Years ago, when ET had its first theatrical run, my grandmother and her friend decided they’d better see this film all their friends were loving. She didn’t like it. This made no sense to me. How could anyone not like ET? So, after I pushed her for an explanation, she finally said, “Well, I didn’t see why the little boy couldn’t find friends of his own kind…”
Funny story, but years later I find myself recalling how my otherwise lovely grandmother’s southern xenophobia got in the way of her being able to enjoy a good, and touching, story.
And this is what I thought of when my mother, upon hearing that the kids and I were going to see Rent, described how she had not enjoyed the stage show, and, in fact, left at intermission. In her words, it was “too modern” for her. Actually, it’s not all that modern, being structured after Puccini’s La Boheme, but my mother, who would never treat anyone unkindly whatever her opinion of their life choices, was unable to overcome her ingrained biases to just enjoy the show and the story.
I saw it for the second time tonight. This time I was familiar enough with the cd to notice that several pieces had been edited from the film post cd production. For length purposes most likely, as the movie runs 2h15m.
I have not seen the stage production for comparison, but loved the flick, and the story it told. Most of the original Broadway cast reprised their roles, with a couple of exceptions, and they were all great.
The girls and I will be humming the tunes at each other until we buy the dvd…and then we’ll just hum more.
After reading such a tasty piece of writing I will just have to check out the DVD myself.
The chances of a stage production coming anywhere near here are too infinitesimal for the human mind to calculate…alas.
Saw Rent on the stage, thought it was ok, well written, well performed, but just not something that I’m nuts over. I certainly couldn’t get why everyone went gaga over it. Probably wont see the film, ten years ago I might have.
LWW, however doesn’t come out til the 9th, so we’ll see about that when it arrives. I plan on seeing it on friday. I’ve just re-re-read LWW so that it’s fresh in my mind.
'Twas early in the spring when I decide to go
For to work up in the woods of North Ontario.
The unemployment office said they’d send me through
To the Little Abitibi with the survey crew
And the black flies, the little black flies
Always the black fly no matter where you go
I’ll die with the black fly a Pickin’ my bones
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o, In North Ontar-i-o
…
‘Twas blackfly, blackfly, everywhere
A-crawlin’ in your whiskers, a-crawlin’ in your hair
A-swimmin’ in the soup and a-swimmin’ in the tea
The devil take the blackfly and let me be.
