Just Take Me…Out Tonight!
As you may already know, I LOVE RENT! Like, a lot. Through the kindness of a really sweet person, I was fortunate enough to attend the world premiere of the movie at the Ziegfeld Theater tonight and the after party at Roseland.
I was a little nervous about seeing the movie because I’m such a HUGE fan of the stage musical, but I have to say I was not disappointed. I loved it. There were some great moments that Rentheads will really get a kick out of. I was so happy during the whole film. I’m not sure if it’s for everyone, but I adored it and I’m seeing it again next week at the midnight showing on the 22nd. Ok, are you now embarrassed for me? Sorry! I just have to geek out on this.
My favorite moment was during “What You Own” when they show Roger in Santa Fe. It’s amazing because it looks like they switched the real footage with outtakes from a Creed “With Arms Wide Open” and/or Britney Spears “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” video (above). Yessssss!
At the premiere I saw Sarah Silverman (who has a small but hilarious role in the film), Little Steven, Joey “‘Nsync” Fatone (Who has been “Mark Cohen” in the Bway production), the dude who played “Will” on Alias, and of course the movie cast, Adam Pascal, Taye Diggs, Idina Menzel, Wilson J. Heredia, Jesse L. Martin, Rosario Dawson, Tracie Thoms, etc. But I was most shocked when I saw noneother than the original stage “Joanne,” Fredi Walker!!!!!! That was the best.
During the actual screening of the movie, the cast, director, and family of Jonathan Larson were announced and made to show themselves. When the “new kids” Rosario and Tracie were called, they both stood up and whooped at each other and pointed back and forth, as if to say “no YOU are the best!” “no no, YOU are the best!” It was cute when Wilson and Taye were standing up and they kept pointing at one another as well.
The afterparty was a fancy event. There was a full catered dinner buffet and open bar. Roseland was decorated with “trash” and flyers and other assorted “RENT-type” decorations like broken TVs, wires, flaming trash cans, etc. There was even a “street musician” positioned downstairs by the bathrooms and coat check. All around the place were projections of stills from the movie, and also of the RENT logo and sayings like “Leap of Faith.”
1. Anonymous | 12:17 am on November 18th, 2005
can’t. wait.
-kv
2. SH | 11:12 am on November 18th, 2005
Oh my god that sounded awesome! I’m so going to see it now.
3. Anonymous | 7:02 pm on November 18th, 2005
i love your blog.
-unpliant
4. ariela | 8:16 pm on November 18th, 2005
hey i met you last night at the sounds, i was the blonde girl who asked where youre posting your pics. anyways im jealous that you got to go to the rent premire! ive LOVED rent since 1998, so i was also worried the movie would suck, i saw a free screening of it last week(but it still would have been nice to go to the premire!) anyways i LOVED it!! i thought it was so good, i already want to see it again
this is a long comment,email me if you want
5. Anonymous | 10:50 pm on November 23rd, 2005
There is a guy in real life whom the character in RENT named “Mark”
is based on (except he is not gay)–his
name is Paul Garrin, who among other things is known for breaking the story on the infamous Tompkins Square Park Police
Riot that took place in 1988 in the East Village, one of the events that inspired
Jonathan Larson to author his play “RENT”.
Paul became known as the
“Man with a Video Camera”, and could be
seen carrying his video camera with him everywhere,
often finding himself videotaping the police and the many riots
that went down in the East Village during the 80’s and early 90’s.
more about Paul Garrin:
http://pg.mediafilter.org see his famous clip
“Man with a Video Camera”
rtsp://stream.freethe.net/manwcam.mov
or buy his videotape “By Any Means Necessary”
which chronicles the housing struggles in the East Village
between 1988-1991 that inspired the story behind RENT. http://shadowshop.com
go there and click on “video” (or “tapes).
You can view a sample clip there, and order the video online.
6. uncle fluffy | 8:01 am on December 5th, 2005
The above distortion of reality, is written by Paul Garrin himself in a lame attempt to create a myth.
Don’t believe the hype, and don’t support this corporate minded stooge.
The fact that he has put this same exact comment on every blog that mentions the movie rent should qualify him as a spammer and someone that should not be trusted
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9. Sassy | 5:32 pm on April 29th, 2006
Oh MY Ga do i love this movie and all the music!!!
10. Samantha H | 12:02 pm on July 12th, 2006
The character Mark Cohen is based on the painter Marcello in ‘La Boheme’.
-.-
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