Pay My "Rent"

I am sitting here with my coffee listening to the new film soundtrack to "Rent." Like most people between the ages of 20 and infinity who were touched by "Rent" nearly 10 years ago, this is a moment long in the waiting. I can't say I ever felt this show was destined for the large screen. It was written for the stage by a man who loved the stage, and though its heart and soul is universal in physical and intellectual scope, it never lended well in my mind to the realist language of film.

That said, all firsthand accounts of the film's Manhattan and San Francisco shoots claim it to be a moving and effective translation. Chris Columbus, who reminded us a few years back that leaving children alone at home is a bad idea, is said to have had a personal connection to this text and the musical form as a whole. Let's hope he's right. I certainly give him a lot of credit for going for the gold with this one -- mess "Rent" up and you're going to have many angry pseudo-Bohemians knocking on your door. And they're likely to have a guitar. Good lord.

Despite any prejudiced forethoughts, I look forward to this film as much as I do the upcoming screen-to-stage-back-to-screen adaptaion of Mel Brooks's "The Producers." Now that should be good. Let's hope "Rent" can pay its bill this time.