CATS Film Adaptation Thread- Page 18

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 4:16pm

The review embargo probably hasn't lifted yet.  I know "Rise of Skywalker" lifts tomorrow so maybe that is when "Cats" will too.  

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 5:08pm

I’ve advanced-purchased a ticket to see this movie Saturday morning, but have never seen the musical in any way, shape, or form. I am seeing the National Tour when CATS comes through Pittsburgh in 75 days. Having never seeing the musical I’m sure I’ll be more open to this new adaptation, and from the first movie trailer never really thought it looked that bad. Actually thought parts of it looked rather cool. I’ll definitely be among the dozens of people coming back to this thread with a “review”. 

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 11:16pm

As far as I know the reviews have always been scheduled to drop 12/18. Check at one minute after midnight pacific time and they should be up.

[Eddie3]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 11:42pm

My favorite scene is often cut. Does this film retain "The Ballad of Billy Macaw?"

 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/17/19 at 11:51pm

Saw a screening tonight, and I have thoughts that are too long at the moment, but feel free to ask any questions until I can formulate in writing.

[SGarrett2]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 12:37am

Sho-Tunes-R-Us said: "As far as I know the reviews have always been scheduled to drop 12/18. Check at one minute after midnight pacific time and they should be up."

According to Vanity Fair's film critic the embargo is up at 7pm on Wednesday, so you can catch the reviews then.

https://twitter.com/rilaws/status/1206715256699006976

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 12:46am

jacobsnchz14 said: "Saw a screening tonight, and I have thoughts that are too long at the moment, but feel free to ask any questions until I can formulate in writing."

Such a tease!  Were you appalled, enchanted, repulsed, overjoyed?   Throw us something, por favor.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 1:03am

Sho-Tunes-R-Us said: "jacobsnchz14 said: "Saw a screening tonight, and I have thoughts that are too long at the moment, but feel free to ask any questions until I can formulate in writing."

Such a tease! Were you appalled, enchanted, repulsed, overjoyed? Throw us something, por favor."

MAYBE SPOILERS...?: If you can get through sensory overload of the first few moments, some (what some call terrible) CGI effects: for me it’s really it’s worse during the Jennyanydots scene, but the beginning of Grizabella’s entrance through the end is where it really gets its legs. It’s CATS. I enjoyed it and the audience was surprisingly very well behaved and not laughing unless it was for the comedy in a scene, applauded at the end, cried after Memory, etc. CGI cat stuff lags unfortunately when there’s busy movement or choreo or too many cats in the frame, but’s it’s essentially a reverse motion capture mask because their faces are all intact with makeup. Nearly 90+% of the full score is there except for no Pekes/Pollicles, there is an homage to Growltiger, they use the original London version of Mungojerrie/Rumpelteazer, etc. 

Updated On: 12/18/19 at 01:03 AM

[chernjam]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 1:10am

Thanks for sharing Jabosnchz14 - I doubted it was the train wreck that some here have been almost rooting for.  And only the diehards really care about Pekes/Pollicles being included.  Maybe that will be a DVD bonus 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 1:15am

chernjam said: "Thanks for sharing Jabosnchz14 - I doubted it was the train wreck that some here have been almost rooting for. And only the diehards really care aboutPekes/Pollicles being included. Maybe that will be a DVD bonus"

At this point I’m like, “people... you know what CATS the musical is. If you didn’t expect some sort of cat-like design for the film, you’re stupid.” People were going to hate it regardless because most already have animosity towards the show. That will be the only reason the film could bomb. If they let themselves go in already hating it. But in the end, they went in. That’s all that’s gonna matter to the studio. And that is going to happen regardless of what reviews look like after the embargo tomorrow night. Seeing it again on Thursday now that I’ve had a chance to take everything in.

[chernjam]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 1:22am

jacobsnchz14 said: "At this point I’m like, “people... you know what CATS the musical is. If you didn’t expect some sort of cat-like design for the film, you’re stupid.” People weregoing to hate it regardless because most already have animosity towards the show. That will be the only reason the film could bomb. If they let themselves go in already hating it. But in the end, they went in. That’s all that’s gonna matter to the studio. And that is going to happen regardless of what reviews look like after the embargo tomorrow night.Seeing it again on Thursday now that I’ve had a chance to take everything in."

