Tom Hooper to direct movie of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Cats'

[danoyse]

There's actually a fairly complex story for a musical...

Not really.

 

[The Guard]

There is, though. The characters have fairly specific relationships with each other, some of them have actual character arcs that are generally conveyed via dance, and it's surprisingly complex for something that seems so simple. I don't know if Webber was all that aware of some of it, but TS Elliot knew what was up, and Webber basically stole most of his story and lyrics wholecloth for the musical. For a dance musical, it's no CHORUS LINE, but there's stuff there that a good writer can make more apparent.

 

[sueb1863]

There is, though. The characters have fairly specific relationships with each other, some of them have actual character arcs that are generally conveyed via dance, and it's surprisingly complex for something that seems so simple. I don't know if Webber was all that aware of some of it, but TS Elliot knew what was up, and Webber basically stole most of his story and lyrics wholecloth for the musical. For a dance musical, it's no CHORUS LINE, but there's stuff there that a good writer can make more apparent.

Can you give some examples, please? Because the only plot I ever got out of it was "Which cat is going to get to go to Cat Heaven?", and there was some menace from Macavity the criminal cat who was sort of the villain, kind of, and that was about it. There are some things that fans have implied, mostly based off the filmed version of the show that came out in 1998, but none of it ever had anything to do with the story, it was just background stuff.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

I remember being younger, seeing the trailer for Cats and wondering to myself, "What the f**k is a Jellicle cat?".

Never found that out.

 

[redhawk23]

The show was terrible. That’s why it didn’t last much beyond its 80s origins. I don’t know a single person who would name this their top musical let alone top 5. The music is good though.

It ran for 21 years in London and 18 on Broadway.
That said, this film sounds like an extinction level event.

 

[JP]

Well I for one love CATS and I'm stoked to hear Jennifer Hudson sing Memory. It's gonna be chill inducing.

 

[The Shape]

Memory is such a great, show-stopping moment in the show. The problem is that it's always been the only memorable show-stopper, for the most part.

 

[The Guard]

Can you give some examples, please? Because the only plot I ever got out of it was "Which cat is going to get to go to Cat Heaven?", and there was some menace from Macavity the criminal cat who was sort of the villain, kind of, and that was about it. There are some things that fans have implied, mostly based off the filmed version of the show that came out in 1998, but none of it ever had anything to do with the story, it was just background stuff.

Google Brans N Rees'es Twitter thread about CATS. Be amazed.

Storywise, aside from Grizzabella's arc, her portrayal of a tragic past, and the idea that the younger cats eventually show some compassion toward her and accept her despite her past, it's kind of a mess. There are just bits and pieces here and there that could be built on, and I've seen various productions do some interesting things with staging that manage to weave bits of story in and flesh out various relationships between key cats. It'll be interesting to see what they do here.

 

[JP]

Memory is such a great, show-stopping moment in the show. The problem is that it's always been the only memorable show-stopper, for the most part.

Mr. Mistoffelees and Rum Tum Tugger.

 

[The Guard]

Skimbleshanks?

 

[JP]

Skimbleshanks?

also a bop!

 

[Silvermoth]

So is this going to be a broadway live type thing or are they going to use CGI or prosthetics or what?

 

[sueb1863]

Google Brans N Rees'es Twitter thread about CATS. Be amazed.

Thanks, I'll check it out!

I'm guessing Swift will play Bombalurina. Ian McKellan will probably play Old Deutoronomy or maybe Gus the Theater Cat. James Corden will possibly play Bustopher Jones.

I have NO idea how they're going to handle what the cats will actually look like. Realistic cats would look silly trying to dance. Maybe a CGI mix of the Broadway costumes and cat features, but it'll be tricky to have it not look bizarre.

Can't wait to see how they handle the cat orgy towards the end of Act I.

 

[The Guard]

Celebrity/cat CGI hybrids?

Sign me up.

 

[terry78]

So is this going to be a broadway live type thing or are they going to use CGI or prosthetics or what?

CG according to the story.

 

[terry78]

Idris Elba Joins the Cats Musical Adaptation as the Villainous Macavity

Idris Elba joins cast as the villain Macavity.

Also someone merge the thread Gold Samurai created with this one please.

 

[Silvermoth]

Nice.

Dad took us to see cats because he was a massive cats stan (as in actually cats, meow, those type of cats) but he couldn’t see it by himself in case it didn’t sound manly haha. I wonder if other blokes will be happy to see it because Idris is in it and that makes it ok.

Plus he already played a cat in the lion king

 

[JP]

So we need Old Deuteronomy and Rum Tug Tugger.

 

[Pink Ranger]

So this Cats movie is slotted to open the same weekend as the proposed He-Man movie. It's going to be the gayest ****ing two days ever for me. By Monday all that will be left of me is a pile of glitter on the floor.

 

[Silvermoth]

That does sound like fun. It’s like the night Eurovision and grease live we’re on at the same time and I almost died because the blood in my body turned into rainbows

 

[sueb1863]

I'm guessing they're going to really change that role since in the original show only shows up a few times, has one big fight scene and that's it.

"Presumably, Elba will sing during “Macavity Fight,” which is one of the big moments for his character."

That's not a song. It's strictly instrumental. Macavity has no lines in the show, he just laughs in a menacing way a couple of times.

 

[JP]

Yeah I imagine he’ll have a bigger role. I mean I imagine the entire book to script transfer was massive lol.

But it makes sense for someone like Elba to play a role that doesn’t require singing.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I'm guessing they're going to really change that role since in the original show only shows up a few times, has one big fight scene and that's it.

"Presumably, Elba will sing during “Macavity Fight,” which is one of the big moments for his character."

That's not a song. It's strictly instrumental. Macavity has no lines in the show, he just laughs in a menacing way a couple of times.

I suspect major rewrites in this movie, like on the scale of the stage version of Cabaret vs. Bob Fosse's Cabaret. I can imagine whole new storylines and everything, almost structuring it like the Catvengers or Fellowship of the Cats.

 

[JP]

Judi Dench Set To Pounce On ‘Cats’

 

[terry78]

Well damn. It's a safe bet they mocapping this thing now. Dench and Mckellan ain't playing dress up and putting on prosthetic cat ears.