CATS Film Adaptation Thread- Page 10

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 8:51am

ErikJ972 said: "jacobsnchz14 said: "ErikJ972 said: "Someone call Steven Spielberg,

https://io9.gizmodo.com/stunning-concept-art-for-spielbergs-animated-cats-movie-1599739506"

He’s literally onboard as a producer for this one."

Yikes."

I'm guessing he's just a producer because his company still has the rights. I can't imagine he had any real personal involvement in this mess. 

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 9:07am

Well i DID see the original Broadway production in 1982 and i hated it....but this trailer looks fabulous as a movie and i will be first in line when it comes out later this year!...as much as Tom Hooper was vilified for LES MIZ, but won an Oscar for The Kings Speech, the man clearly has a vision when he makes a movie and i will wait until i see this upcoming event film to pass any judgement.

 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 9:12am

A glimpse at the revolutionary technology they were harping about endlessly for months:

[rg7759]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 9:56am

It was a genius move to get everyone talking about cats on the lion kings release date. Similar to rudins giant hello Dolly middle finger to my fair lady last year

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 10:01am

Speed said: "Fosse76 said: "Speed said: "Tag said: "It's really not as bad as I thought, based on reactions here. But why in the world would they have not just done traditional make-up???"



That’s already been done and released on DVD years ago.

"

But I think that's the point. What is this film's purpose, other than giving us creepy cat-like humanoids?"

To bring new technology to a classic property and make money."

Exactly. May we direct your attention to the evisceration of the Disney library the last few years with its reboots? 

[Kad]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 10:10am

I think Disney's model of making uglier and worse versions of their beloved films is pretty terrible, too (Mulan looks like it could be the exception).

I don't think Tom Hooper is a particularly visionary director. When all is said and done, this film appears to be... a pretty direct adaptation of the stage production, right down to oversized sets and props. The key difference is that the unitards and makeup are digital. It remains to be seen if this will translate well to film despite having worked onstage. It won't matter how well everyone sings, dances, and acts if they're unsettling to look at for 2 hours.

And then you have Taylor Swift as a cat wearing heels and shaking a bejeweled cocktail shaker labeled "catnip." Why is the cocktail shaker cat-sized when everything else is human-sized? Did the cats make custom cocktail shakers? For that matter, do the cats have cat tailors that make their cat-sized clothing? We know normal sized clothing exists because we see the cats wearing it and playing with it- so who's coming up with the little top hats and coats and furs. And what kind of fur is on their fur coats? And why do cats need to wear furs?

 

Updated On: 7/19/19 at 10:10 AM

[Pasdechat]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 10:10am

When the Polyjuice Potion in Harry Potter only works halfway... The furry human bodies supposed to look like naked cats creep me out. Especially when they did the high leg-kicking dance moves I was afraid of what I might see.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 12:06pm

The “groundbreaking” multi million dollar CGI effects just look like a snapchat filter.

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 12:10pm

watched the trailer a few times. The look of the film seems beautiful. And it appears to be nicely shot. Don't have a problem with the costumes or make-up (Except Hudson's. It's just does not look good in the trailer). I actually feel the costumes look more realistic.

I had already decided not to see the film because I don't care for Blankenbuehler's work. (Although I did enjoy his work in BANDSTAND) Just from the trailer it looks like he is mixing "catlike" movement with a bit of hip hop. Just not what I want to see for the film. Also, I am not a Taylor Swift fan. She just annoys me.

There are a lot of people who have never seen the show. I had a friend call me this morning, who has not seen the show, and ask why everyone was hating on the movie online. She is excited to see it because there are a lot of actors in it that she likes. She won't notice or care about the changes like we do and will probably enjoy the film.

I am a fan of Hudson's. Her acting, for me, sometimes leaves a bit to be desired but she is a vocal powerhouse. And with that said, I am not impressed with her rendition of "Memory". At least not the ending. For me, power and soaring (passion) are two different things and the two come together at the end of this song. From what I hear in this trailer, she is just delivering the power.

