Rent (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
starring: Taye Diggs, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Rosario Dawson, Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal
directed by: Chris Columbus, Jeffrey Schwarz
directed by: Chris Columbus, Jeffrey Schwarz
List Price: $19.94
as of 03/21/2010 13:24 EDT
Amazon.com's Price: $13.99
You Save: $5.95 (30%)as of 03/21/2010 13:24 EDT
Product Description:
IN NEW YORK'S EAST VILLAGE, A GROUP OF BOHEMIANS STRUGGLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES THROUGH THEIR ART & STRIVE FOR SUCCESS & ACCEPTANCE WHILE ENDURING THE OBSTACLES OF POVERTY, ILLNESS & THE AIDS EPIDEMIC.
Amazon.com:
Rent, the show that in 1996 gave voice to a Broadway generation, has finally become an energetic, passionate, and touching movie musical. Based loosely on Puccini's La Bohème, it focuses on the year in the life of a group of friends in New York's East Village--"bohemians" who live carefree lives of art, music, sex, and drugs. Well, carefree until Mark, an aspiring filmmaker (Anthony Rapp), and Roger, an aspiring songwriter (Adam Pascal), find out they owe a year's rent to Benny (Taye Diggs), a former friend who had promised them free residence when he married the landlord's daughter. Roger has also attracted the attention of his downstairs neighbor, Mimi (Rosario Dawson), while Mark's former girlfriend, Maureen (Idina Menzel), has found a new romance in a lawyer named Joanne (Tracie Thoms). Philosophy professor Tom (Jesse L. Martin) finds his soul mate in drag queen Angel (Wilson Jermaine Heredia). But because this is the late-'80s, the threat of AIDS is always present.
The remarkable thing about Rent the movie is that nearly 10 years after the show debuted on Broadway, six of the eight principals return in the roles they originated. They're a bit older than would be ideal for their characters, but they do have the advantage of having learned the show directly from creator Jonathan Larson (who died of an aortic aneurysm while the show was in previews), plus they started young--we're not exactly talking Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford here.Alongside a polished performance like Rapp's--sometimes observer-commentator, sometimes participant in two of the score's showstoppers, "The Tango Maureen" and "La Vie Boheme"--the two new additions (Thoms in place of Fredi Walker, Dawson in place of the edgier Daphne Rubin-Vega) slip comfortably into the ensemble; the pivotal Dawson makes a seductive case as Mimi when she tempts Roger in the mesmerizing "Light My Candle" or burns up the stage of the Catscratch Club in "Out Tonight."Moviegoers who have an aversion to people who break into song while walking down the street probably won't have their minds changed by Rent (even if they are singing rock songs), and the gritty subject matter and lack of big-name stars make it unlikely to cross over to general audiences the way Chicago did.But fans of musicals should find "Seasons of Love" as stirring as ever, and the show's passionate admirers--the "Rentheads"--probably couldn't have wished for a more sympathetic director than Rent fan Chris Columbus, or a more faithful representation of the show they love. --David Horiuchi
On the DVD
Three powerful musical numbers cut from the final film are the highlight of the two-disc DVD.In the aftermath of the funeral scene, Anthony Rapp sings "Halloween," and he, Adam Pascal, and Rosario Dawson share "Goodbye Love" (both songs were in the stage version). Then in an alternate ending, the cast finishes "No Day But Today" on the bare stage on which the film began.There are worthwhile arguments for why these scenes were cut or replaced, so it's fortunate that the DVD lets us see these at all.Those musical numbers have optional commentary by director Chris Columbus, Rapp, and Pascal (two other cut scenes have no commentary), including one funny moment in which Rapp explains in great detail the technical challenge of shooting "Halloween" only to have Columbus say, "Yeah, but I don't know if that's the take we used."The three also provide commentary on the film itself, with Columbus discussing various decisions, criticizing the critics, and marveling "I still don't know how we got the PG-13," and Rapp and Pascal occasionally recalling differences in the stage version.
