{Welp, you knew this was bound to happen eventually; I have A LOT to say about these movies (not necessarily negative)}.
Cats (1998):
Cats is a 1998 direct-to-video musical film based on the 1981 stage musical Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber, itself based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939) by T. S. Eliot. Lloyd Webber oversaw orchestration for the film and called on Gillian Lynne, the show's original choreographer, to train the cast for the film. David Mallet served as the director of this production.
The film is a recreation of the stage musical, but with a new staging and significant cuts made to reduce the run-time for television broadcast. It was filmed at the Adelphi Theatre in London in 1997, with the cast selected from various past and (then) present international productions of Cats. Initially released to VHS and subsequently DVD and Blu-ray, the film has since been shown on television channels including PBS, BBC, and Ovation TV.
Act 1:
After the overture, the Cats gather on stage and describe the Jellicle tribe and its purpose ("Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats"). The cats (who break the fourth wall throughout the show) then notice that they are being watched by a human audience, and proceed to explain how the different cats of the tribe are named ("The Naming of Cats"). This is followed by a ballet solo performed by Victoria to signal the beginning of the Jellicle Ball ("The Invitation to the Jellicle Ball"). At this moment, Munkustrap, the show's main narrator, explains that tonight the Jellicle patriarch Old Deuteronomy will make an appearance and choose one of the cats to be reborn into a new life on the Heaviside Layer.
The first contender Munkustrap introduces is Jennyanydots ("The Old Gumbie Cat"), a large tabby cat who lazes around all day but come nighttime, she becomes active, teaching mice and cockroaches various activities to curb their naturally destructive habits. Just as Jennyanydots finishes her song, the music changes suddenly and Rum Tum Tugger makes his extravagant entrance in front of the tribe ("The Rum Tum Tugger"). He is very fickle and unappeasable, "for he will do as he do do, and there's no doing anything about it".
Then, as Rum Tum Tugger's song fades, a shabby old grey cat stumbles out wanting to be reconciled; it is Grizabella. All the cats back away from her in fear and disgust and explain her unfortunate state ("Grizabella: The Glamour Cat"). Grizabella leaves and the music changes to a cheerful upbeat number as Bustopher Jones, a fat cat in "a coat of fastidious black", is brought to the stage ("Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town"). Bustopher Jones is among the elite of the cats, and visits prestigious gentlemen's clubs. Suddenly, a loud crash startles the tribe and the cats run offstage in fright. Hushed giggling sounds signal the entrance of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, a pair of near-identical cats. They are mischievous petty burglars who enjoy causing trouble around their human neighborhood ("Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer"). After they finish, they are caught off-guard and confronted by the rest of the cats.
Finally, the Jellicle patriarch, Old Deuteronomy, arrives before the tribe ("Old Deuteronomy"). He is a wise old cat who "has lived many lives" and is tasked with choosing which Jellicle will go to the Heaviside Layer every year. The cats put on a play for Old Deuteronomy ("The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles"), telling a story about two dog tribes clashing in the street and subsequently being scared away by the Great Rumpus Cat. A somber moral from Old Deuteronomy is interrupted by a second loud crash, presumably from Macavity, which sends the alarmed cats scurrying. After a quick patrol for Macavity, Old Deuteronomy deems it a false alarm and summons the cats back as the main celebration begins ("The Jellicle Ball"), in which the cats sing and display their "Terpsichorean powers".
During the Ball, Grizabella reappears and is once again shunned by the other cats ("Grizabella: The Glamour Cat (Reprise)") while Old Deuteronomy looks on sadly. She tries to dance along, but her age and decrepit condition prevent her from doing so ("Memory (Prelude)").
Act 2:
After the Jellicle Ball, act 2 opens with Old Deuteronomy contemplating "what happiness is", referring to Grizabella. However, the cats do not understand him, so he has Jemima (also known as Sillabub), the youngest of all Jellicles, sing it in simpler terms ("The Moments of Happiness"). Gus – short for Asparagus – shuffles forward as the next cat to be introduced ("Gus: The Theatre Cat"). He was once a famous actor but is now old and "suffers from palsy which makes his paws shake". He is accompanied by Jellylorum, his caretaker, who tells of his exploits. Gus then remembers his past acting career.