I will probably eventually see the film as you can't judge an entire film on a trailer. But a trailer is designed to get you into the theater. It has piqued my interest but think I will still wait and rent it or see it on Netflix if it ends up there. JMO

[Roscoe]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 1:58pm

The CATS themselves all have the icky fake vibe -- there's something very off about it all.  They look like the cute little creatures who've escaped from a government lab at the beginning of the horror movie, they've got this faintly sinister vibe and before you know it they've got an insatiable taste for human flesh and world domination.  I'd gladly scoop them all into a sack and club them to death.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 2:08pm

I hated the show.  Watching the preview led me to believe that I will hate the movie.  IMO it looks so stupid.  That said, I will see the movieoutofsheer curiosity...not sure that I won't wait until is on Redbox and pay $1.75, where I can also be ablate fast forward it, during numbers that I hate.  Talk about a cynic, but it really looked stupid to me.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 2:48pm

Instead of Cats Now and Forever they should consider Cats Direct to Redbox.

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 4:27pm

why does almost everyone on here who posts hate so much?...IT'S ONLY A TRAILER!!...let's all wait for the final film to be shown and then we can hate or not...speaking of trailers...the trailer for the BENJAMIN BUTTON movie with Brad Pitt, a few years ago looked to me like the greatest movie ever made...then i saw the movie...HATED IT...a friend of mine called that movie BENJAMIN BUTTHOLE...my point being trailers are not the whole movie...

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 4:37pm

broadwaybabywannabe2 said: "why does almost everyone on here who posts hate so much?...IT'S ONLY A TRAILER!!...let's all wait for the final film to be shown and then we can hate or not...speaking of trailers...the trailer for the BENJAMIN BUTTON movie with Brad Pitt, a few years ago looked to me like the greatest movie ever made...then i saw the movie...HATED IT...a friend of mine called that movie BENJAMIN BUTTHOLE...my point being trailers are not the whole movie..."

It's the internet, everyone is free to post their opinions whether or not they align to yours. The trailer is not the whole film and the negative reactions of many on here and on the internet as a whole is over the CGI and production design. It's visually unappealing and I whole heartedly agree with most of the reactions shared. This is a huge, huge misstep that is clearly evidence in the trailer released. Cats with human noses?!?!? It's like some weird kind of human/cat hybrid gone horribly wrong in some mad scientist's laboratory. And don't EVEN get me started on the placement of this particular cat's tail:

 



 

Updated On: 7/19/19 at 04:37 PM

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 4:45pm

I wonder what today was like in the Really Useful offices. The internet has torn this thing apart and there is almost ZERO "this looks AMAZING" reactions. I wonder if Hooper/Universal will retool anything since they have months to adjust and change the effects.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 5:11pm

broadwaybabywannabe2 said: "why does almost everyone on here who posts hate so much?...IT'S ONLY A TRAILER!!...let's all wait for the final film to be shown and then we can hate or not...speaking of trailers...the trailer for the BENJAMIN BUTTON movie with Brad Pitt, a few years ago looked to me like the greatest movie ever made...then i saw the movie...HATED IT...a friend of mine called that movie BENJAMIN BUTTHOLE...my point being trailers are not the whole movie..."

Ultimately, frequently personal tastes play a large role in loving / hating something.  I thought that Benjamin Button was an extraordinary movie and have seen it, 3 hours and all, at least 7 - 8 times since it ws released, because I always see something new.  For me, any movie of CATS starts off with a bug negative, because I hated the show before it even started, when the 'cats' came into the front rows of the orchestra and writhed all over people, while making movements a cat might make.  The commercial -- specifically the people dressed as cats (with the possible exception of Judy Dench) --  just made me want to squirm.  I may be proven wrong, but I have lower expectations after the commercial, and my expectations were low to begin with.

[chernjam]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 5:39pm

nasty_khakis said: "I wonder what today was like in the Really Useful offices. The internet has torn this thing apart and there is almost ZERO "this looks AMAZING" reactions. I wonder if Hooper/Universal will retool anything since they have months to adjust and change the effects."

