily protect the rights to making future film versions, there's a good chance that it'll be a long time before anyone can approach Bonfire or Ragtime again. Regardless of how much heart is in the RENT film or how desperately Rapp wants me to have faith in it, there are some things that I just will not overlook regardless of whether people involved in it take personal offense (after all, these criticisms are not of Rapp or Columbus, but rather of the work itself; I have no doubt that they're both good guys). I guarantee you that people in the film industry lurk around their IMDB pages reading posts that discuss their relationships, mediocre acting, role choices, etc. .... but if they were to join into the discussion, I wonder if there would be as much timidity there about discussing those issues as there is here. It's a real police phenomenon that I don't like; fortunately, I'm not giving into it either. Updated On: 11/18/04 at 11:35 AM

[ajayspak2]

Posted: 11/18/04 at 11:56am

Emcee, the script follows the libretto and takes out all of the horrible diaglogue from draft one and yet is still Very Filmic, using great devices while songs are sung that i think Rent fans will love, and let me emphasize once again, nothing homophobic.