Cats allegedly headed for big screen

[gypsy101]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 11:15am

according to Broadway.com. some very sad news. Tom Hooper rumored to direct. Heaven help us all. http://www.broadway.com/buzz/183757/andrew-lloyd-webbers-cats-may-finally-prowl-on-to-the-big-screen-directed-by-les-mizs-tom-hooper/

 

Updated On: 2/8/16 at 11:15 AM

[Shrek3]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 11:37am

Will never happen

[Ranger Tom]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 11:37am

Oh well.  As I try to be positive, if Cats revival/movie allows grandmas to bring their little ones to the theater and they get excited about being on the stage, then a service has been done for a new generation.  

[Shrek3]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 11:39am

A live action Cats film would be terrible. But Grumpy Cat for Grizabella would be fantastic.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 11:42am

Seeing as it was reported in The Sun, I highly doubt that any of the reported information is even true.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 12:40pm

this article is not from The Sun, it's Broadway.com

[Sunny11]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 12:43pm

Imaging if they showed a 3D version in cinemas. It's would be a stoners wet dream. 

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 12:53pm

Why god why? First we have to deal with revival and now a movie version? 

[tazber]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:00pm

Well you could always just not see it.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:04pm

Saw the original. That was enough for me

[Jshan05]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:06pm

Let's hope it's better than Les Mis...a 3D version really would be cool!

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:07pm

gypsy101 said: "this article is not from The Sun, it's Broadway.com"

 

Broadway.com may be the article you listed, but the information itself was originally reported in The Sun.

 

Updated On: 2/8/16 at 01:07 PM

[gypsy101]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:13pm

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Broadway.com may be the article you listed, but the information itself was originally reported in The Sun."

 

Ohhhh, i see. well hopefully this film doesn't come to fruition.

[jpbran]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:17pm

Is Sidney Poitier still involved? 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:20pm

He will be doing  "Memories"

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:24pm

Hopefully Paul keeps to his promise and gets Ouisa and Flan and their friends in the film if Poitier is still attached.  

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:39pm

Even if it were true, why would it be sad news and why would you care of it gets made?  How would it effect you and why would you want to prevent those with a desire to see it from doing so?   Perhaps you also feel you should not be allowed to see anything you really like or even love because someone out there hates it.

 

I've never understood this ridiculously selfish notion.  Just...don't see it and let it go.  Sheesh!

[devonian.t]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:44pm

jpbran said: "Is Sidney Poitier still involved?"

 

Exactly what I thought- 'in explaining all the reasons why there couldn't be a movie version of Cats...'

I'll watch 'Six Degrees of Separation' instead, thanks.

 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:45pm

If it's a surreal CGI version where they look like actual cats

 

 

 

 

maybe.

[tazber]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:51pm

Mister Matt said: "Even if it were true, why would it be sad news and why would you care of it gets made?  How would it effect you and why would you want to prevent those with a desire to see it from doing so?   Perhaps you also feel you should not be allowed to see anything you really like or even love because someone out there hates it.

 

 

 

I've never understood this ridiculously selfish notion.  Just...don't see it and let it go.  Sheesh!

 

"

Word

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:52pm

Feral cats courtesy of Stephen King

[asmith0307]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:55pm

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "gypsy101 said: "this article is not from The Sun, it's Broadway.com"

Broadway.com may be the article you listed, but the information itself was originally reported in The Sun."

In general, I always look at Broadway.com for any ALW rumors because Webber's daughter, Imogen is on staff. If they don't report it, I normally don't trust it. However, that is not to say that they may never post ALW news that is wrong 

[pupscotch]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 1:55pm

Can this be an animated movie where the cats are cute and CGI and they make the songs really autotuned and cute? Because that is the only way that I will watch that. And even then maybe not.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 2:51pm

The cinematic problem with Cats is the same problem with A Chorus Line. There is only the smallest structure of a plot holding it in place. Each character comes forward, tells his/her story, then we move to the next. Then they pick a favorite (or favorites) for "redemption." The End.

 

Don't get me wrong, they both work beautifully on stage. A Chorus Line takes place in real time, with some "surreal" montage moments that don't so much qualify as full-on flashbacks as emotional illustrations of past or current (in the case of "One" events. But we never leave the theatre. The film adaptation tried to "fix" that by leaving the stage for scenes played off to the side or for flashbacks, and every time they did, it lessened the tension and undermined the emotions holding it together.

 

For "Cats" we're in a garbage dump. But there are opportunities to flash back and illustrate events that take place outside the location. That's helpful, but Cats is also a "mood piece" of poetry and dance. If you leave the location too much or remove the dancing and the immediate atmosphere, you will lose the focus as well, just like ACL.

 

These are not "easy" adaptations to film. They could come off as repetitive and dull, where "nothing happens" for two hours.

 

Also the big payoff of seeing Grizabella ascend to the Heavyside Layer might not be as effective on film as spectacle unless they're willing to cough up some serious bucks to make it epic in scale. Otherwise, they'll end up leaving audiences with "That's it?" That's the big finale?" On stage it WAS a big finale. But they weren't competing with today's slew of CGI-ridden films where audiences are getting used to grand spectacle.

 

If they really want to do this as a film (and I'm doubtful), I wish them luck.

Updated On: 2/8/16 at 02:51 PM

[BobbyBubbi]

Posted: 2/8/16 at 3:02pm

^ IMO the film adaptation of Into the Woods suffered from this as well. Most of the songs are park and bark numbers, which didn't leave much to adapt. 

There's a few examples, but the most significant was Red Ridinghood's "I know things now." While she sang there was a rather weak, pastiche-y, slow-motion flashback of an action that had just occurred in "real time." It was honest, but dull. 

Tricky tricky stuff adapting a musical these days.