After Gus exits, Skimbleshanks is seen sleeping in the corner ("Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat"). He is the cat who is unofficially in charge of the night train to Glasgow. Skimbleshanks is considered vital to the rail operations, as without him "the train can't start". Within his song, a whole steam train engine is assembled out of objects in the junkyard.
With a third crash and an evil laugh, the "most wanted" cat Macavity appears. He is the so-called "Napoleon of Crime" who always manages to evade the authorities. Macavity's henchmen capture Old Deuteronomy and take off with the patriarch in tow. As Munkustrap and his troop give chase, Demeter and Bombalurina explain what they know about Macavity ("Macavity: The Mystery Cat"). When they are finished, Macavity returns disguised as Old Deuteronomy, but his cover is blown by Demeter and he ends up in a fight with Munkustrap and Alonzo. Macavity holds his own for a time, but as the rest of the tribe begins to gang up and surround him, he shorts out the stage lights and escapes in the resulting confusion.
After the fight, Rum Tum Tugger calls upon the magician Mr. Mistoffelees for help ("Magical Mr. Mistoffelees"). Known as the "original conjuring cat", Mr. Mistoffelees can perform feats of magic that no other cat can do. He displays his magical powers in a dance solo and uses them to restore the lights and bring back Old Deuteronomy. Now, the Jellicle Choice can be made.
Before Old Deuteronomy can announce his decision, Grizabella returns to the junkyard and he allows her to address the gathering. Her faded appearance and lonely disposition have little effect on her song ("Memory"). With acceptance and encouragement from Jemima and Victoria, her appeal succeeds and she is chosen to be the one to go to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a new Jellicle life ("The Journey to the Heaviside Layer"). A tire rises from the piles of junk, carrying Grizabella and Old Deuteronomy partway towards the sky; Grizabella then completes the journey on her own. Finally, Old Deuteronomy gives an address to the audience, closing the show ("The Ad-dressing of Cats").
Cast:
The cast for the film consists of former and contemporary members of various international stage productions of Cats, who were invited to reprise their stage roles. {If I listed them all it would take all day, so I'm only listing those who you may know} Among the cast were Elaine Paige and Susan Jane Tanner who originated the roles of Grizabella and Jellylorum in the West End respectively, and Ken Page who originated the role of Old Deuteronomy on Broadway. The exception was John Mills who was brought on to play Gus for the first time.
Production:
The film was shot at the Adelphi Theatre in London over the course of 18 days in August 1997. The cast vocals were recorded first, followed by two run-throughs of the entire show that were captured from multiple angles by 16 cameras, ending with a few weeks of close-up and pick-up shots.
The musical score was recorded with a 100-piece orchestra, with Simon Lee serving as the musical director and conductor. The film infuses the music from various international productions of the stage show.
However, there were differences with this version and the original stage show. Directed for television broadcast, this production was restaged on a new set and was not filmed with an audience. Significant cuts were also made, with the film having a running time of slightly under 2 hours, compared to the 2 hours and 40 minutes running time of the stage show. The entirety of "Growltiger's Last Stand" was cut, along with parts of "The Jellicle Ball", "The Old Gumbie Cat", "Mr. Mistoffelees", "Macavity: The Mystery Cat", and "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer".
Cats 2019:
Cats is a 2019 musical fantasy film based on the 1981 Tony Award-winning stage musical of the same name by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which in turn was based on the poetry collection Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939) by T. S. Eliot. The film was directed by Tom Hooper, in his second feature musical following Les Misérables (2012), from a screenplay by Lee Hall and Hooper. It features an ensemble cast, including James Corden, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson, and Francesca Hayward.
Filming for Cats took place from December 2018 to April 2019. It was theatrically released in the United Kingdom and the United States on December 20, 2019, by Universal Pictures. The film was significantly panned by critics, who criticized its visual effects, editing, cat design, acting performances, plot and screenplay. However, some critics praised Swift's performance, the visual aspects (particularly the production design) and soundtrack, as well as Hudson's rendition of "Memory". It is considered by some to be one of the worst films ever made. The film was also a box-office bomb, grossing $75 million on a budget of $80–100 million, and is estimated to have lost Universal Pictures approximately $114 million.
Plot:
{This one has more of a narrative than the theatre show, which is fine for what they did honestly}
Victoria, a young white cat, is thrown out of a car in the streets of London in the middle of the night. The alley cats witnessing this introduce themselves to her as the "Jellicles". Two toms, meek magician Mr. Mistoffelees and the loyal Munkustrap, and two queens, the snooty Cassandra and Demeter, take Victoria under their wing and show her the world of the Jellicles as they prepare for the Jellicle Ball, an annual ceremony where cats compete to be chosen to go to the Heaviside Layer and be granted a new life.
