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

Still I'm not willing to support the bandwagon of the hate of this when I know the majority of it comes from people that are offended by the ORIGINAL MUSICAL. I will say that it probably is enough to watch the taped musical that already exists and this might end up worse, but I don't think it needs me to add to the negativity right now against it.
And you know what? I will probably enjoy at least a few scenes, the music is just good.
 
Count me as someone weird enough to actually like the character aesthetic here. Yes, it needs some refining - Bustopher Jones, especially - but there's still a few months of post-prod for that. It's a quirky, distinctive, CGI-powered evolution of the stage costumes, and since the unique look and feel of Cats is a big part of the appeal, I can fully understand why they'd go this route.

What I don't understand is the level of vitriol being flung at it. I'd say at least part of the reason is the ongoing effects 'debate' (I use the term loosely) sparked by Aladdin, Sonic and The Lion King, among others, and part is the reactive nature of modern culture, by why to this ridiculous extent... I think Sci-Fi Fan has touched on something, mind.

I wonder how those so disturbed by the aesthetic would have done things? And why, if it's so very disturbing to you, can you not stop looking at it, posting screencaps and gifs of it, and screaming about it? That just seems...counter-productive.
 
Wow, I think you, me, and my mom are the only three who actually liked the trailer.
I'll admit, I had expected them to go for something more along the line's of Shrek's Puss in Boots and some of the other cats in the Shrek/Puss in Boots franchise.
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I agree with the complaint about Dame Judi Dench as Old Deuteronomy. The character is male, and is the father of many of the others.

Some fan theories have Grizabella as the mother of many of them as well, and her fall from grace being that she birthed a litter that was obviously not his (Macavity being one possibility). Other fan theories posit that her fall from grace was simply leaving the junkyard(yes, it's a junkyard in the stage musical) and going out into the world, which is a more popular view. Either way, she returns to the junkyard ravaged not merely by time, but by the hardscrabble existence, including several fights she obviously lost.

And the '90s film of the stage revival had Sir John Mills as Gus, not Sir John Gielgud.
 
I actually love the look and aesthetic of the trailer. My problem is, as much as I love musicals, I've never warmed up to Cats. But I'll probably see it anyway to support the form.
 
JD said:
Wow, I think you, me, and my mom are the only three who actually liked the trailer.
I'll admit, I had expected them to go for something more along the line's of Shrek's Puss in Boots and some of the other cats in the Shrek/Puss in Boots franchise.
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Seems that way, doesn't it? :-p

And that would have been interesting, for sure! I kept an open mind, simply interested to see how things would pan out.

FormerLurker said:
I agree with the complaint about Dame Judi Dench as Old Deuteronomy. The character is male, and is the father of many of the others.
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I'm curious - why is Old Deuteronomy's sex so important, such a fixed, immutable detail? I don't recall it being so vital that a matriarch, with appropriate lyric tweaks if deemed needed, couldn't work as well as a patriarch. Also, to address an earlier comment on the subject, since Dame Judi was cast as Grizabella in the very first production (only for a snapped tendon to dash things), a character who sings the rafter-rattling torch song Memory, I doubt vocal power is something she lacks.

If I have one sad note, it's that sweet-voiced Jemima doesn't seem to be in this version. Could just be that IMDB don't have the full cast list yet, though.

EnderAKH said:
I actually love the look and aesthetic of the trailer. My problem is, as much as I love musicals, I've never warmed up to Cats. But I'll probably see it anyway to support the form.
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Commendable attitude! I've never warmed to Les Miserables, but I was still happy to see the movie. If it helps keep musicals alive, it's good by me. :-)
 
CuriousCaitian said:
I'm curious - why is Old Deuteronomy's sex so important, such a fixed, immutable detail? I don't recall it being so vital that a matriarch, with appropriate lyric tweaks if deemed needed, couldn't work as well as a patriarch.
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Because it's clear from the gender-swap that the concept of a "patriarch" itself is considered unacceptable to the feminist-leaning Hollywood these days. Any preexisting work of art, no matter how acclaimed, is going to now be modified like this. Judi Dench being herself the gender-swapped M is an all too obvious casting choice. So on its face, it's fine, but the obvious ideological rationale for doing it breaks the 4th wall like so much of modern entertainment.
 
