Friday, June 10, 2005

Rent - Trailer A

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Bryn says: No, no, no, no, no, no. When it comes to reviewing for this site I try to be as unbiased as possible. Even with the likes of Batman and Star Wars I do try and peer through my own excitement and love of these characters and see what the trailers are actually like. But when It comes to musical theatre and musicals in general. I can't, I just can't. I hate them. I really, really hate them. The only decent musicals are Bugsy Malone (guns that fire cream pies, yo) and some (some mind, not all, some) of Chicago. But this. No. No, no, no, no. I can't even begin to talk about how this rubs me up the wrong way. This trailer knows it's audience. Because they know the song, they know these characters already. For everyone else? Nothing. If you like musicals, then you'll be familiar with this in some way. But everyone else? Not a thing. It's nothing to do with the cast or the talent involved. There are some great actors involved. Hell, even the exquisite looking Rosario Dawson couldn't help me like this. Having worked in the theatre business before my hatred for musicals is very deep, but it comes from a first hand impression. Perhaps it's just me, but there was a real, over powering sense of....smugness from this trailer. It could be me. Why didn't they just do a montage of the songs, to give a feeling for the piece as a whole, not just one song. Here it is for anyone not wanting to brave it. A series of cuts of young people in New York, the whole thing looks like St. Elmo's Fire with a song over it. Then we cut to the cast all standing in line lit with individual spot lights. They look like they are taking part in a commercial for an insurance company, "I was injured at work and got....". Wrong, wrong, wrong. I can guarantee you that the International trailer won't be anything like this. It'll likely be similar to the Phantom of the Opera trailer, not just a single song. Sorry. I tried, really I did. But, for the sake of trailer democracy, if there's anyone that actually has no feelings either way about musicals then feel free to post a comment. I would genuinely like to hear if this trailer actually interested you. I used to have a girlfriend that loved musicals. She would play the CD's of them morning, noon and night. And when she wasn't playing the CD's she was humming the songs. I've experienced musicals from all sides of the argument. I know it's all about personal taste but that's the way I feel. So there. I've come clean. You know my thoughts on the trailer. If you're truly someone who has had no exposure to musicals at all, then you should check this trailer out, to make up your own mind. And if enough people say they like'd it I might go and have another....no, I can't, I just can't.

Score: 4 out of 20

Posted at 8:07 AM

Comments

Sorry about the two week delay in new posts. Had a small war raging with my ISP provider but we're all friends now...until the next time. Hope everyone's enjoying their summer.
posted by Bryn at 8:53 AM

This is my favorite musical in the world. I can watch the play and listen to the soundtrack a million times and never get tired of it. It's good to see some of the original cast from the play in the movie (though the trailer gives you no idea of what the musical is actually about). The fact that Chris Columbus is directing this movie gives me a sick feeling in my stomach. He doesn't tend to do so well with heavy dramas. And, believe me, this is a movie about AIDS and poverty: It's about as heavy as it gets. So in short, I swear on all that is holy, if Chris Columbus screws this up....!
posted by Damien at 11:57 PM

It would be great if Bryn realized this is a TEASER - *not* a full-blown movie trailer. There's a BIG difference. Teasers just give a small taste of the movie without giving storyline or detailed information. They get the people who KNOW about the project excited and others something to think about. Closer to the films' release (I'll say September for "Rent"), the usual one or two trailers along with commercial trailers will be rolled out which will instill the storyline to people who don't have any clue what "Rent" is about.

So . sorry - this is a POOR review. If it were a trailer, it would fit .. but since it's not ... it's horrible.

PS -For a reference, look at the old, "Jurassic Park" *teaser* trailers (You can find them on the DVD if you own it) ... it's nothing more then a dinosaur's roar, a thump and a footprint ... then the logo at the end. If we're rating this "Rent" teaser as a "trailer", then that "JP" teaser is the worst trailer to ever be made ... (and we all know how many hundreds of millions THAT movie made).
posted by Steven G. at 7:40 AM

I disagree. Plenty of people who have never seen or heard of the musical before think the trailer/teaser looks amazing, and they're looking forward to the movie. I think having "Seasons of Love" as the sole song throughout the entire thing is a wise choice, because many people will recognize the song.
posted by karmine at 6:55 PM

Thanks for taking the time to post comments. However, I am aware of the difference between a teaser and a trailer. When I was given promotional material for this project from Sony this was listed as 'trailer A' not a teaser. On a project such as Godzilla from 98, they had a teaser that shipped with prints of Men In Black. It was comprised of original material that never made it into the film. A scene of school kids in a museum looking a T-Rex skeleton (a sly dig at Jurassic Park?) then Godzilla's foot comes crashing through the roof. That was a Sony film, Rent is a Sony film (they distribute for Revolution) and this ISN'T a teaser. The review was done tounge in cheek and I did say from the beginning that I hated musicals. So...again, this is NOT A TEASER. This is trailer A. I don't mind people kicking into me if they feel strongly about a review/film but at least check all the facts. It takes so little time and nobody walks away with bad feelings which is phooey. But in saying that, thanks for posting anyway.
posted by Bryn at 8:16 AM

Yes, the people behind the movie adaptation of Rent certainly know their audiences...which is why this trailer doesn't strike a chord with someone with an admitted bias towards musical theatre.

Speaking from the perspective of someone with an affinity for musicals - this one especially - the trailer was exactly what fans had hoped for. If it wasn't obvious from the complete lack of mainstream Hollywood actors, this is not going to be another "Phantom" or "Chicago."

This time, the movie's got it right; that's the original cast of the stage production in the film, aside from Rosario Dawson and one other actress whose name escapes me at the moment. I can't help but think that perhaps the bias you hold towards musicals carried over into your critique of what many see as a perfectly acceptable trailer.

Also interesting to note is that while you approach the Rent trailer with disdain, the Dukes of Hazzard trailer - which, if I'm remembering correctly, gives as much background as this one - is held in a much more positive light. Seems to me the only difference is that you are familiar with one and hate the genre of the other.
posted by Anonymous at 3:08 PM

What is it with you people and musicals? I don't usually agree with everything that this guy says but come on... it's crap.

Everyone that got all upset... what a group of yakkity bitches. Shut the hell up. He's right. It's rubbish. As a trailer. It's for those that love it. And everyone else is left dumbfounded.

As far as that guy Damien is concerned it didn't matter what this guy (brynn)said. And let's be honest. I think he meant this trailer as a piss take anyway. if he really hated musicals, why review it all.

I have spoken. And in case all you yakkity bitches are left in any doubt... you're all owned.

Out of here.
posted by Agent Dan at 11:18 AM