Cinco DeNio

You know what, strike the question. I'm just being an old fogy. If done right, callouts can be charming and I don't have a problem when they're done then. I'm being a hypocrite. Apologies to all.

Maybe I wasn't clear. I have no problems with updating. I wanted to see Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme when it came out but was still in Michgan. I mean did the show itself have to call out that it was updating La Boheme?

I think the opening of the movie is one of the reasons I had problems. In La Boheme the flatmates are poor and aren't going to pay the rent but they do it in a charming way, befuddling the landlord. Even with the additions ITSV where Benny is a complete dick to his former roommates the entire building claiming they're not going to pay rent falls flat. The Tango: Maureen is a masterful update of Musetta's Waltz. I loved that scene. Everything else could have been portrayed as an East Village slice of life and it would have worked. Knowing it's La Boheme brings expectations from the viewer that, (at least in the movie for me), weren't met. I also have problems with Musetta/Maureen as a character. Both of them are hopeless flirts (or worse) yet they are treated as if it's perfectly charming. Everyone laughs in La Boheme when Musetta fools her old, fuddy-duddy lover, sticks him with the bill (so they don't even pay for the meal themselves) and runs off with Marcel. Later in the opera Marcel angrily fumes about her behavior but never is able to settle her down. One thing I think Rent does extremely well is show the human carnage Maureen is leaving in her wake but I'm not sure she ever learns either. She and Joanne reconcile but for how long? I admit this issue for me may be more cultural than specifically about the Musetta/Maureen character. The show Kiss Me Kate has Bianca as an almost unrepentant slut yet she's a star of the show. She keeps nagging her boyfriend to give up his gambling but then verbally smacks him when he dares to question her sleeping around. Her quote "How the hell can you be jealous, when you know, baby, I'm your slave!" rings false because she then sings an entire song about gladly going off with any rich man who gives her jewels or furs or other niceties.

Serious question: Did Rent (either in the movie or ITSV) HAVE to update La Boheme? The dramaturg note posted earlier mentioned Jonathon Larson had a lot of dramatic issues resolved by building on the operatic framework. Yet it seems to me the musical itself would have worked just fine without trading on the opera. I think one of the reasons I initially didn't like La Vie Boheme was it just seemed like a barefaced shoehorn, like "Oh yeah! Just in case you forgot we're La Boheme on its 100th anniversary!" The character names play on that as well. Who knows Angel's last name is Schunard? I think it's mentioned once but otherwise she's Angel throughout. Rodrigo becomes Roger. Marcel becomes Mark. Musetta becomes Maureen. Colline is Tom Collins. Yet Mimi stays Mimi. Why, EXCEPT to highlight the connection? (And for the "You? Me! Mimiiiiiiiii!" line.)

I think it's like my liking the movie Moonlight. I probably wouldn't have seen it if it hadn't been nominated for Best Picture AND that Regal Cinemas had a Best Picture Festival where they showed all 9 nominees. I think Jonathon Larson's death brought out a lot more people to see the show and then it took off on its own merits. If he hadn't died it might have been a more modest success and fewer people would have seen it.

I went searching for Jimmy Pardo's reaction because someone mentioned it in last week's thread. Found this podcast episode with Anthony Rapp (Mark). I like the description of Jimmy's "relationship" with the show: "Jimmy Pardo, of course, has a bizarre, complicated relationship with the musical, where he by all accounts hates everything about the [sic] it but nonetheless sees it every chance he gets, and sobs profusely in his car afterward each time. Rapp, for his part, is as baffled by this as anyone would be, but he takes it well, even though he still has a lot of love for the show." (You have to scroll down to get to the podcast description.) http://www.avclub.co...-twister-221760 http://www.earwolf.c...e/anthony-rapp/

Apologies. I forgot to add ITSV.

Rent was the 12th highest-grossing musical in 1996. (Granted, dollars don't equal butts in seats.) http://www.broadwayworld.com/grossescumulative.cfm?year=1996

When I first read this I thought you were talking about mass effect as in a crowd pushing its way through into the restaurant. Then I realized you were asking which video game. Congratulations on a multi-dimensional comment!

To be fair, 4 of the 6 pages were a discussion on which Iron Fist character was which Rent character.

I guess Del came through town and needed some money.

One general note. It REALLY bothered me that Angel killed a dog to earn the money and that was celebrated later. Well, it turns out I'm a hypocrite. I've seen La Boheme several times and missed that Schaunard kills a parrot! (Angel's last name is Schunard.)

I wish Roger's items from the stage had been left in the movie. Roger is original cast as well and I didn't care for him in the movie at all. He reminds of TN in JCS.

I hate to think what would happen if she found out she's wrong.

Is this really in the stage version? I don't remember her explaining why she picked cows as the instrument of liberation. (Unless she's secretly Hindu.)

I think that will probably be my reaction as well. I let life intervene so I haven't watched Broadway yet. (On the schedule for tonight hopefully.) I did read that Benny is a real dick and that's why the Alphabet City/Bohemian/Rentizens are rebelling. On another note...