The other whopper of a feature is No Day But Today, a nearly two-hour documentary that uses video clips, still photographs, and interviews with family and friends to celebrate the short life of Jonathan Larson and his creation.Topics include his early interest in musical theater ("I want to write the Hair for the '90s."), the support of Stephen Sondheim, the impact of the AIDS epidemic, the long and difficult road of Rent (casting the show, Larson learning to collaborate, the transfer to a Broadway stage, and the Rentheads), and Larson's tragic death. The last 20 minutes covers the making of the film, director Chris Columbus, the decision to rely on most of the original cast (the only two principals who didn't appear in the movie, Daphne Rubin-Vega and Fredi Walker-Browne, are interviewed in earlier segments, but only mentioned in passing here), recording sessions, and location shooting.If the movie of Rent was a tribute to Jonathan Larson, the DVD is all that and more, a moving and incredibly detailed look at an extraordinary talent whom the world lost far too soon.--David Horiuchi
More Rent
IN NEW YORK'S EAST VILLAGE, A GROUP OF BOHEMIANS STRUGGLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES THROUGH THEIR ART & STRIVE FOR SUCCESS & ACCEPTANCE WHILE ENDURING THE OBSTACLES OF POVERTY, ILLNESS & THE AIDS EPIDEMIC.
Amazon.com:
Rent, the show that in 1996 gave voice to a Broadway generation, has finally become an energetic, passionate, and touching movie musical. Based loosely on Puccini's La Bohème, it focuses on the year in the life of a group of friends in New York's East Village--"bohemians" who live carefree lives of art, music, sex, and drugs. Well, carefree until Mark, an aspiring filmmaker (Anthony Rapp), and Roger, an aspiring songwriter (Adam Pascal), find out they owe a year's rent to Benny (Taye Diggs), a former friend who had promised them free residence when he married the landlord's daughter. Roger has also attracted the attention of his downstairs neighbor, Mimi (Rosario Dawson), while Mark's former girlfriend, Maureen (Idina Menzel), has found a new romance in a lawyer named Joanne (Tracie Thoms). Philosophy professor Tom (Jesse L. Martin) finds his soul mate in drag queen Angel (Wilson Jermaine Heredia). But because this is the late-'80s, the threat of AIDS is always present.
The remarkable thing about Rent the movie is that nearly 10 years after the show debuted on Broadway, six of the eight principals return in the roles they originated. They're a bit older than would be ideal for their characters, but they do have the advantage of having learned the show directly from creator Jonathan Larson (who died of an aortic aneurysm while the show was in previews), plus they started young--we're not exactly talking Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford here.Alongside a polished performance like Rapp's--sometimes observer-commentator, sometimes participant in two of the score's showstoppers, "The Tango Maureen" and "La Vie Boheme"--the two new additions (Thoms in place of Fredi Walker, Dawson in place of the edgier Daphne Rubin-Vega) slip comfortably into the ensemble; the pivotal Dawson makes a seductive case as Mimi when she tempts Roger in the mesmerizing "Light My Candle" or burns up the stage of the Catscratch Club in "Out Tonight."Moviegoers who have an aversion to people who break into song while walking down the street probably won't have their minds changed by Rent (even if they are singing rock songs), and the gritty subject matter and lack of big-name stars make it unlikely to cross over to general audiences the way Chicago did.But fans of musicals should find "Seasons of Love" as stirring as ever, and the show's passionate admirers--the "Rentheads"--probably couldn't have wished for a more sympathetic director than Rent fan Chris Columbus, or a more faithful representation of the show they love. --David Horiuchi
On the DVD
Three powerful musical numbers cut from the final film are the highlight of the two-disc DVD.In the aftermath of the funeral scene, Anthony Rapp sings "Halloween," and he, Adam Pascal, and Rosario Dawson share "Goodbye Love" (both songs were in the stage version). Then in an alternate ending, the cast finishes "No Day But Today" on the bare stage on which the film began.There are worthwhile arguments for why these scenes were cut or replaced, so it's fortunate that the DVD lets us see these at all.Those musical numbers have optional commentary by director Chris Columbus, Rapp, and Pascal (two other cut scenes have no commentary), including one funny moment in which Rapp explains in great detail the technical challenge of shooting "Halloween" only to have Columbus say, "Yeah, but I don't know if that's the take we used."The three also provide commentary on the film itself, with Columbus discussing various decisions, criticizing the critics, and marveling "I still don't know how we got the PG-13," and Rapp and Pascal occasionally recalling differences in the stage version.
