Cats (2019)
As much improved as the Tom Hooper film adaptation of Cats is to the stage musical, there is one element that both have in common: the opening number is incredibly rousing and impressive, and the rest of the show falls short. “Jellicle Cats” is a toe-tapping number with great dancing, introducing the characters and the environment of the alley cats. It goes on and on, raising the audience’s spirits and hopes – and then you hear the rest of the songs.
Cats is basically a feline-version of A Chorus Line, with each cat coming forward with his or her own song and vignette that isn’t tied to any other’s. There is an underlying story, just as in A Chorus Line: one cat will be chosen to be the Jellicle Cat and sail off in a hot air balloon. No, it’s never explained why cats have access to a hot air balloon, nor is it explained what in the world a Jellicle Cat actually is. The songs are forgettable, irritating, and sound as if the performers were ad-libbing their notes. They do not sound like they were written by an accomplished composer who wrote “Music of the Night” and “Beneath a Moonless Sky”. The lyrics, taken from T.S. Eliot’s poems, are more confusing than clever. Cats don’t break into houses and steal things; they’re afraid of confrontation. They also don’t try to lure other cats to the “dark side” with addictive catnip.
However, the special effects, costumes, makeup, and set designs are off-the-charts fantastic. A simple tap-dance number for the cat who hangs out at the train tracks gets transformed to an exciting traveling adventure. Cats tap on the rail, dance in the compartment, and sing into the beautiful London skyline. The tuxedo cat who performs magic tricks showers the chorus with rose petals and glitter. Tom Hooper did as much as was possible for him to do to improve the show. I don’t know why he wanted to bring Cats to the big screen, though, since the songs are the main problem.
Everyone in the cast tried very hard, and it was very cute to see Judi Dench with her puffy, fluffy fur as Old Deuteronomy. Jennifer Hudson was naturally given the show-stopping song, but her performance was very disappointing. Whether it was because she was forced to sing live (remember Les Miserables?) and would have benefited from the relaxed environment of a sound studio, or whether she’s just lost her powerful voice from thirteen years ago, or whether she was just too emotionally involved in acting in front of the camera and couldn’t sing at the same time (it is actually impossible to cry and sing at the same time), we’ll never know. What we do know is she chose to cry during “Memory” instead of sing it, and because she was feeling it so intensely, the audience wasn’t able to.
Francesca Hayward got a teeny-tiny “introducing” credit at the end of the film, but since she was the lead, I don’t know why she wasn’t marketed and congratulated for her first film performance. Miss Hayward is a ballerina, and while it’s breathtaking to watch her talent and form, her beautiful face certainly competes with the rest of her. Her sweet expressions were lovely to watch; it takes a rare actress to communicate for an hour with only her eyes before she even speaks or sings a word. I kept wondering, “Who is this girl? Is it Taylor Swift? Has she finally grown into her looks?” Taylor Swift, only appearing for one song, was repeatedly plugged for starring in this movie, and I thought it was because she played the lead role. Francesca was lovely, and I’d love to see more of her work.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. During Rebel Wilson’s number, the camera flips upside down to watch the beetles march, and when the bugs dance on the cake the camera swirls a la Busby Berkeley, and that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
More Judi Dench movies here!
Cats is basically a feline-version of A Chorus Line, with each cat coming forward with his or her own song and vignette that isn’t tied to any other’s. There is an underlying story, just as in A Chorus Line: one cat will be chosen to be the Jellicle Cat and sail off in a hot air balloon. No, it’s never explained why cats have access to a hot air balloon, nor is it explained what in the world a Jellicle Cat actually is. The songs are forgettable, irritating, and sound as if the performers were ad-libbing their notes. They do not sound like they were written by an accomplished composer who wrote “Music of the Night” and “Beneath a Moonless Sky”. The lyrics, taken from T.S. Eliot’s poems, are more confusing than clever. Cats don’t break into houses and steal things; they’re afraid of confrontation. They also don’t try to lure other cats to the “dark side” with addictive catnip.
However, the special effects, costumes, makeup, and set designs are off-the-charts fantastic. A simple tap-dance number for the cat who hangs out at the train tracks gets transformed to an exciting traveling adventure. Cats tap on the rail, dance in the compartment, and sing into the beautiful London skyline. The tuxedo cat who performs magic tricks showers the chorus with rose petals and glitter. Tom Hooper did as much as was possible for him to do to improve the show. I don’t know why he wanted to bring Cats to the big screen, though, since the songs are the main problem.
Everyone in the cast tried very hard, and it was very cute to see Judi Dench with her puffy, fluffy fur as Old Deuteronomy. Jennifer Hudson was naturally given the show-stopping song, but her performance was very disappointing. Whether it was because she was forced to sing live (remember Les Miserables?) and would have benefited from the relaxed environment of a sound studio, or whether she’s just lost her powerful voice from thirteen years ago, or whether she was just too emotionally involved in acting in front of the camera and couldn’t sing at the same time (it is actually impossible to cry and sing at the same time), we’ll never know. What we do know is she chose to cry during “Memory” instead of sing it, and because she was feeling it so intensely, the audience wasn’t able to.
Francesca Hayward got a teeny-tiny “introducing” credit at the end of the film, but since she was the lead, I don’t know why she wasn’t marketed and congratulated for her first film performance. Miss Hayward is a ballerina, and while it’s breathtaking to watch her talent and form, her beautiful face certainly competes with the rest of her. Her sweet expressions were lovely to watch; it takes a rare actress to communicate for an hour with only her eyes before she even speaks or sings a word. I kept wondering, “Who is this girl? Is it Taylor Swift? Has she finally grown into her looks?” Taylor Swift, only appearing for one song, was repeatedly plugged for starring in this movie, and I thought it was because she played the lead role. Francesca was lovely, and I’d love to see more of her work.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. During Rebel Wilson’s number, the camera flips upside down to watch the beetles march, and when the bugs dance on the cake the camera swirls a la Busby Berkeley, and that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
More Judi Dench movies here!