Tag Archives: RENT

RENT Rant: Anachronistic much?

Does anyone know the precise year in which RENT is set? It seems that Christopher Columbus and Stephen Chbosky do – 1989. But wait! Wasn’t Thelma and Louise , a film reference in RENT only released in 1991? How did … Continue reading

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“Perfect” Movie Musicals?

The release of RENT seems to have stirred up once more the debate around what makes a film adaptation of a stage musical “perfect”. Is it one that remains as faithful as possible to the material? Is it one that … Continue reading

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RENT Rant: Living and Dying Hollywood-style

The film adaptation of RENT certainly has its flaws, none more offensive than that which it inherited from its source material: the death of homosexual transvestite Angel and the miraculous survival of Mimi because of the endurance of “straight” love. … Continue reading

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RENT Rant: Cut Numbers and Spoken Lyrics

On stage, RENT was a rock opera. It’s unquestionable that it is one: the story is told primarily through a series of episodic and eclectic musical numbers that are grounded in the idiom of popular music. On film, RENT looks … Continue reading

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Michael John LaChiusa and the “Faux Musical”

Opera News published a super article by Michael John Lachiusa about the state of musical theatre. Entitled “The Great Grey Way”, the article is essential reading for anyone interested in musicals and how they are developing in this new century. … Continue reading

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