The Blu-ray version contains a number of special features covering different aspects of the show's last week on Broadway. These include featurettes on the note-covered outside walls of the Nederlander Theatre, the Nederlander itself, casting the show over its twelve year run, choosing the final Broadway cast, members of the original cast who came back to see the last performance, and a featurette on the final $20 ticket lottery. Also included are two PSAs, one for the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation, and the other for the National Marfan Foundation (Marfan syndrome is a genetic disorder that is the likely cause of the aortic aneurysm that ended Larson's life).
The film is presented in 1080p with an aspect ratio of 1:78:1. This film really shows off the capabilities of HD presentation. The colors are rich and vibrant, the black levels are realistically deep, and there were no noticeable film artifacts. Even small details, like the glitter shaken out of Mimi's hair during "Out Tonight," were picked up by the cameras used to capture the performance. The video quality is truly amazing.
The audio is also impressive, though not as impressive as the video. Recorded in Dolby TrueHD 5.1, the audio is able to pick up subtle nuances in the performance both on stage and in the audience. The music and speech come through the center and front channels, with the audience filling the two rear speakers in an attempt to recreate the performance hall feel. The disappointments come in the band not coming through as raw and powerful as they would in a live performance, most of the time sounding far off and muted. Despite this, the audio is still good enough to not take too much away from the overall presentation.
More than a Broadway show, Rent was an event, a happening that completely encapsulated the culture of Jonathan Larson and others struggling with life and loss in the Bohemian world of New York City. Though Rent has darkened its lights on Broadway, Larson's incredible genius has been preserved in this disc chronicling the last days of a show that has touched so many lives since its opening in 1996.
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