Throughout the film, the Jellicle Ball competitors are introduced and sing about themselves: the characters include Jennyanydots, a domestic tabby, who boosts the productivity of mice and roaches; the Rum Tum Tugger, a flirtatious tom who riles up the others; Bustopher Jones, a bourgeois cat who boasts about his weight and shares food scraps from the garbage; Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat, a tidy ginger cat who tap dances and supervises the operation of a train; Gus, an aged theatrical cat who has played some of the biggest roles in history; and Macavity, a notorious criminal capable of apparating. Macavity kidnaps the other contestants (save for Tugger) so that he can be made the Jellicle Choice by default.
Victoria also happens to meet the mischievous twins Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, who enjoy causing trouble and messing with things in the house of their human family. They convince Victoria to join in the fun but leave her tangled up in some necklaces when the family dog is alerted to their presence. Luckily, Mr. Mistoffelees comes to rescue Victoria, distracting the dog and escaping with her. They return to the group, just in time for the arrival of the tribe's wise and beloved matriarch Old Deuteronomy. The Jellicle Ball commences inside the abandoned Egyptian Theatre. Victoria dances a ballet solo in the moonlight but is distracted by Cassandra harassing Grizabella, a former member of the tribe who was banished for, among other things, her past allegiance with Macavity. Victoria relates to Grizabella's feelings of abandonment. As Grizabella slinks away into the streets, Old Deuteronomy witnesses their quiet camaraderie and assures Victoria that she can become a Jellicle herself in time.
Femme fatale Bombalurina interrupts the Ball, distracting the Jellicles present with a song and dance number praising Macavity and simultaneously incapacitating them with catnip. When Macavity arrives and demands to be made the Jellicle Choice, Old Deuteronomy deems him unworthy and is subsequently kidnapped and placed with Macavity's other victims. As the Jellicles recuperate, distraught over their leader's disappearance, Victoria suggests that Mr. Mistoffelees use his powers to conjure Old Deuteronomy back. He tries several times, eventually making Old Deuteronomy reappear. The cats rejoice and praise Mr. Mistoffelees; he and Victoria dance together. Meanwhile, a thwarted Macavity and Bombalurina apparated away from his victims, who begin to free themselves via Jennyanydots' costume change. Macavity leaves his lackey, Growltiger, to walk the plank defenseless against the emancipated cats.
Grizabella returns to the Egyptian. Victoria vouches for her and urges her to sing her true feelings. Grizabella proceeds to sing a passionate ballad about her mistakes, her former glory, and her beauty, sentiments that touch the hearts of the Jellicles. Old Deuteronomy names Grizabella the Jellicle Choice and sends her off to the Heaviside Layer in a chandelier (repaired by Mr. Mistoffelees' magic to float like a hot air balloon). Macavity, in one last attempt to reach the Heaviside Layer, leaps onto a rope from the chandelier but falls onto Nelson's Column. The Jellicles, reunited with their kidnapped brethren, and perched on a lion statue, watch Grizabella ascend as the morning sun appears above the horizon. After the congregation disperses, Old Deuteronomy welcomes Victoria to the tribe.
Production/Development:
An animated film adaptation based on the musical was initially planned by Amblimation in the 1990s, but was abandoned with the studio's closure. In December 2013, Andrew Lloyd Webber, creator and composer of the musical stage production Cats, teased that Universal Pictures, which had purchased the film rights to Cats many years earlier, was putting the project into active development.
In February 2016, it was reported that Tom Hooper was in negotiations to direct the film, and was considering actresses, including Suki Waterhouse, to star. In May 2016, Hooper was confirmed as director.
In January 2018, Hooper and Working Title began officially casting for the film, while looking into the technical aspect of whether the film would be entirely live-action or computer generated, with Lloyd Webber announcing he would be writing a new song for the film adaptation. On October 24, 2019, it was announced that the new song was titled "Beautiful Ghosts", written by Lloyd Webber and Taylor Swift. The song was sung by Francesca Hayward, followed later in a reprise by Judi Dench, with a credits version sung by Swift. The version sung by Swift was released on November 15, 2019.
