The OFFICIAL Rent on DVD Thread- Page 3

[neomystyk29]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 11:06am

I'm going to be succinct.

Goodbye Love, the Mark Roger argument included, needed to be in the movie. That's all.

Also, What You Own was terrible. Mark's solo in Halloween was deffinitely a good thing to cut out. I can't believe how much Taye is in the deleted scenes. Also, the continuity of Rosario's Mimi was horrible. We go from her complete fall from herself in Without You, to a completely collected and calm eulogy she gives at Angels funeral.

The movie and cut choices have so many flaws. However, that doesn't discount the fact that it's the first movie that has made me really feel and really cry in a long time.

[Bug715]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 12:52pm

I agree that the Mark Roger argument needed to be inclueded. That is my favorite song! Has anyone else noticed that at the end of the movie when they carry Mimi, Johanne is carrying Mimi but it takes Mark, Rodger, and Collins to get her upstairs? I find that sorta funny!

[downtowndiva84]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 1:01pm

"it takes Mark, Rodger, and Collins to get her upstairs? I find that sorta funny!"

It's especialy funny b/c Rosario probably weights all of 100 lbs.

Sigh. I can't say much more that hasn't already been stated on this thread. I'm not going to say I hate Chris Columbus, because I will be forever thankful that I didn't have to suffer through Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera but the man is SUCH a hypocrite. In the movie soundtrack CD insert he talks about being such a Rent fan and how the soundtrack was the soundtrack to his life for more than a decade. Then we watch the commentary and he seems only vaguely familiar with the show.

Updated On: 2/22/06 at 01:01 PM

[Katt]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 1:04pm

I thought the same. He seemed confused about some of the things in the stage version, as if he had only seen it once or twice. Anthony was talking about the beepers and he couldn't follow. He just seemed like he didn't know it that well.
Updated On: 2/22/06 at 01:04 PM

[Stitch_Stalker]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 1:28pm

Halloween is my favorite song in the show, but I feel as though the way they filmed it in the movie didn't do it enough justice and was better off cut... I was thinking that it would have been more successful if the scene was shot from the point of view of Mark's camera-those were some of my favorite scenes in the movie when we got the "raw" portrait of New York... If we had Mark's voice in the background while the camera jolted from grieving friend to grieving friend in order to show the confused nature of the situation, I think it would have been more powerful... Am I sounding totally stupid?

But, I agree with most everyone here-Goodbye Love SHOULD HAVE STAYED. What You Own was too rushed for me, and I think rather than slowed down the picture, Goodbye Love would have helped smooth it out some.

Also, I wish the commentary had been less of a Columbus-Oh look how awesome we were with this scene and more of an explanation of how things were filmed. I'm an aspiring filmmaker, so I like hearing tips and explanations rather than general praises. Also, I loved Adam and Anthony's banters and wish they had spoken up more.

But, it's always more easy to criticize than to compliment, so I have to say overall I loved the film, thought it was a very good adaptation, and the documentary on Mr. Larson was AMAZING..

[DancNdaMoonlite]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 4:45pm

Does anyone know how to reinsert some of the deleted scenes back into the movie?

[elphieisperky]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 4:55pm

Just got the DVD. I love it. Didn't have much time, so I went straight to the special features, and even that I skimmed. I saw Holloween and Goodbye Love already, so I skipped watching those again. But I saw the alternate ending...wow. I really do think I like that one better. And I just finished watching the documentary on Jonathon Larson. Once again, wow. I got chills when they talked about the memorial performance after his death. Beautiful. And I saw the "She Still Loves You" deleted scene. Short, but sweet. I was thrilled by the fact that there were two hot guys on my TV screen :)

So overall, I love. Can't wait to watch the rest. Oh, and downtowndiva, I was thinking the same thing.

[MrBundles]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 5:19pm

this might have already been written about. It just takes a whole to read pages of a thread, but I think Daphne looks sooo beautiful on the documentary.

[kitkatt456]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 5:52pm

I got the DVD yesterday and I watched the deleted scenes with and without commentary and the movie with and without commentary. I literaly watched the movie and then watched it again with commentary right after.

It was really interesting hearing the commentary. I agree that Columbus's reasons for cutting certain things weren't that good, he used the excuse "its just didn't feel right" a lot. I really didn't buy the excuse that Goodbye Love was too emotional. I think the movie was missing something and Goodbye Love would have filled that void. I also don't get the whole "Mark and Roger can't be singing at each other," Why not?? Mimi and Roger sing at each other, Maureen and Joanne sing at each other, why can't Mark and Roger sing at each other?

Anyway, I enjoyed Adam and Anthony's commentary the most. It was like listening in a real conversation between friends. I havn't watched the documentary yet, but I plan to tonight.