Cam Bert I just posted my JCS thoughts in that thread. Thanks for the opportunity to watch it! I was very impressed with the movie.

I know I'm really late to the party but I owe it to Cam Bert to give my thoughts on his pick. As I've said before I devoured the concept album and saw one stage production done by students at the University of Michigan. Seeing the movie last night was my first time watching it all the way through. I remember trying to watch it once before but not being impressed by the opening number. Oh well. 1) I don't remember much about the stage production but Jesus Christ definitely was the Superstar there. The music definitely calls for a strong actor who can physically be a presence. Having a weak actor like TN allows Judas to overshadow JCS. I was also impressed because during The Last Supper one disciple does a full-body face plant onto the stage. It happened so quickly and so loudly I was certain there was no way the actor could have broken his fall. One second he was standing (relatively) straight and the next he was laid completely out face down. Obviously the actor was OK and the noise was probably him slapping the stage but it took me completely by surprise. 2) The other main thing I remember about the stage production was I was completely disappointed. In the playbill (term used generically) it said the staging was based on Tom O'Horgan's original Broadway staging. I remembered reading that ALW didn't like that staging so I was anxious to see what the big deal was. It wasn't nearly what I'd read of the original staging. Honestly I think the stage production also sated my need to ever see the show live again. I would listen to the album but didn't care for anything else. 3) That all having been said I was greatly impressed with this movie. It was very moving at the end seeing Judas' frustration, indecision, doubt and morally struggling with "the right thing to do". I thought it was going to be a complete farce (and the GIFs of Josh Mostel dancing didn't help any) but it wasn't. Before the weekly discussion started I said I believed this would have been considered Norman Jewison's masterpiece if he hadn't made Fiddler on the Roof. I still stand by that. This was a great work of filmmaking. He didn't just point a camera and let the actors go crazy. 4) I loved that they got Yvonne Elliman to play Mary. I'd heard her so often on the records that it was great to put a face to the name. I don't know if I would have liked the movie as much with anyone else in the role. I always thought it was Mary, Lazarus' sister, that poured the ointment over Jesus. Lazarus being a rich man it would make sense he would have costly ointment on hand. I don't think anyone believes Mary (or Magdalene) went out and bought the ointment at that moment. That makes Judas' comment even more hypocritical. John 12 just says that they went to Bethany, Lazarus' town, and Lazarus' sister Martha served at the dinner. Then it says that Mary took the ointment. It could be Lazarus' other sister or Magdalene. (There were likely other Marys around, Jesus' mom for one.) 5) I can't get over the hats for the Pharisees and Sadducees. I liked one Caiaphas' being wide and Annas' being tall but didn't understand the point of either. To me they distracted from the actors' words and performances. I did like using the construction site as the "meeting place" and the council banging on the pipes in time with the cymbals at the end of the song. A nice touch. 6) I was disappointed at first when they moved "Heaven on their Minds" to near the end but seeing it in the movie made a lot of sense and was very moving to show Judas' redemption. I still think it should be early on to show why Judas is having all these issues but wouldn't mind it being left where the movie has it. Back in 2012 they did an arena tour and filmed that. I'll have to watch that sometime. All in all a worthwhile pick Cam Bert!

Thanks. Just have to give the medicines time to work. Should be up and ready for Monday's discussion. (Been bouncing in my seat all week.) Watching Jesus Christ Superstar for the first time now. (Am familiar with the musical through the album and saw it live in Michigan once.) I wanted to expand on my self-selection as Mark. I love photography as a hobby and am known as the one behind the camera. (I don't take pictures nearly enough as I need to get good at it but I enjoy it when I do.) I spend my life out of the circle, always watching but rarely participating. I thank several of you that picked me as Joanne. I like that selection because she seems to be the fighter of the group. She knows what she wants and is willing to stand and struggle until she gets it. That's what I aspire to. I recently read a description of an extroverted introvert. I need to read some more but that seems to fit me well. I've been a loner but am trying to be more social and contributive. You all help a great deal with that. Thanks!

I need to watch the Broadway version but I never saw you as Mark. (Not just saying this because you begged for someone to prove you wrong.) I always saw you as Angel, the open-hearted, always-giving, soul of the group. (KIlled any dogs lately?) I know if it hadn't been for your help with all my questions and whatnot behind the scenes I wouldn't be the small part of this group that I am now. (I also apologize for being absent. Been sick for at least the last three days and am still recovering.) If you were gone your loss would be felt by EVERYONE. Me, on the other hand, I could see as Mark. (Notwithstanding that is my real first name.) Not to talk about the movie but I was never impressed with Mark's character. Seeing the deleted song Halloween in the special features just reinforces that. I wish it would have been left in the film as it would have given him some closure and some compensation for not being with someone at the end.

I'm good with this. I can be pretty uptight and whitebread about a lot of things. Plus I have the hots for Idina Menzel too.

Several people have posted the Broadway filmed performance on YouTube. I'll watch this weekend to compare and contrast. [media=''] [/media]