Rent Part 1

Timmy bought me Rent yesterday - yay! Now, I saw the movie last November when it came out in the theaters, and it was quite disappointing. In a way, how could I not be disappointed? I've seen the actual show four times, and for the few months leading to the movie premiere, I followed the status of the movie almost every day. Disappointment could only follow. However, even with the disappointment, I knew I would still buy the movie because I'm a little crazy like that when it comes to Rent. But as I have thought about the movie since November, I have this suspicion that I am going to eventually love the movie. The first time I saw the show I was not overwhelmed by it. It took time.

So, yesterday, we got the movie and today I started checking it out. Unfortuntately, I have to prepare the lesson for group tomorrow and do a bunch of other things before Timmy gets home from work, so I can't actually watch the whole movie. I did check out the deleted scenes, though :) And I have to say I loved the alternate ending! Loved it!!! One of the great Rent show moments is the beginning of the second act when the cast casually walks out onto the stage, stands in that line, and sings Seasons of Love. It's awesome. The first trailer for the movie had the cast doing the same thing and it sent chills down my legs. And one of the most tender moments of the show is during the I'll Cover You Reprise ( which is probably personally my favorite Rent song and thank you Chris Columbus that the movie did not disappoint with that scene). I'll Cover You Reprise includes the cast singing Seasons of Love as back up. In the show, the entire cast is once again standing in that line, however, where Angel stood is left empty because of his death. It's one of those things you can miss if you're not really paying attention, but it touches me everytime - that hole in the line because Angel's not there anymore. But the crowd applauds and people cry when Angel runs out and joins the cast for the last bit of the finale. It's a part of the show that I look forward to each time I watch it. It just fills me up with warmth. But it's something that movie couldn't capture. That was my biggest beef with the movie. There were so many things that it couldn't truly grab because it's a completely different medium. Theater is a just different and Rent is a show that, I believe, works best on stage.

But today, I watched the deleted scenes and there was an alternate ending. And it sent chills up my legs. It brought tears to my eyes. It somehow made the Rent movie experience complete. Columbus decided to open the movie with Seasons of Love - the entire cast on a stage in that line just like the show. That wasn't the original sequence in the show, but I understand why he did it that way. It just made more sense for the movie. But in the alternate ending of the movie, during the finale, Columbus faded out of the apartment and back to that line on that stage. And there was a gap in the line because Angel wasn't there. And they sang No Day but Today. Then Mimi turned her head and smiled as Angel walked past her. And as he passed Collins, they grabbed hands, looked at each other, and smiled. And Angel continued on his way to take his place in that line and he finished that song.

I doubt there is anyone who really cares about all that I have just written. In fact, I'll be surprised if most people actually read the whole entry. I can't imagine anyone except Jeremy would care about this alternate ending and how it made me feel. I don't know what it is about Rent. I don't know why I feel such a connection to the show, but I do. At face value, why would I? I'm not a struggling artist, a bohemian. I'm not gay. I don't have AIDS. I don't know anyone who does. I don't do drugs. I don't know anyone who struggles with drugs. There is nothing about the lifestyles of the characters that I can personally connect with like so many Rentheads. I read it all the time, "I'm gay and Rent helped me not feel alone." "My friend was diagnosed with AIDS, and I didn't know what to do. But Rent gave me hope." "I want to be an artist and my family just doesn't understand." I don't have any of those stories. I'm a "good girl." But still this show - there is something about it.