I am also curious to know how you can insert deleted scenes into the movie. I didn't know you could do that.

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 5:53pm

Lord of the Rings Special Edition
Empire Records Fan Edition

Not unheard of.

[jam_man]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 6:45pm

I really can't add too much that hasn't already been said. The documentary made me cry almost as much as I did when I first saw Rent. Personally, I agree with Columbus' decisions on cuts EXCEPT "Goodbye, Love" and April's suicide. Really could have helped. The whole argument that Mark and Roger can't sing to each other just because they haven't yet is pure [bleep]. (BTW, since when did they have to bleep commentary? Don't they usually have a parental warning?) Personally, I think that makes it more amplifyed. And a lot of the complaints about Adam's acting would have been lessend, if not done away with if it were in.

Also, I liked how on the commentary, they addressed the reviews they got. For months leading up to the movie, where were being lead to believe that it was going to be the most special movie ever with not a single ill-word even illuded to. Kudos for not (completely) ignoring the fact that the critics and others didn't think so.

And, yes, PLEASE let us know how to reinsert the deleted scenes. PM me if it's super secret.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 6:48pm

"And, yes, PLEASE let us know how to reinsert the deleted scenes. PM me if it's super secret. "

There may be some other method, but I would assume it would involving ripping it onto your computer, and then editing it back in with one of the media editing softwares.

[boxers7]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 9:41pm

I haven't watched the commentary yet so I don't know if Chris touched on this but I also think it would've helped to really clarify that Roger had AIDS. Maybe a small sex clip during Glory or them sharing the same needle, or even the Mark narraration "Close on Roger..." The person that I saw it with didn't understand that Roger had AIDS until I said something to them.

Posted: 2/22/06 at 10:04pm

I loved the alternate ending and all the deleted scenes except one. That is where Roger is running to meet Benny and all. I loved the documentary. I only watched two of them though so far. I will watch more later. I watched Another Day and Without You. Daphne looks really young still. I think she could have done the movie. They should have waited for her. Just my opinion. I love Daphne's voice and loved the scenes they showed in the Another Day one. I have seen them before though. I have only watched a few scenes.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 10:07pm

just curious... how many of you are actual rentheads?? i'm not really but i've seen the show like 7 times or so...

i'm reading all your comments and i can't help but feel like i'm in a star wars message board reading star wars fans complain about George Lucas! haha...

but i agree that Goodbye Love should have been in the movie... wholeheartedly agree about it.... and as for the original ending... i like it way more than the alternate... and is it me? but i love the movie better now then when i saw it in the theater...

[Katt]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 10:26pm

I just watched the documentary, which was awesome, although I would have liked to see more on Jonathan's other works. One thing I didn't know was that they were filming the performance the night Jonathan died, although they only showed the clip of Adam singing Glory.

[jam_man]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 11:17pm

"just curious... how many of you are actual rentheads?? i'm not really but i've seen the show like 7 times or so..." ---eatlasagna

I would think 7 times (unless all of those are the movie) would qualify you as a Renthead, unless you meant the original Rentheads that sat in line for 12 hours back in '96. If not, I would consider myself not quite a "Renthead," though I do love Rent, and at times (like now since the DVD is out) I do tend to fall into some Renthead-like patterns.

[joliz]

Posted: 2/22/06 at 11:18pm

I will echo everyone in the Goodbye Love had no reason to be cut, nor did April's suicide, and I honestly think the deleted Benny scenes were essential to redeem him. I remember I took a group of students I worked with in an afterschool program to see the film when it was still in theatres and they all booed (it was a fairly empty theatre) at the end when there's a shot of Benny in Mark's film. They still saw him as a bad guy.

I think my favorite part of the features was the documentary. There was a point where Jonathan's best friend is talking about his death, and he mentioned how Jonathan loved the tea that tasted like sawdust and he hated it, and it was such a random comment but for some reason it made me cry so hard. it wasn't until then that Jonathan felt human to me. I know that sounds weird, but ever since I was 12, when I saw the play in 96, he's always been this larger than life person in my mind because of all the stories of how much of a genuis he was and all that. But that tiny offhand comment really made me feel him as a human.

Anyway, I also loved the fact that we saw Rosario and Tracie's screen tests. Those were great. If it wasn't for the commentary I would've never known about Jesse's hilarious comebacks.

Updated On: 2/22/06 at 11:18 PM

[Dramatic_Irony]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 12:32am

I think I can understand Halloween being cut, even though I don't really agree with it. I think the transition from the "I'll Cover You: Reprise" to the first bit of Goodbye Love was beautiful. I will always love Halloween, but, *for once*, I agree with Colombus that it might have slowed the pacing a bit. Also, in Halloween, I think there should have been a few more close-ups.

