RENT: Filmed Live on Broadway --> 2/3/09
 

From DVDTimes: http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=69465

Rent is one of my favorite Broadway musicals of all time. Seen 4x on B-way, off B-way and theatrical. I can't wait for this!

And a BD release, to boot!

very disappointing that it's the current cast. Would've liked to see them reunite as many of the originals as possible (or even Neil Patrick Harris, who did it in L.A. for a while).

I'm guessing, however, that the disc also includes an appearance by many of the originals. I never got to see it, but when this event did a limited run in movie theaters it advertised some kind of appearance.

I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised. Having seen the original cast about five times during the first year, and other casts during the rest of the Broadway run, I was amazed with the final cast (saw a performance shortly before it closed) especially Will Chase as Roger. Fans of RENT will not be disappointed .....

I'm glad to hear that. I didn't mean to imply they wouldn't do a good job - just that for such an iconic musical to FINALLY get released on DVD, I wish we would get to see the original cast. But then, I would wish that for a home release of every musical. (some of us don't live anywhere near NY and never get to see the originals :()

Excellent...I'll definitely be picking this up.

But at least it's not some random cast, it's the final Broadway cast. The DVD has a lot of scenes from the final show. The rest is taken from a special filming day. I saw it when it was released to cinemas and they really did a great job with it. They even have the full fifteen-minute intermission so you can see the stagehands cleaning and resetting the stage for the opening of Act II. It is as close to being there as you can get. I've seen other recordings of Broadway shows and I think this one is the best of the lot as far as the filming is concerned.

My pants are officially wet.

I can't wait to see this.

Was the original cast filmed in full? Over the years I've seen tons of clips of them, so I assume they went ahead and filmed the whole show. It would have been nice to have both. Not that I'm complaining.

Every broadway show should have this sort of release once it ends its run.

I'm tired of watching shows shot on shaky handheld cameras snuck into a theater. Not that I've ever downloaded such a thing. That would be wrong.

That's why I love when they make movie versions of Broadway musicals, especially Rent. I loved that flick. Now if we could just get them to make Miss Saigon and Les Miserables!

As a huge Rent fan, I could've done without the movie, especially since they took out two of the best songs PLUS changed some of the songs to strictly dialog. That's not how you translate a rock opera to the big screen.

i agree. it wasn't my favorite movie. i had high hopes and was slightly disappointed.

Well, say what you will. But personally, I liked the movie better.

Almost every show is filmed for archival purposes. They are available at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. I did a quick search on the website, they have a film of Rent from the New York Theater Workshop shortly before it moved to Broadway, with the original principal cast and it looks like most of the ensemble.

There are filmed complete performances for archival purposes of classics like Rogers & Hammerstein, West Side Story, Gypsy etc. with original broadway cast? I've often wondered if they were archived, and if not, why not?

I don't know how far back the archive goes. I know they have the recent shows, I think it gets spotty as you move back in time.

They need to release more plays on DVD. I know it would be self-defeating in most cases, but it would still be cool.

How is it any more self defeating than getting a concert on DVD?

Concerts are usually one-time deals. A performer or band comes to a town/city every few years, performs some songs, and when they come around again, the performance is usually kind of different. There's also not a schedule of performances. The reason to buy a concert on DVD would be simply because you were either there and it has sentimental value, or because you couldn't make it in the first place.

For Broadway shows, however, they're performed on a set schedule, and if a show is successful enough to film, then it's probably going to be running for a while. The companies wouldn't want to release their shows on DVD because most people go to most shows for the performances, and if they were available on $15 DVD, it would probably be preferable to a much pricier live performance.

It would be nice for those of us who live in places like Nevada and never really have a chance to see quality plays without the huge expense of travel etc. For instance, I think there was one called "Fat Girl" a few years ago with Jeremy Piven that I really wanted to watch.

Several <i>have</i> been released, and I'm not sure that any of them sold that well.

Do you have:

<b>SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE</b> - filmed live (like Rent) at the closing performances after a 5-year run on Broadway.

<b>CAMELOT</b> - live stage performance, starring Richard Harris

<b>JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR</b> - terrific revival, filmed partially at live performance, partially on a sound stage

<b>SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE</b> - Sondheim's Pulitzer-Prize winner taped live on stage with the original cast (Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters)

<b>SWEENEY TODD</b> - Angela Lansbury and George Hearn, taped during performance

<b>PUTTING IT TOGETHER</b> - hit musical review starring Carol Burnett, John Barrowman, Bronson Pinchot, etc, taped during performance.

<b>OKLAHOMA!</b> - the London revival caught on tape, starring Hugh Jackman

.... and there are others, too.

I agree.I'm not saying that it's a bad idea, as I said, I'd personally love to see more shows released on DVD, but it's just not economically efficient, especially for the reasons you're stating. The biggest share of a show's grosses come from tourists, and if they had the access to the DVD, they might not actually see it live.

And that's not really a lot. I don't have any, no interest.

I'd love to see Phantom, Avenue Q, Wicked, the new good stuff.

Les Miserables - performed a concert at Royal Albert Hall for their tenth anniversary. It was a hand-picked cast, including Colm Wilksinson, for whom the part of John Valjean was written. (In the play, anyway!)

Cats - Filmed on a soundstage, includes the original Grizabella

Into the Woods - Sondheim musical, original Broadway cast

Company - Two versions. The recent Broadway revival starring Raul Esparza. (Cast plays their own instruments, which is ... interesting. But the singing is excellent) And Company: Original Cast Recording which documents the original Broadway cast in the process of recording the cast album. It contains all of the songs from the show, most of them in their entirety.

First you say you'd love to see more shows released on DVD, then you say you don't even buy what's already available, and you have no interest ...... okay. Wait for the "new good stuff" and skip the "<i>old</i> good stuff"</i>.

<b>NOT</b> buying what's already available must be your way of encouraging more releases.

I'd love to see Wicked and Avenue Q (and Hairspray!) released too, but I'm not buying older stuff I have little or no interest in, in the meantime.

And as you mentioned, the older stuff hasn't sold so well. Maybe the newer stuff would. :shrug:

Rob