Movie: RENT
Living in the wilderness, I don’t get to see rock stage musicals as often as I should. I remember fondly “Hair” in Sydney, “Jesus Christ Superstar” in Anchorage, “Les Mis” in Seattle and “Bombay Dreams” in London. Is “Phantom of the Opera” rock? Anyway, not often enough, not even close, but I do what I can.
“RENT” is rockier than all those. I wish I’d seen it on the stage 15 years ago. The movie probably only works, well, for those who did or those who can imagine they did. “Hair” and “Jesus Christ”, the movies, were the same, best for those who’d seen them live.
Squint your eyes. Maybe you’ll see the house lights dim, the orchestra swell, the curtain rise and one hell of a good performance in “RENT.” Otherwise, it’s just a bunch of, not so young, people singing, for no apparent reason, about things more appropriate 15 years ago.