I doubt it's going to bomb.  

The haters are going to hate.. but the friggin show ran for decades on both sides of the Atlantic.  There's way more Cats fans than haters.

And full disclosure, I didn't like the stage production but have been looking forward to seeing this, so take that for what its worth

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 1:34am

Thanks for your take jacobsnchz14.   I seem to recall that critics were less than kind to the "big Christmas musical" The Greatest Showman not too long ago and that certainly found its audience and made buckets of money for Fox.   CATS may very well do the same for Universal. 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 1:41am

Sho-Tunes-R-Us said: "Thanks for your takejacobsnchz14. I seem to recall that critics were less than kind to the "big Christmas musical" The Greatest Showman not too long ago and that certainly found its audience and made buckets of money for Fox. CATS may very well do the same for Universal."

Yes, but the only difference is that you’re asking a lot of an audience to believe a fantasy musical about anthropomorphic cats with human features and dancing, plus a design that has some people baffled, as opposed to a fictionalized biography with a pop-rock score on the verge of Hamilton’s juggernaut success.

[Sho-Tunes-R-Us]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 3:02am

jacobsnchz14 said: "Sho-Tunes-R-Us said: "Thanks for your takejacobsnchz14. I seem to recall that critics were less than kind to the "big Christmas musical" The Greatest Showman not too long ago and that certainly found its audience and made buckets of money for Fox. CATS may very well do the same for Universal."

Yes, but the only difference is that you’re asking a lot of an audience to believe a fantasy musical about anthropomorphic cats with human features and dancing, plus a design that hassome people baffled, as opposed to a fictionalized biography with a pop-rock score on the verge of Hamilton’s juggernaut success."

Well, it certainly came from out of left field on the stage originally and look what happened in that instant.  So many years later the film may prove that the old cats still have some lives left in them.  Or not.

[mike122]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 3:19am

jacobsnchz14 said: "Saw a screening tonight, and I have thoughts that are too long at the moment, but feel free to ask any questions until I can formulate in writing."

How was the singing? Does Judi Dench sing The Moments of Happiness and Addressing of Cats?

 

[Justin D]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 7:10am

as a fan i can live with out the pollicle song (although I did like how they integrated it into the recent revival)

and am glad that atleast a tiny bit of growltiger is kept. (always prefered the italian bit to the ballad of billy mcaw) and always prefered the london version of Mungojerrie.

have to wait to the 26th here for it to be released.

 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 8:39am

mike122 said: "jacobsnchz14 said: "Saw a screening tonight, and I have thoughts that are too long at the moment, but feel free to ask any questions until I can formulate in writing."

How was the singing? Does Judi Dench sing The Moments of Happiness and Addressing of Cats?”

Everyone was fine except Rebel Wilson. We know Francesca Hayward is not a singer and she’s fine singing Beautiful Ghosts. Judi does sing both. 

 

[SeanMartin2]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 9:23am

>> There's way more Cats fans than haters.

And the show closed how many years ago?

There were plenty of fans of NINE, but that film came out about a decade too late to capitalize on its fanbase (snd I write that as one who actually likes the film version). CATS is running off controversy and PR more than a knowledge of the material. It's not HELLO DOLLY by any stretch, sorry. You dont see it showing up in high school productions or even regional theatres because it's a tough show to pull off right. 

Are there more fans than "haters" (God, can we please retire that silly word?)? Probably. But I doubt the two groups combined command *that* much of the movie market. My bet is that this will run for a few weeks off the curiosity factor, then drop off until the inevitable BluRay/DVD release.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 9:31am

SeanMartin2 said: ">>There's way more Cats fans than haters.

And the show closed how many years ago?

There were plenty of fans of NINE, but that film came out about a decade too late to capitalize on its fanbase (snd I write that as one who actually likes the film version). CATS is running off controversy and PR more than a knowledge of the material. It's not HELLO DOLLY by any stretch, sorry. You dont see it showing up in high school productions or even regional theatres because it's a tough show to pull off right.

