CATS Film Adaptation Thread- Page 27

[haterobics]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 9:29am

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "I found the movie to be more dull, boring, and slow than a bizarre acid trip."

So, it's a faithful adaptation?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 9:37am

Old question: how much of the singing is done live, like "Les Miz," and how much is prerecorded? I'm assuming that Dench was allowed to do some of "Addressing..." like Rex Harrison. I can't imagine her having to lipsynch all of that. 

Going tomorrow. This just has "Christmas Day matinee" written on it from the first release date. 

[kofler22]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 12:20pm

For those who have seen both versions...what are the differences??

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 2:30pm

After the early matinee today I called the manager down to confirm that they had indeed downloaded the new version, what I had just seen, and had taken the place of the prior version. She showed me a digital handheld device to show that the movie was downloaded yesterday. There were seven in my cinema theater today including myself. And I can honestly say that I enjoyed the second viewing of this exponentially more so than when I first saw it Saturday. Not sure what was meant when Universal said “some improved visual effects," but about the only thing I really noticed was that the movie seem to appear brighter, with deeper colors, and more pronounced whiskers and fur for some of the cats. And that’s about it. The cockroaches and mice with human faces are still in, as is Judi Dench’s ring, and the human fingers, noses, and feet (none replaced with cat parts). I wish I had paid more attention Saturday like some who seemed to have memorized every fault. Jennifer Hudson’s rendition of Memory is absolutely stunning, and when the first note began I got chills all over my body. I plan on seeing this again between now and Sunday, and still have to get the new SW movie in as well. Maybe someone else can be more specific about the improved special effects, but I really didn’t notice anything new that would change the minds of those who already hate this. Maybe it’s a mind thing, but it just seemed a lot better. But as it stands now, I’ve recommended it to a few friends and await their opinion.

Updated On: 12/24/19 at 02:30 PM

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 2:43pm

You actually bothered the manager about that? Wow..

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 2:54pm

dmwnc1959 said: There were seven in my cinema theater today including myself....

Yeah, this movie is really packing them in, isn't it? 

 

[morosco]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 2:59pm

Are movie theatres required by contract with the studios to run a film for a predetermined amount of time no matter how poorly the film is selling?

[Demitri2]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 2:59pm

I thought it was a totally valid question. Thanks for your informative post dmwnc1959. 

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 3:01pm

QueenTwinnied said: "You actually bothered the manager about that? Wow.."

 

Yes. Because the movies for the most part were near exact. Somewhere it had been mentioned that if you see Judi Dench’s ring, you’re still seeing the old version. After that and no real, outstanding, noticeable changes, I wanted to verify I was indeed watching the new version. The manager seemed happy to oblige and especially so when she offered that handheld digital device showing the date/time stamp of the new download. 

 

Updated On: 12/24/19 at 03:01 PM

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 3:08pm

Demitri2 said: "I thought it was a totally valid question. Thanks for your informative post dmwnc1959."

You’re welcome. I do try. :)

 

[haterobics]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 3:08pm

dmwnc1959 said: "the movies for the most partwere near exact. Somewhere it had been mentioned that if you see Judi Dench’s ring, you’re still seeing the old version. After that and no real,outstanding, noticeable changes, I wanted to verify I was indeed watching the new version."

The "improved" line was just marketing. It was just them fixing the unready version that they charged people for the previous week after they had extra time to tweak it.

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 3:17pm

haterobics said: "The "improved" line was just marketing. It was just them fixing the unready version that they charged people for the previous week after they had extra time to tweakit."

It would still be nice to know specifics, now that I’ve seen both, that it might tweak my memory as to how they were different. But I’m sure that we’ll probably never know. Hoping someone else comes on in the next few days that saw Version 1 and Version 2 to highlight what was changed. I enjoyed it enough today to really want to see it again, if only for Beautiful Ghosts and Memory. In the context of the show, seeing it on the screen, they are spectacular. 

 

Updated On: 12/24/19 at 03:17 PM

[Skip23]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 4:03pm

If you've seen the preview version, do you have to pay for the Rev1 update?

 

 

[Gorlois]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 4:06pm

dmwnc1959 said: "Not sure what was meant when Universal said “some improved visual effects," but about the only thing I really noticed was that the movie seem to appear brighter, with deeper colors, and more pronounced whiskers and fur for some of the cats. And that’s about it. The cockroaches and mice with human faces are still in, as is Judi Dench’s ring, and the human fingers, noses, and feet (none replaced with cat parts). I wish I had paid more attention Saturday like some who seemed to have memorized every fault. Jennifer Hudson’s rendition of Memory is absolutely stunning, and when the first note began Igot chills all over my body. I plan on seeing this again between now and Sunday, and still have to get the new SW movie in as well. Maybe someone else can be more specific about the improved special effects, but I really didn’t notice anything new that would change the minds of those who already hate this."

Really? In my pre-update version I distinctly remember both Grizabella and Mr. Mistofellees having human flesh covered hands, which seemed to match their skin tones more than color of their fur, in their big numbers. I never expected they would turn human noses into cat noses or feet into paws, but I expected they’d fix that. Maybe they did and you didn’t notice the discrepancy in the first showing? 