M_TaylorSwiftinCATS_071819.jpg

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Is it me or does Taylor Swift's Cat lady from the new Cats movie resembles Selina Kyle from the Tyger Tyger episode of Batman TAS? remember that episode? one of my fave Batman episodes.

only difference is that Selina Kyle as a catgirl in that episode was actually sexy (of course Selina is lovely no matter how she looks) compared to Taylor's Cat lady..

Hell even Cleo from Heathcliff, that exotic alien cat dancer from Star Trek V (one of the best things about it), Callie Briggs from Swat Kats, M'ress from Star Trek, Mirage from Aladdin, Jenny from Bucky O'Hare, Felicia from Darkstalkers games, Aishia Clan Clan from Outlaw Star, Pam and Polly the witch sisters from Eek the Cat, Kit Mambo from Animalympics (remember the lioness woman?), and Cheetara/Pumarya from Thundercats are even more attractive that the cat-lady from Cats in the photo, LOL
 
CuriousCaitian said:
Also, to address an earlier comment on the subject, since Dame Judi was cast as Grizabella in the very first production (only for a snapped tendon to dash things), a character who sings the rafter-rattling torch song Memory, I doubt vocal power is something she lacks.
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Didn't know that and can't say that I've ever heard of Dame Judi as a singer in anything else but having a look at her wiki entry does list two musicals in her career though from the description, Memory might not have become the song it did if Elaine Page hadn't taken over the role.
 
CuriousCaitian said:
I wonder how those so disturbed by the aesthetic would have done things? And why, if it's so very disturbing to you, can you not stop looking at it, posting screencaps and gifs of it, and screaming about it? That just seems...counter-productive.
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I imagine there are dozens - maybe even hundreds - of folks worldwide who think cats are highly overrated, and cat memes especially tiresome, but are wary of saying so, less they be branded animal haters. This trailer probably provides a safe outlet for these frustrations. :p


mos6507 said:
Because it's clear from the gender-swap that the concept of a "patriarch" itself is considered unacceptable to the feminist-leaning Hollywood these days. Any preexisting work of art, no matter how acclaimed, is going to now be modified like this.
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Calvin-Hobbs-Calm-Down.jpg
 
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mos6507 said:
Because it's clear from the gender-swap that the concept of a "patriarch" itself is considered unacceptable to the feminist-leaning Hollywood these days. Any preexisting work of art, no matter how acclaimed, is going to now be modified like this. Judi Dench being herself the gender-swapped M is an all too obvious casting choice. So on its face, it's fine, but the obvious ideological rationale for doing it breaks the 4th wall like so much of modern entertainment.
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That's a lot of assumptions you're piling together, there. Hollywood finally starts giving women positions of power and authority and stature in films, some original, some reworkings of extant characters, and suddenly they're feminist-leaning? Despite being, onscreen and off, still predominantly white and male? Besides, it's not like there's a dearth of patriarchs in the history of film - quite the reverse. It's just that the industry's at long last realising there are other ways to approach such characters, and others, and I welcome that with open arms.

Marc said:
Didn't know that and can't say that I've ever heard of Dame Judi as a singer in anything else but having a look at her wiki entry does list two musicals in her career though from the description, Memory might not have become the song it did if Elaine Page hadn't taken over the role.
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I didn't think of her as a singer until I watched the special features on my Cats DVD and her casting was mentioned. Caught me right off guard! For whatever reason it's just a small part of her extensive career to date, and it is interesting to speculate how things might have gone without that tendon snapping. What would her Memory sound like? Admittedly, it is hard to see past Paige's version now; she owned it.

Gaith said:
I imagine there are dozens - maybe even hundreds - of folks worldwide who think cats are highly overrated, and cat memes especially tiresome, but are wary of saying so, less they be branded animal haters. This trailer probably provides a safe outlet for these frustrations. :p
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You know, you just might be on to something... :-p
 
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