Are there more fans than "haters" (God, can we please retire that silly word?)? Probably. But I doubt the two groups combined command *that* much of the movie market. My bet is that this will run for a few weeks off the curiosity factor, then drop off until the inevitable BluRay/DVD release."

Cats is a dance based show, you don't see many high schools or regional versions for that reason.

 

[perfectliar]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 9:57am

SeanMartin2 said: "There were plenty of fans of NINE, but that film came out about a decade too late to capitalize on its fanbase (snd I write that as one who actually likes the film version)."

There is no comparison between the sizes of the fanbases of Cats and Nine.

​​

[Kad]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 11:22am

The film’s real test is whether audiences can accept the theatricality of the material in a more literal medium like film. That’s the question here, putting aside the well-worn arguments of the plot and everything else.

People are more willing to accept things (like people as singing and dancing cats) in theatre. But here it’s a more literal take, coupled with digital effects that are squarely in the uncanny valley.

The question isn’t whether audiences will accept Cats the musical. They already have. 

Updated On: 12/18/19 at 11:22 AM

[SeanMartin2]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 11:31am

perfectliar said: "SeanMartin2 said: "There were plenty of fans of NINE, but that film came out about a decade too late to capitalize on its fanbase (snd I write that as one who actually likes the film version)."

There is no comparison between the sizes of the fanbases of Cats and Nine.​​"

Perhaps a decade ago when it was still running. Now? I wouldnt be quite so sure. CATS has name recognition, but how many people, since it closed, have actually seen it? Not that many. Its fan base is largely NY and London based, and you might as well compare both shows' base to the latest Marvel film.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 11:46am

Kad said: "The film’s real test is whether audiences can accept the theatricality of the material in a more literal medium like film. That’s the question here, putting aside the well-worn arguments of the plot and everything else.

People are more willing to accept things (like people as singing and dancing cats) in theatre. But here it’s a more literal take, coupled with digital effects that are squarely in the uncanny valley.

The question isn’t whether audiences will accept Cats the musical. They already have."

My thoughts exactly. As valiant of an effort this was with the technology and design, they didn’t have to be (forgive the pun) practical cats.

[perfectliar]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 12:42pm

SeanMartin2 said: "perfectliar said: "SeanMartin2 said: "There were plenty of fans of NINE, but that film came out about a decade too late to capitalize on its fanbase (snd I write that as one who actually likes the film version)."

There is no comparison between the sizes of the fanbases of Cats and Nine.​​"

Perhaps a decade ago when it was still running. Now? I wouldnt be quite so sure. CATS has name recognition, but how many people, since it closed, have actually seen it? Not that many. Its fan base is largely NY and London based, and you might as well compare both shows' base to the latest Marvel film."

Cats ran for 7,485 performances and closed in 2000; it then was revived just 3.5 years ago. It's currently on tour. It has a home video release that many people my age (early 30s) grew up watching. Commercials ran in the tri-state area for it for years.

Nine ran 729 performances (closing in 1984), and a 2003 revival ran 283 performances.

There is no comparing the two, by nature of what they are. MANY more people are familiar with Cats than Nine, and this film is coming out much closer to a large commercial production than Nine's film did. The material lends itself to a larger audience than Nine does. It just is what it is.

I don't care if there are fewer Cats fans now than there were when it was originally running; there are still many, many more of them than fans of Nine. Period. That's my point.

[SeanMartin2]

Posted: 12/18/19 at 12:53pm

And I repeat: the fanbases for both are pretty small compared to your usual blockbuster film.

Here, let's run the numbers, shall we? CATS supposedly cost about 100 mil to make, although that probably doesnt figure in the last-minute work, which no doubt raised the overall budget to 125, maybe 150 mil, because of overtime and rush expenses. That mean for this to even break even, it has to clear a quarter billion dollars in receipts.

Let me repeat that: a quarter billion.

By comparison: THOR: RAGNAROK had a working budget of 180 mil and made a total US gross of 315 mil... and this is one of Marvel's more popular films.

Do you seriously think CATS is going to match the performance of that?