 

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 4:15pm

Today, it was totally weird watching a three-week old Graham Norton show with Dame Judy and Jennifer Hudson enthusiastically plugging CATS, not yet knowing that their ship was heading straight towards the iceberg.

I felt really bad for them.

Updated On: 12/24/19 at 04:15 PM

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 5:02pm

Went to see it this morning. Once the like pre movie, pre trailers segments completed.... the screen just went totally blank. The like 10 of us in the theatre for the first showing just kinda sat their awkwardly and it was like.... is this movie SO bad that even the trailers that are suppose to play in front of it have jumped ship. They eventually fixed it but then I found it really odd that so many kid movie trailers played before it. Like it was the same package of trailers I caught going to see Frozen 2 weeks ago. In fact, their were kids in my theatre.... who got SO freaked out after the Jellicale Ball they were SCREAMING crying in fear. Got a good giggle outta me.

I have no idea how I felt about this. It was bad but I almost wanted it to be.... even worse? Like it was not at the "so bad it's good" level of awful. It as more "so bad that it's just kinda mediocre at best."

I actually think that Judi's human hands and ring are..... a choice? Like I am pretty sure I got version 2.0 this morning but the hands and rings were still there. But I noticed that a number of the cats just had human hands as well. Only a few of them seemed to have "fur" going up onto the hands. So I saw it more of a choice. Like how it was a choice to have some cats wearing clothing and others not to like weird inconsistent degrees.

And I just REALLY want to know what exactly Hooper was on when he was sitting in that editing room, watching the lead in to Jennyanydot's song. Like what kind of drugs must you be on to sit there... watch Rebel Wilson start scratching herself while doing #17 (The Spread Eagle) and not only think "Christmas movie event of the decade," but then make the choice to cut to an angle that suggests she might be scratching more then her leg. Are you okay Tom? Are. You. Okay?

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 5:03pm

Gorlois said: "Really? ...Maybe they did and you didn’t notice the discrepancy in the first showing?"

I’m glad you chimed in. It’ll give me something else to look for when I see it for the third time. Maybe I was looking for something more earth-shattering in CATS V2. Unfortunately I didn’t memorize every detail of every scene from both versions. As I had mentioned in my first review I was more taken aback, and was busy trying to process what I was seeing, not looking for errors or trying to hate on the movie. 

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 5:16pm

Scarlet Leigh said: "Went to see it this morning...."

Definitely agree that moment with Jennyanydots scratching and going spread eagle is uncomfortable. Keep trying to block that out of my head. lol Sort of like when Old Deuteronomy sticks her leg straight up in the air while laying in the cushioned cat bed on stage after Gus performs. 

And there’s a moment at the end in The Addressing of Cats where it’s said that cats are very much like you. That’s sort of why I didn’t have problems with their human hands and fingers. Like you said, it seems more like a choice. 
 

 

[Gorlois]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 5:32pm

Yeah but I mean Mr Mistofellees went from having snow white fur hands earlier in the movie to peachy skin hands by the end. Clearly that couldn’t have been a choice— unless purposeful inconsistency was their aim.

Thanks for sharing your review, though. I haven’t seen anyone attempt to compare the films yet. I don’t know when I’ll get out to the theatre again to see it.

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 6:23pm

There was definitely one spot when I took note that the fur on Misto's one arm was moving up and down while he was. Like the black fur was moving up and down his arm. It went from his wrist down a bit then back to his wrist. Wow... why did they not just..... delay the release? Pride? 

[sabrelady]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 6:23pm

Are movie theatres required by contract with the studios to run a film for a predetermined amount of time no matter how poorly the film is selling?

The answer is a bit more complicated.  The theatre owners wants to run something- empty theatres don't pay bills so if there is something else that will attract a crowd  cough* StarWars*cough they will  negotiate a substitute. I think they may give this a bit longer as supposedly the studio has said they expect this will attract a "mature" audience (?!) but I would be surprised if the number of screens does not drop precipitously by New Years and was gone to 2nd run theatre  by January 10th.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 6:38pm

Scarlet Leigh said: "There was definitely one spot when I took note that the fur on Misto's one arm was moving up and down while he was. Like the black fur was moving up and down his arm. It went from his wrist down a bit then back to his wrist. Wow... why did they not just..... delay the release? Pride?"

You have to book chains like a year in advance. It went into what 3,000+ theatres on one of the busiest weeks of the year 6 showings a day. They would've been sued up the whazoo if they pulled it and they probably had nothing else that was ready to replace it.  

If they'd have pulled it the rumours and fallout would've probably been just as damaging considering it's critical reception and the CGI sounds like it was the least of its problems.

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 7:25pm

Sounds like knocking back a few with your friends before seeing this is the only way to garner any emotional response to this movie.

[binau]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 7:31pm

It honestly sounds like this would be the perfect night out for those that lives in states or countries where marijuana is legal.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 12/24/19 at 7:57pm

qolbinau said: "It honestly sounds like this would be the perfect night out for those that lives in states or countries where marijuana is legal."

Yes! Go to this movie LIT like a firecracker! It's the only way to endure it!