Who Liked The Movie Better?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 11:56am

Just got around to watching RENT last night & my wife & I were pleasantly surprised. While we did not care for the show, we really enjoyed the movie

Anyone else have similar feelings re RENT or any other movie musical/vs stage version

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:00pm

I think the Rent movie was done about as well as it could have been done. Having said that, for me it doesn't compare to the stage version. For me, the only musicals where the screen version exceeded any stage version I've seen were Fiddler and Oliver.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:04pm

I like the Chicago movie better than the show. The show is too... black. But I like some of the songs a lot that aren't in the movie. I also like the Sound of Music movie a lot. I don't know if I like it more than the show, but it's a great one. There's just nothing that compares to seeing something live in the theatre.

[Just_John]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:07pm

I didn't like Rent the first time I saw it on stage. Then when I saw the movie I completely fell in love with it. So I went back to see the show and liked it a lot better the second time after seeing the movie.

[Parks]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:10pm

Chicago the stage show and Chicago the movie cannot be compared, in my opinion. Apples and oranges.

I didn't care for the RENT movie all that much. I enjoyed it when I saw it, but it was just too much music. They should have cut some songs and added more dialogue. It wasn't a horrible movie, but I got sick of it very quickly. It may have been because I had been lsitening to the soundtrack non-stop prior to seeing it--and all the movie is is the soundtrack with video and a few lines of dialogue.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:15pm

It's the reverse for me, Parks. I feel like the Rent film and the stage version are incomparable, apples to oranges. But Chicago, I feel, works much better as a movie than as a stage musical. You still get the minimalist feel from the movie, but it's still believable (if that makes sense.)

[Wildcard]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:24pm

Having not seen the OBC of Rent on stage, the subsequent productions which I have seen looked like high schoolers running around on stage, happy to have been given a good material yet giving mediocre performances. That said, I prefer the movie version of Rent. However, I didn't imagine Rent to be set in the 80s. In my mind, it was in the mid-90s, specifically due to "...at the end of the millennium" even though Jonathan Larson wrote the piece in the 80s.

However, given the amateurness of the productions I have seen (either subsequent Broadway or tour casts), the one element missing from the film that is evident in the stage productions is the energy and vitality of the performers. It is difficult to capture that element of live theater when it is projected on screen.

With regards to other "recent" movie musicals, I preferred the stage version of "The Producers", the movie version of "Chicago", and while I enjoy the artistic merits and love the music of "The Phantom of the Opera", the film and stage productions are equally boring.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:30pm

I thought the RENT movie totally missed the mark. It didn't have any of the rawness/grittiness of the stage show. And even though the OBC were doing the film, I didn't feel anything from them. I also felt a lot of the changes were stupid, and didn't make sense with what the show was about. I think they should have brought in a new cast to add some youth to the film. Frankly, when I see a bunch of 30yr olds up there talking about they can't pay RENT it doesn't make me feel bad for them, I just want them to get a freakin' job. Also, I think they should have kept the show as a rock opera. I mean, is that not a key element to the show? The spoken dialogue was horrible, esp when it rhymed.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:30pm

For me, I like the stage show of RENT is better . . . BUT the cast in the movie is the best I have seen, PERIOD! But, I love both so . .

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:37pm

Anyone think of any other movies, besides RENT , where your preferred the movie to the show

[pab]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:41pm

Yes, Hair.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:42pm

OK I can agree with that

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:43pm

I've always preferred Fosse's film of Cabaret to Prince's (or Mendes') stage version. I find it more stream-lined (it cut out the "pineapple" subplot with the landlady I never liked), electric and powerful.

I'm still more than a little lukewarm regarding RENT after seeing it both on stage (at NY Theatre Workshop and the OBC cast on Broadway) and the film, but if I had to choose, at least the stage version has a couple of scenes that I thought were dynamic and well staged. I thought the whole movie was blah and nothing stood out.

Updated On: 7/28/06 at 12:43 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:43pm

I think that the movie Amadeus was better than the play. I realize the limitations of the stage, but I felt the play was too static.

I agree with PAB that Hair was better as a movie.

