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

[shadownyc.livejournal.com]

Benny wasn't much more in the play. The issue is that he can't let go of his past and his friends because they had meaning, yet he is drawn to the trappings of the materialistic life that he has due to his wife's connections.

Due to the ability to use all types of wonderful camera angles and scenic location variations, the scene on the roof also moved me deeply--more so than in the play. I found Mimi's near death scene somewhat more dramatic in the play.

I may be frivolous but I love both soundtracks. Maybe you can "borrow" one temporarily to load...?

[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.

[leftovert.livejournal.com]

BTW, you can read the whole libretto of the show here:

http://libretto.musicals.ru/text.php?textid=283&language=1

Specifically the lyrics that I think you miss the most because of the cuts are these:

MARK
I hear there are great restaurants out west

ROGER
Some of the best. How could she?

MARK
How could you let her go?

ROGER
You just don't know How could we lose Angel?

MARK
Maybe you'll see why when you stop escaping your pain
At least now if you try- Angel's death won't be in vain

ROGER
His death is in vain

(MIMI reappears up left, in the shadows. She overhears ROGER and
MARK's conversation)

MARK
Are you insane?
There so much to care about
There's me- there's Mimi

ROGER
Mimi's got her baggage, too

MARK
So do you

ROGER
Who are you to tell me what I know, what to do

MARK
A friend

ROGER
But who, Mark, are you?
"Mark has got his work"
They say "Mark lives for his work"
And "Mark's in love with his work"
Mark hides in his work

MARK
But from what?

ROGER
From facing your failure, facing your loneliness
Facing the fact you live a lie
Yes, you live a lie tell you why
You're always preaching not to be numb
When that's how you thrive
You pretend to create and observe
When you really detach from feeling alive

MARK
Perhaps it's because I'm the one of us to survive

ROGER
Poor baby

MARK
Mimi still loves Roger
Is Roger really jealous
Or afraid that Mimi's weak

ROGER
Mimi did look pale

MARK
Mimi's gotten thin
Mimi's running out of time
Roger's running out the door

ROGER
No more! Oh no
I've gotta go

MARK
Hey, for somebody who's always been let down
Who's heading out of town?

ROGER
For someone who longs for a community of his own,
Who's with his camera, alone?
(ROGER takes a step to go, then stops, turns)
I'll call
I hate the fall
(ROGER turns to go and sees MIMI)
You heard?

MIMI
Every word
You don't want baggage without lifetime guarantees
You don't want to watch me die
I just came to say
Goodbye, love
Goodbye, love
Came to say goodbye, love, goodbye

MIMI
Just came to say
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Goodbye

ROGER
Glory
One blaze of
Glory
Have to find

(ROGER exits. BENNY returns. MIMI steps away)

MIMI
Please don't touch me
Understand
I'm scared
I need to go away

MARK
I know a place a clinic

BENNY
A rehab?

MIMI
Maybe could you?

BENNY
I'll pay

MIMI
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Came to say goodbye, love, goodbye
Just came to say
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Hello disease

(MIMI runs away. After a moment, COLLINS quicjkly enters, with the
PASTOR trailing behind him)

PASTOR
Off the premises now, we give no handouts here

MARK
What happened to Rest In Peace?

PASTOR
Off the premises, queer

COLLINS
That's no way to send a boy to meet his maker
They had to know we couldn't pay the undertaker

BENNY
(To COLLINS) Don't you worry 'bout him
(To PASTOR) Hey, I'll take care of it

(The PASTOR acknowledges BENNY and exits)

MARK
Must be nice to have money

ALL THREE
No shit

COLLINS
I think it's only fair to tell you, you just paid for the funeral of the person who
killed your dog

BENNY
I know... I always hated that dog
Let's pay him off, and then get drunk

MARK
I can't... I have a meeting

BENNY & COLLINS
Punk! Let's go

(COLLINS and BENNY exit)

[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

[jule1122.livejournal.com]

There's nothing frivolous about loving music. I have several versions of most of my favorite songs and I'm a sucker for compliations even if I have all of the songs already.

[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!

[leftovert.livejournal.com]

Here's the original Broadway cast, still waiting on the movie soundtrack to upload.

http://s51.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=24QVIK10LOHJ93GUOUT9XMHT8N

[leftovert.livejournal.com]

And here's the movie:

http://s37.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1CR4VNQ6OVLPK0V44QZX8BGJNZ