Cats
- Director: Tom Hooper
- Writer: Tom Hooper; Lee Hall; T.S. Eliot; Andrew Lloyd Webber
- Producer: Tim Bevan; Eric Fellner; Steven Spielberg; Tom Hooper
CGiii Comment
Yes...it really is as bad as they say!
But...why? Well...Cats - the [original] stage show - was [in the West End/ on Broadway] an incredible and artistic achievement in staging [for its time]...which [partly] concealed the production's major flaw...there is no story to Cats - well, this here film remedied that dire situation with a dire and tenuous storyline. Basically...all the cats introduce themselves...and then they re-introduce themselves by way of an audition within the parameters of a talent show. The winner gets to go to the Heaviside Layer...in other words: That unlucky pussy gets bumped off! What a cheerful premise...T.S Elliot must be screeching in his crypt.
This Cats is cheerless...and, when it tries to be cheery, it becomes thoroughly embarrassing...James Corden, Rebel Wilson. When it does sentimentality...yip, you've guessed it...it becomes thoroughly embarrassing...Ian McKellan, whatever were you thinking? Taylor Swift pops in and out. Idris Elba puffs all over the place and Dame Judi can't sing.
Is there anything good? Well, the choreography looked as if it might be pretty nifty...but, Tom Hooper's camera never dwells on anything for more than a second. The whole thing is shot and performed at break-neck speed...which is a blessing: The faster it goes, the sooner it ends!
$95,000,000 down the drain. How many homeless strays would that amount of money have housed?
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
A tribe of cats called the Jellicles who must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life.
Cast & Characters
Rebel Wilson as Jennyanydots;
Idris Elba as Macavity;
Taylor Swift as Bombalurina;
Judi Dench as Deuteronomy;
Ian McKellen as Gus The Theatre Cat;
James Corden as Bustopher Jones;
Jennifer Hudson as Grizabella;
Les Twins;
Robert Fairchild as Munkustrap;
Laurie Davidson;
Jason Derulo as Rum Tum Tugger;
Francesca Hayward as Victoria;
Mette Towley as Jemima;
Steven McRae as Skimbleshanks;
Bluey Robinson;
Eric Underwood;
Melissa Madden-Gray as Griddlebone