[gustof777]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:44pm

I was suprised that I loved the RENT movie and really the stage version never even crossed my mind. I happen to think that they both are amazing and brilliant in their own ways. On the other hand I can't stand the stage version of Chicago where as I loved the movie so I guess you never know

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:47pm

I love seeing Roger, Mark, Angel & Collins ON the subway singing SANTA FE; I loved actually seeing them on the streets of NYC... I loved that there was six of the eight OBC members in the cast. I enjoyed Rosario better than any Mimi I have seen and certainly more that Daphne. Tracie was the best Joanne ever and she made me like her.

The stage show is basically void of set, so in that aspect I liked the movie better.

But ... that said... Nothing beats live theatre

[DWalk]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:48pm

As much as I love The Sound of Music on stage, I prefer the movie version. This is probably because I saw the movie first and it's what caused me to fall in love with the show.

My big one is Grease. I think they took a mediocre show and turned it into a fun, entertaining movie.

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:51pm

I enjoyed the Rent movie, but I wouldn't say that it's better than the stage production by any means.

On the other hand, I found the Chicago movie infinitely more thrilling than Chicago on stage. I walked away from the show thinking it felt uninspired. It did nothing for me. Of course, by virtue of the medium, the movie was able to inject a bit more creativity into its production.

[AngusN]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:51pm

Yeh, I hated the revival version of Cabaret. I just don't why a musical so concerned with dance, has half of the dance area (stage) eliminated to seat the orchestra. I found the dancing to be limited and weak as a result and the orchestra off-putting.

Going back to the original topic Rent. I'm undecided which I prefer. I agree the film didn't have the grittiness that the piece demands but I feel the musical itself is not suited to the stage, the way the musical is staged is more like a semi-staged concert than a narrative musical.

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 12:52pm

I prefer the movie version of Chicago to the current revival. But prefer the original production to both the revival and the movie.

I have a friend who hates the stage version of HAIR but swears by the movie.


And shoot me but I like the 70's-tastic movie of Superstar to any production I've seen (including the most recent revival). However I would have killed to see O'Horgan direct the film version of Superstar.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 1:08pm

If a few less numbers had been deleted from the movie & Mr cellophane had not been shortened to death, Chicago ( to me ) would have been better than the revival. nothing can touch the original show - not even ACL

[RentHead2]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 1:18pm

THANK YOU! I loved this movie. Loved it so much I saw it in theatres 15 times!! This movie was different from what I expected but I loved it. I thought Rosario Dawson/Tracy Thoms were cast right on the money for their respective roles. I loved how they changed it around to open with "Season's of Love" it was an insane opening, I was clapping with the characters and then moo...ing with maureen in the theatre. I only had two beefs (small beefs) with the movie:
1. Adam Pascal needed to cut that hair!
2. Goodbye Love should have NEVER EVER EVER been cut out of that movie, that was too powerful that scene to be cut out. HUGE MISTAKE. But I loved how the dialogue for the most part was very true to the broadway show. Because I know the damn dialogue by heart from the show, I was super impressed. That is exactly the way Jonathon Larson would have wanted it. WITH THE 6/8 ORIGINALS. They never do that anymore! LOVED IT! Thanks for the great post! Love to hear it about this movie.

Posted: 7/28/06 at 1:19pm

The cuts in the Chicago film didn't bother me. I think "When Velma Takes the Stand" was the only real loss. I mean, "Me And My Baby"? "I Know A Girl"? I think the show could easily do without them.

[RentHead2]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 1:33pm

Comparing Chicago to Rent (The MOVIES) is like comparing apples and oranges again. Rent is a film where they tried to use the principles in casting and Chicago was stunt casting. For instance, in the Tango Maureen that was one shot when they were doing that....however I didn't see that camera staying still for long in Chicago, why? Because they can't do what the Broadway people can do, at least not in one take they can't. Don't get me wrong they are both excellent films, but I think it's unfair to compare them to each other. Especially when Chicago the musical has alot of dialogue to begin with when Rent has 0. I give credit to Colombus, he could have made RENT all music like the production but he didn't. And THE TANGO MAUREEN (in the movie) was a beautiful eye stunning scene....very creative considering what the broadway production does. BUT AS A RENTHEAD...I LOVE THEM BOTH!

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 1:40pm

Correct me if I'm wrong, cause it's been a couple years, but isn't My Own Best Friend cut from the film? If so then that is the worst cut. I wish they hadn't cut Class from the final cut and yes CZJ would have owned When Velma... I still find it highly superior to the current revival though.