Jesse L. Martin!!!!!!!

[jule1122]

I finally saw Rent yesterday. It was the first time I ever went to the movie by myself, but I really wanted to see and no else did. It was a small odd audience so I didn't feel too strange about it. I would have loved to ask some of the people why they were there. I remember hearing about Rent when it first debuted and I wanted to see it so much. Seasons of Love was the only song I knew from it, but it came to represent a lot to me especially the idea that there were placed and people who weren't afraid to talk about homosexuality and AIDS fairly taboo topics were I live. I was thrilled to finally be able to see it.



The movie was absolutely amazing! It started a little slow for me, but I think I needed time to get used to the singing and figure out who everyone was. I imagine I'll like the beginning more when I see it again. Everything I read about Anthony Rapp's performance was true. He was fabulous. But no one can touch Jesse L Martin. Maybe I was drawn to him because he was the only actor I knew, but he blew me away. I will never watch Law & Order the same way. The whole way home every time I thought about his performance I'd start crying again. The actor who played Angel was stunning. The final shot of him with the blue nail polish destroyed me. For some reason the Roger/Mimi relationship did nothing for me. Maybe I'm too tuned into slash, but I though Mark and Roger's reunion on the rooftop was way more romantic than Mimi's "death" scene. I wasn't even moved by that until she mentioned Angel and they showed Collins.

For those of you familiar with the play, was Benny a more developed character in the play? I felt like their was something missing from his storyline because he seemed really unnecessary to me after Mark got the job.

What is a better soundtrack to get-the original or the one from the film?

Comments

[leftovert.livejournal.com]

Benny is one of the characters that the movie does a disservice to, thanks to the cuts and rearrangements of songs.

In the stage show Benny is given a redemption because you learn that he was the person who paid for Angel's funeral. On stage the priest throws them out because they couldn't pay for it, but Collins figures out it was Benny and there's a reconciliation of sorts between them. Benny also pays for Mimi's rehab.

Cutting the second half of Goodbye Love is really a critical step that I think should have been reconsidered. The movie still works without it, but I think it gives a lot of depth to Benny and to Mark/Roger's conflict which is far deeper than what's on screen as of now (they have a huge fight before Roger leaves) and also Mimi/Roger's relationship. I agree with you, these two didn't do much for me because I don't think Adam and Rosario had much in the way of chemistry. But when you see it on stage and you hear Mimi sing the lines in Goodbye Love where she's saying goodbye to Roger before he leaves and gives one of her most powerful lines in the show, IMO, "goodbye love, hello disease" you really understand the depth.

As for the soundtracks. If you give me a little while I'll send you both. The movie soundtrack obviously matches what you see on screen but the original recording is really raw and powerful in its own way.

[jule1122.livejournal.com]

I can see where what they cut would have made Benny's character more developed. The lyrics you sent in you 2nd comment really seem like they should have been included. They would have moved several stories along. Who was the orginal Mimi? Do you know why she was the only recast? As for the soundtrack, don't feel like you have to send me anything I'm just looking for recs. jule

[leftovert.livejournal.com]

A lot of those lyrics were actually filmed and are on the movie soundtrack (along with another cut track) but Chris Columbus felt it was too emotional or melodramatic. He didn't include the Benny part though because he had already changed the story during the New Years Eve scenes.

The original Mimi was Daphne Rubin Vega. There were a lot of reasons given for why she wasn't cast, namely that she was pregnant and/or had just given birth. The truth of the matter is that she just doesn't look the part anymore. Daphne is close to 40, if not already. Since Mimi is the only character that has an identifying age of 19 who looks 16, she just couldn't pass for being in her 20's much less a teenager.

As for the albums, it's not a problem, as long as Yousendit cooperates with me, though it hasn't been the last couple of days!