'Rent — Live on Broadway' is best version on DVD

If I had more of a brain for math, or a great enough interest, I'd start this column with a kitschy twist on 525,600 minutes — some version of the time left until you can own your own copy of the "Rent — Live on Broadway."

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment filmed the final week of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, which played its final show on Sept. 7, and the Blu-Ray/DVD will hit shelves Tuesday.

With 16 cameras set up around the Nederlander Theatre, it's the best seat in the house and, frankly, does a much better job capturing the show than the 2005 movie musical version.

"Rent — Live on Broadway," features the closing cast: Adam Kantor (Mark), Will Chase (Roger); Tracie Thoms (who also played Joanne in the movie) and Eden Espinosa (Maureen). I did find that I missed the mugs of original renters, Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel, Taye Diggs, etc. But, if you think about it, it's been 12 years since they took the stage. In one of the special features, Kantor reminisces about seeing "Rent" as a fifth-grader! (Side note: Rapp and Pascal are reprising their roles for the current National tour.)

The bottom line is: "Rent" is a tricky show to capture — there is just so much going on. However, this live version is the best I've seen.

The real reason to pick up a copy, though, is for the extra features. I'm a sucker for emotional arrangements of songs and slow-motion hugs, etc., and the DVD is loaded with good stuff.

For us DVD folks, special features include:

"Rent: The Final Days on Broadway," which I really enjoyed. Sony took cameras backstage showing the cast interacting, views from the wings, the dressing rooms, and interviews with cast members, as well as comments from creator Jonathan Larson's parents.

"The Final Curtain Call," was not as fun as the "Final Days" documentary, but enjoyable nonetheless. Producers invited the former cast members to the show (which felt like a big family reunion). The original cast was on stage for the final singing of "Seasons of Love," but it seemed like Anthony Rapp, Jesse Martin, Daphne Rubin Vega and Jai Rodriguez were the only original folks there … I kept looking for the rest.

"The Wall" was another feature I really enjoyed. Over the years, rent-heads and theatergoers have written messages along a large wall in the theater. It is completely covered in various ink colors, some done in curly puffy writing, others more chicken-scratches; messages of how the musical has changed lives.