The other whopper of a feature is No Day But Today, a nearly two-hour documentary that uses video clips, still photographs, and interviews with family and friends to celebrate the short life of Jonathan Larson and his creation.Topics include his early interest in musical theater ("I want to write the Hair for the '90s."), the support of Stephen Sondheim, the impact of the AIDS epidemic, the long and difficult road of Rent (casting the show, Larson learning to collaborate, the transfer to a Broadway stage, and the Rentheads), and Larson's tragic death. The last 20 minutes covers the making of the film, director Chris Columbus, the decision to rely on most of the original cast (the only two principals who didn't appear in the movie, Daphne Rubin-Vega and Fredi Walker-Browne, are interviewed in earlier segments, but only mentioned in passing here), recording sessions, and location shooting.If the movie of Rent was a tribute to Jonathan Larson, the DVD is all that and more, a moving and incredibly detailed look at an extraordinary talent whom the world lost far too soon.--David Horiuchi
More Rent
 Movie soundtrack |  Original Broadway cast recording |  Anthony Rapp's Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical "Rent" |
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Comments of a fan
One of the best musicals ever made (at least for me... rs).
One of the first musicals that uses one band instead an ochestra, and it's the diferential that makes this movie memorable.
The history is so beautyful and the songs are strongs and well made.
Thank you, Jonathan Larson.
C. Mauricio.
Rio de Janeiro, 2010.
Rating: - ...minutes in a life - spend some of yours on this!
I was in floods of tears before the film even began. The actors do an overture of the main song out of character right to camera. I am someone who was in my early 20's in the eighties and I can't forget. I can never get the lyrics right - is it 50065000800 minutes? anyway I defy anyone not to be moved. All those vibrant living young souls who never grew old.
Singing rapturous, dancing explosive,
characters? I love the relationship between the tough gay guy and his dancing ... Read More
Rating: - I loved it!
This was a great musical with a beautiful message about people loving other people who were both different and the same without prejudicial views. The singing and dancing reminds you of actually sitting in the theatre but is on screen being portrayed as a movie instead.
Even though one of the characters does die in the play, it shows how much this group of friends really stuck together.
The beginning starts a pretty slow build up however watching the middle and especially the ending of ... Read More
Rating: - From the creator of Home Alone?!Bravo!
Quick, hold up your hands and do the Macauley Culkin pose in "Home Alone." You wouldn't think the director of this slapstick family film would later create a dramatic movie about love, loss, addiction and AIDS, with words such as dildos and S&M included in song.
But Chris Columbus did; and he delivered. His film version of Jonathan Larson's musical, "Rent," is full of visual and emotional impact. The way he did one of the musical numbers alone makes the DVD worth owning. It's called, "Without ... Read More
Rating: - For anyone who loves the Musical: RENT
This movie is an excellent choice for anyone who is a true fan of the musical: RENT!I'm so glad I purchased it.
- Comments of a fanOne of the best musicals ever made (at least for me... rs).
One of the first musicals that uses one band instead an ochestra, and it's the diferential that makes this movie memorable.
The history is so beautyful and the songs are strongs and well made.
Thank you, Jonathan Larson.
C. Mauricio.
Rio de Janeiro, 2010.
Rating:
- ...minutes in a life - spend some of yours on this!I was in floods of tears before the film even began. The actors do an overture of the main song out of character right to camera. I am someone who was in my early 20's in the eighties and I can't forget. I can never get the lyrics right - is it 50065000800 minutes? anyway I defy anyone not to be moved. All those vibrant living young souls who never grew old.
Singing rapturous, dancing explosive,
characters? I love the relationship between the tough gay guy and his dancing ... Read More
Rating:
- I loved it!This was a great musical with a beautiful message about people loving other people who were both different and the same without prejudicial views. The singing and dancing reminds you of actually sitting in the theatre but is on screen being portrayed as a movie instead.
Even though one of the characters does die in the play, it shows how much this group of friends really stuck together.
The beginning starts a pretty slow build up however watching the middle and especially the ending of ... Read More
Rating:
- From the creator of Home Alone?!Bravo!Quick, hold up your hands and do the Macauley Culkin pose in "Home Alone." You wouldn't think the director of this slapstick family film would later create a dramatic movie about love, loss, addiction and AIDS, with words such as dildos and S&M included in song.
But Chris Columbus did; and he delivered. His film version of Jonathan Larson's musical, "Rent," is full of visual and emotional impact. The way he did one of the musical numbers alone makes the DVD worth owning. It's called, "Without ... Read More
Rating:
- For anyone who loves the Musical: RENTThis movie is an excellent choice for anyone who is a true fan of the musical: RENT!I'm so glad I purchased it.
