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Cats Movie Starring Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellan, Jennifer Hudson, Idris Elba, Taylor Swift

JD

JD

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They have released the first trailer for the new CGI motion capture adaptation of the Broadway musical Cats. The movie is being directed by Tom Hooper, the director of The Kings Speech and the Les Miserables movie starring Hugh Jackman, Russel Crowe, and Anne Hathaway.
The cast:
Jennifer Hudson as Grizabella
Taylor Swift as Bombalurina
James Corden as Bustopher Jones
Rebel Wilson as Jennyanydots
Jason Derulo as Rum Tum Tugger
Idris Elba as Macavity
Sir Ian McKellen as Gus the Theater Cat
Dame Judi Dench as Old Dueteronomy
and a lot of other people.
Honestly the cast is huge, but these are by far the biggest names.
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OK, yes I will admit, this looks very, very strange, but in a fun way. I wasn't sure what the expect, but I actually liked the trailer and am looking forward to it now.
 
JD said:
Dame Judi Dench as Old Dueteronomy
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Hmm not sure about this one. Old Dueteronomy has generally been done with a big strong voice (Brian Blessed originated the role) They might also have to change the line about "buried 9 wives".

Neither Phantom of the Opera or Evita really worked as film adaptions so will be interesting to see how this one goes.
 
I saw a VHS copy of the broadway show in the 90’s and didn’t like it because the cats freaked me out. Having heard that Taylor was in it peaked my interest but the cats look weird and the whole thing looks trippy.
 
This looks like a fucking mess, and I will be there opening night.
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JD said:
I thought Hooper did a good job with Les Mis.
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The trailer isn't going down well.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-19/cats-releases-first-trailer/11325138

There's also a quick behind the scenes that's been shown on the celeb gossip shows which maybe people should see.

Janeway’s Girl said:
I saw a VHS copy of the broadway show in the 90’s and didn’t like it because the cats freaked me out. Having heard that Taylor was in it peaked my interest but the cats look weird and the whole thing looks trippy.
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Think that was the one with Sir John Gielgud in it,

The cats could be worse. There was local production in my city a few years back and there was a bit of a costuming issue where things were a bit too obvious with some of the male cast members.
 
I gotta admit, whatever type of effects they used to make the cat people is just...creepy.
 
Where are the rumpled, fluffy, wooly legwarmers?! Those were such a defining element in many of the costumes. And before someone counters they wouldn't have them here as they seem to have actual fur, characters like Old Gus the theatre cat and Mr. Mephistopheles are wearing "costumes" similar to the original stage version, so why not the iconic legwarmers?

And, if it were me, I would have had them at least possess triangular nose pads and the upper lip clefts. The completely furred bodies and realistic feline ears with otherwise completely human faces does look a bit "off". (And I'm the one saying this, the idiot who has clamored for the inclusion of M'Ress, or at least any female Caitian in a live action Trek property for years!) But I suspect some of the actors did not want their "glorious mugs" obscured, so the makers maintained the look among the entire cast.
 
Janeway’s Girl said:
I saw a VHS copy of the broadway show in the 90’s and didn’t like it because the cats freaked me out. Having heard that Taylor was in it peaked my interest but the cats look weird and the whole thing looks trippy.
Click to expand...
The tape, in segments:
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Between this, Lion King, Paddington, and Sonic, I think we're firmly in the age of the Uncanny Valley. Some will have trained themselves to get used to it and everyone else will be creeped out by it. I think the only property that avoided the uncanny valley is the new POTA films. Personally, I'd rather look at this guy than this movie.
 
JoeZhang said:
So are these like human-cat hybrids? Are all the normal people dead?
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Exactly :D

(take something/a live musical that works within credulity limits of theatre and then place outside...that takes cojones AND skill/talent. Hooper got away with it in Les Mis...just...)
 
The old-cat song is so iconic and probably unknown by newer audiences that if played well it can single handedly make the movie famous.

edit: oh wait, they put it in the trailer
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mos6507 said:
Between this, Lion King, Paddington, and Sonic, I think we're firmly in the age of the Uncanny Valley. Some will have trained themselves to get used to it and everyone else will be creeped out by it. I think the only property that avoided the uncanny valley is the new POTA films. Personally, I'd rather look at this guy than this movie.
Click to expand...

POTA? What is that?

Sci-fi fan said:
The old-cat song is so iconic and probably unknown by newer audiences that if played well it can single handedly make the movie famous.

edit: oh wait, they put it in the trailer
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Click to expand...

I think the only people who don't know that song are people who don't know Cats exists. And while it may be iconic among musical theater fans, it's probably one of the most lampooned and ridiculed musical 'hits' in existence outside them. It was never going to make the movie for a new generation of fans.
 
It's pretty obvious 80% of the hate is from people that are offended by Cats itself, including the original musical. They can't stand fursuits to put it plainly (CGI fursuits or not).
The rest are saying the musical was better usually. It probably was but I doubt this hate is justified to this level.
 
I don't hate it, but I am quite afraid that one of those cat/human transporter malfunctions might appear in a dream tonight, if that's the case I will be upset.
 
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