First off RUG is fine... this is a Universal Pictures Production.  RUG will have royalty checks coming one way or the other - the risk/profit factor is really for Universal.

And I think they're fine over there.  Twitter/social media is a cesspool.  No matter who or what ends up trending, the hate and negativity is always there.  So all this has done is for a lot of people who aren't on a musical theater board - is made them aware that there's a Cats Movie coming this December with Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, that guy from the Late Late show... etc.  By the time the film is released after all the post-production, editing, etc on a huge screen, it's going to look, feel and sound a lot different and I think will be well received/be successful.  The musical played for decades.  It's a known property that many people will want to check out.  

[Gorlois]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 5:54pm

The designs of the cats look flat out bad and this trailer is a public laughing stock. There were probably some very serious meetings at Universal today.

I’ve watched the trailer several times because I find it mesmerizing. The sets look great, the dancing looks really terrific, the music sounds beautiful— but those “cats”!

[devonian.t]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 6:02pm

broadwaybabywannabe2 said: "why does almost everyone on here who posts hate so much?...IT'S ONLY A TRAILER!!...let's all wait for the final film to be shown and then we can hate or not...speaking of trailers...the trailer for the BENJAMIN BUTTON movie with Brad Pitt, a few years ago looked to me like the greatest movie ever made...then i saw the movie...HATED IT...a friend of mine called that movie BENJAMIN BUTTHOLE...my point being trailers are not the whole movie..."

Trailers are released to generate interest.  Film-makers can't complain when trailers generate negative attitudes.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 6:30pm

First off RUG is fine... this is a Universal Pictures Production. RUG will have royalty checks coming one way or the other - the risk/profit factor is really for Universal.

And I think they're fine over there. Twitter/social media is a cesspool. No matter who or what ends up trending, the hate and negativity is always there. So all this has done is for a lot of people who aren't on a musical theater board - is made them aware that there's a Cats Movie coming this December with Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, that guy from the Late Late show... etc. By the time the film is released after all the post-production, editing, etc on a huge screen, it's going to look, feel and sound a lot different and I think will be well received/be successful. The musical played for decades. It's a known property that many people will want to check out."

I know Really Useful didn't make the movie, but ALW really really cares what critics/people think. It's a reoccurring insecurity of his by many, many accounts. I guarantee they're reacting to all the negativity online if purely reputation-based. There's zero chance he's not worried "the twitterz" and just about every pop culture outlet is laughing.

I don't think Universal is freaking out like the building's on fire or anything but I'm willing to bet they're going to make some adjustments based on the almost universally laughed out/wtf trailer reactions. Yes, it *was* a popular property that was a world-wide phenomenon and I think it'll be ok money-wise, but they want it to be a mega-hit Mamma Mia movie and not a "well, that did fine" Sweeney Todd. 

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 6:43pm

Get ready to ascend to the Heaviside Layer with these Cats (2019) memes

I think the alternate score clips are my fav.

Updated On: 7/19/19 at 06:43 PM

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 6:52pm

Courtesy of Chris Mandle (@chris_mandle) on Twitter:

[LxGstv]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 7:02pm

Sonic the hedgehog also got a negative reaction, and then they announced that they would work on it and make changes... I wonder if the same will happen for Cats...

[Fan123]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 7:08pm

Kad said: "And what kind of fur is on their fur coats? And why do cats need to wear furs?"

Maybe those furs are the remains of other cats who won the chance at a so-called new life. Perhaps in this version, the White Cat is horrified when she figures it out and attempts to flee the cult. The trailer totally supports this interpretation. Eek.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 7/19/19 at 7:09pm

LxGstv said: "Sonic the hedgehog also got a negative reaction, and then they announced that they would work on it and make changes... I wonder if the same will happen for Cats..."

That was just one character though. I would imagine even minor changes would be a lot more work than Sonic.

I'm just not sure the cat/human hybrid thing can be pulled off on film. It's like they were scared to go to far in either direction and ended up with a disturbing middle ground.