Casting:
In June 2018, there were reports Anne Hathaway was considered for a role in the film, but she passed due to scheduling conflict. Hugh Jackman was also offered a role by Hooper, but turned it down. In July 2018, Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift, James Corden, and Ian McKellen joined the cast. Swift had previously tested for the role of Éponine in Tom Hooper's Les Misérables but was given the part of Bombalurina without an audition.
In September 2018, Laurie Davidson and Mette Towley were cast, with Steven Spielberg announced to be executive producing. In October 2018, Idris Elba and Judi Dench joined the cast of the film. Dench was cast in the original stage musical, but had been forced to pull out due to a torn Achilles tendon; Lloyd Webber and Hooper decided to make Old Deuteronomy a female cat and offered her the role.
In November 2018, ballet dancers Francesca Hayward and Steven McRae as well as Rebel Wilson, Jason Derulo, and Robert Fairchild joined the cast of the film with rehearsals commencing at Leavesden Studios in Hertfordshire, England. Andy Blankenbuehler choreographed the film, after Wayne McGregor was forced to back out due to scheduling conflicts. Blankenbuehler also choreographed the stage musical's 2016 Broadway revival. In December 2018, Les Twins and Eric Underwood joined the cast.
Filming:
Principal photography began on December 12, 2018, and wrapped on April 2, 2019. FUN FACT: Swift said that the cast attended "cat school", in which they would literally do hours on end of barefoot crawling on the floor, hissing at each other. They learned about cat instincts and the way they carry themselves and the way that they process information, the way they see the world, the way they move. {As you do :/, can you imagine that though? Just a bunch people on all fours hissing and growling at each other in a room XD}.
My Review:
Honestly you'd be surprised how civil my opinion on both of these films are. Of course, Cats 1998 is the superior of the two, but honestly my family and I like the 2019 movie. Yeah I said it. The whole book this is inspired by is very peculiar - since it's not something you'd immediately go "Oh this would be a good idea for a stage show!".
Cats 1998 is definitely better; the whole cast made the story their own every time they perform live on tour, especially in this film. The cast establish that the Jellicles are all one big family, which is pretty nice - that gives off a warm vibe. Of course, Elaine Paige is the headliner; she made a stunning and piteous performance - especially with how she along with the cast present her redemption, probably the best Cats actor in history. Especially her rendition of Memory, she's the one who made that song popular to begin with.
On the other hand, Cats 2019 is... different. Let's just say Andrew Lloyd Webber and the film crew were very bold with their choices, and honestly I commend them for that. Unlike most other people, I have quite a few positives about this film:
First the animation. It's fair to say the animation was the main thing that scared people away from this film. Sure the models were bizarre to look at, design-wise, but honestly though I kind of think that this is some of the best animation I've seen as of recently. Hear me out; while working on this film they were on a deadline and they were determined to meet that said deadline, which is why the models looked rushed and unfinished. The reason for this being that the mass majority of the filming took was spent on the dancing and filming/choreography, so they didn't have as much time on it as they wanted. Sure, I imagine the movie would've been better if they finished it fully by missing the deadline, but for what we've got... taking that into consideration, it's honestly really really good.
Second, the casting. I honestly didn't think they did a bad job - as I informed you before they had a lot of trouble finding the people they first wanted for some of the roles. Now the 1998 cast did a better job at bringing the cats to life, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well they portrayed them. Now Jennifer Hudson is no Elaine Paige, but she is the best performance (in this film) of Grizzabella. And Idris Elba did a good job as the feline, scoundrel Macavity. I just think Taylor Swift was way too hyped though since she was only in it for around 6 minutes, at the most. And my mother and I like Mr Mistoffelees - Laurie Davidson did a good job at playing him.
Third, the soundtrack was great. I kinda like some of these versions more than the original version. {I know that they are made by the same person, Webber, but the music in this at times reminded me of songs from Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat}.
I'll admit this movie isn't the best interpretation of a stage musical. But I still like it. It's funny, I showed the film to my older sisters who were skeptical like everybody else seems to be, but even they admitted that it wasn't as bad as they thought it was going to be! Surprising isn't it? If this movie comes to Liverpool or Blackpool then I'll make sure to go and watch it.
Overall, I do urge you to check this film out if you are skeptical. I guarantee you'll most likely appreciate it more now that you know that it was a rushed project. I give these films both a 7.5/10.
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