Thoughts on Cats
Dec. 29th, 2008 11:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bunsen_hThe soundtrack for the musical Cats was one of the first recordings I ever bought. (I'd heard a few of the songs, and liked them, especially "Memory".) I've played it many times over the years. I finally got to see the show a couple of days ago, on a DVD borrowed from the library. It was a bit disconcerting: mostly what I expected, but with some significant differences in a few places.
The main story was explicit in the soundtrack: some of the Jellicle cats are showing off, competing for Old Deuteronomy's choice. But I had no idea that Macavity was a villain in the story, nor that Mr. Mistoffelees was a hero -- the soundtrack didn't give any indication of Macavity's plot. From the soundtrack, I'd got the impression that Macavity was something of a folk hero among the cats: they seemed to be comparing him favourably to lesser characters such as Mungojerrie and Griddlebone. And the simple repetitive lyrics of Mr. Mistoffelees' song made him come across as something of a cult figure, who ultimately competed with Grizabella's simple story.
Even with the video, I couldn't figure out what was happening with Macavity's plot, and had to turn to Wikipedia for an explanation. The framing and/or editing of that part of the show was very poor. One moment we see Macavity high on the stage, laughing evilly; the next moment, Old Deuteronomy shuffles on to the lower stage; the other cats have mixed reactions to him, then one attacks him, and then there's a flash of movement and we don't see Deuteronomy any more, and Macavity is there and fighting with some of the other cats. The camera's close-up view of the action replaced the larger view which would have shown what had actually happened, and the editing messed up the timing of the segment to produce an impossible sequence of events. I expect that someone who's already seen the live show wouldn't be confused by this.
I thought that John Mills' performance as Gus, the Theatre Cat, was excellent.
The movie had some special effects that I assume weren't in the stage production -- zappy electrical discharges that I'm pretty sure couldn't be done in real life, at least not without some very expensive high-voltage equipment which would have put the performers at significant risk. I'd have preferred not to have these effects added; to me, they damaged the suspension of disbelief.
All in all, the movie was a lot of fun.
The main story was explicit in the soundtrack: some of the Jellicle cats are showing off, competing for Old Deuteronomy's choice. But I had no idea that Macavity was a villain in the story, nor that Mr. Mistoffelees was a hero -- the soundtrack didn't give any indication of Macavity's plot. From the soundtrack, I'd got the impression that Macavity was something of a folk hero among the cats: they seemed to be comparing him favourably to lesser characters such as Mungojerrie and Griddlebone. And the simple repetitive lyrics of Mr. Mistoffelees' song made him come across as something of a cult figure, who ultimately competed with Grizabella's simple story.
Even with the video, I couldn't figure out what was happening with Macavity's plot, and had to turn to Wikipedia for an explanation. The framing and/or editing of that part of the show was very poor. One moment we see Macavity high on the stage, laughing evilly; the next moment, Old Deuteronomy shuffles on to the lower stage; the other cats have mixed reactions to him, then one attacks him, and then there's a flash of movement and we don't see Deuteronomy any more, and Macavity is there and fighting with some of the other cats. The camera's close-up view of the action replaced the larger view which would have shown what had actually happened, and the editing messed up the timing of the segment to produce an impossible sequence of events. I expect that someone who's already seen the live show wouldn't be confused by this.
I thought that John Mills' performance as Gus, the Theatre Cat, was excellent.
The movie had some special effects that I assume weren't in the stage production -- zappy electrical discharges that I'm pretty sure couldn't be done in real life, at least not without some very expensive high-voltage equipment which would have put the performers at significant risk. I'd have preferred not to have these effects added; to me, they damaged the suspension of disbelief.
All in all, the movie was a lot of fun.
no subject
Date: 2008-12-30 04:39 am (UTC)I've always loved the music for Cats (though haven't heard it recently), but I have to admit I have only a vague idea what it's about. I think we did go see it in the theatre (my family), and most certainly did not retain any of the plot details at all.
Compared to say, Phantom of the Opera, for which I still have a deep an abiding fondness and was even moved to search out the book by Gaston Leroux to read it.
I still think Cats is interesting musically, but I don't know that I'd ever go see the musical again, or feel compelled to watch it as a movie except as an excuse to hear the music.