Goodbye Love had the best performances of the film. Anthony, Adam, and Rosario absolutely blue me away. I maintain that it should not have been cut out. You don't get the full impact of the "What You Own" lyrics and the hug at the end without that song. More to the point, you don't get the full impact of the *character*, particularly Mark. Colombus' reasons were ridiculous.

[NJRae]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 11:32am

Hmmm, the excuse that Mark and Roger can't sing at each other when all of their scenes have been spoken . . . ummm did they not sing at each other in Rent?

I also think that Goodbye Love absolutely should have stayed. And, quite frankly, I didn't like the way Benny paying for the funeral was filmed, but I think they should have found a way for that to be in there as well. Like others have said it just totally redeems him.

April dying . . . absolutely should have stayed. However, if it were me I never would have showed Roger with her when she found out she had AIDS. I would have showed her with the test results, then I would have zoomed in on the paper and had it splattered with blood and a razor blade fall on it. Have Roger find her and a note, "We have AIDS". Isn't that how the song goes? "His girlfriend April left a note saying we have AIDS before slitting her wrists in the bathroom." What I get from that is that Roger did not know that she (they) had AIDS and found out at the same time that he found his girlfriend dead.

I really did like the alternate ending . . . it got to me a lot more than the one that was left and I did like that it tied in the whole idea of them being on the stage. I think without going back to the stage in the end, them being on the stage in the beginning just doesn't make a whole lot of sense, no matter what reason Columbus gives. That said, I do see how it would confuse people and give them the wrong idea and I'm glad he went with the ending that he did.

Except for the BS excuses I did like the commentary. I cracked up when, during "Santa Fe" Anthony said, wait! See the blonde woman? I was waiting for him to point out more of the mistakes everyone was talking about but since Columbus didn't seem to take it well . . . lol

I loved the documentary and even after two hours I did wish that there was more but . . .

All in all I feel the same as I did after seeing it in theaters. It was good, but could have been better. I'm just glad that we got to see so many of the OBC members in the film. I can only be annoyed about so much of what Columbus did. If someone else had done it who knows who would have been in it!

[faithanytwo]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 11:34am

Just wanted to add that I've already watched the feature and commentary, along with deleted scenes... and although I love watching the deleted scenes I agree with the final cut. I think it's amazing this is the only movie that completely moves me every time I watch it like it did the first time.

[WiiCKED x3]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 11:39am

i keep watching the DVD over and over, its amazing. The documentary is a little LONG, but the special features are really good

[KiminVA]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 6:07pm

Because I just had to tell someone:

- Leaving out Goodbye Love was such a mistake. If Chris Columbus was concerned about Roger and Mark singing to each other, why not keep the *concept*-- a confrontation between the two of them-- and put it in as dialogue, then go back to characters singing to one another when Roger leaves (i.e., "You heard?", "Every word..."). Problem solved.

- I'm really irritated at the explanation of leaving out April's suicide scene. It left the impression that April died of AIDS related causes, which IS a problem, because then one is left wondering Why is Roger still alive & kicking? Bad choice.

- I'm soooo glad Adam and Anthony pointed out that the infamous cliff scene really did make that huge leap into MTV video land, complete with citing both Britney and Bon Jovi. Beautiful.

- I felt the scene at the graveyard after Angel's funeral, the scene with Benny in the loft after they got all their stuff back and the scene with Benny and Roger at the bar were all helpful. Keeping them would have solved the apparent connundrum Chris Columbus found himself in... "There's not enough Taye in this movie."

- I agree with the ending that was used, and cutting Halloween, although it hurt.

Still love the movie, and I'd be remiss if I didn't say that I'm so glad that it got made in the first place and that so many of the OBC'ers were part of it. It really is a piece of history, even with its flaws, and I'd much rather have it in its current form than not have it at all... or worse, have it with Justin Timberlake and Christina. Yipes.

Thanks if you made it all the way through this post, and no hard feelings if you didn't. ;~)

[way_to_spend_the_day]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 7:09pm

Just watched the documentary this afternoon and LOVED it. This was such an amazing tribute to Jonathan and his work, and everyone spoke really eloquently about him. It was also really great to put a face to some of the people I read about in "Without You". It was so touching and an amazing addition to the DVD, and I DO NOT agree that it was too long. Does anyone know if any of the friends of Jonathan who were talking were the inspiration for Susan and Michael in TTB?

[actorgal]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 8:15pm

I haven't been able to watch much yet, but I definitely agree that Goodbye Love should have made the final cut. It was also really cool seeing Tracie and Rosario's screen tests...that's the only bit of the documentary that I've been able to see so far. My parents and sister all hate it and mock it whenever I listen to the recordings, so I'll have to wait until I get the house to myself before I can watch the rest. :P

Has anyone managed to find any easter eggs yet? I really hope they have some *crosses fingers*