Cats (2019): One Year Later
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- Опубликовано: 1 окт 2024
- Of all of the pieces of media released in the past year, there hasn't been anything that has caused such contemplation as Tom Hooper's 2019 classic Cats, a movie that has had no shortage of shock and bemusement to all who have seen it. Though instead of focusing on matters of cockroaches, digital fur, and the many war crimes of Macavity: this is a video that focuses on the relationship between Tom Hooper and the story of Cats in order to understand the value Auteur directors like Hooper bring to their productions.
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Bibliography:
Arnold, Chuck. “'Cats' Vocal Coach on Getting Actors to Become Singing Felines.” New York Post, Sean Giancola, 18 Dec. 2019, nypost.com/2019/12/18/cats-vocal-coach-on-getting-actors-to-become-singing-felines/.
Bradley, Laura. “Editing the Buttholes Out of 'Cats' Was a Total Nightmare.” The Daily Beast, The Daily Beast Company, 7 Apr. 2020, www.thedailybeast.com/i-edited-the-buttholes-out-of-cats-it-was-a-total-nightmare.
Breznican, Anthony. “The Cats Catastrophe: Is Tom Hooper Going to Director's Jail?” Vanity Fair, Condé Nast, 22 Jan. 2020, www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/01/cats-tom-hooper-director-jail.
Cannon, Richard. “Tom Hooper.” British Airway Business Life, WebCite, 6 Apr. 2011, www.webcitation.org/614jkTU5G.
“'Cats' Choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler on Taylor Swift's Transformation and Going Big.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2019, www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-cats-andy-blankenbuehler-choreographer-20190406-story.html.
Crawford, Tiffany. “Moving Picture Company Closes Vancouver Studio.” Vancouver Sun, The Pacific Newspaper Group, 13 Dec. 2019, vancouversun.com/news/local-news/moving-picture-company-closes-vancouver-studio-report.
“Credited in Cats and Les Misérables .” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/search/name/?roles=tt5697572%2Ctt1707386.
Desta, Yohana. “Andrew Lloyd Webber, Creator of Cats, Says Cats Movie Was ‘Ridiculous.’” Vanity Fair, Condé Nast, 5 Aug. 2020, www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/08/andrew-lloyd-webber-cats-movie.
Doty, Meriah. “Anne Hathaway Describes Filming 'I Dreamed a Dream' in One Take for 'Les Misérables'.” Yahoo! Entertainment, Yahoo!, 14 Dec. 2012, www.yahoo.com/entertainment/blogs/2013-golden-globes/anne-hathaway-describes-filming-dreamed-dream-one-les-215521591.html?guccounter=1.
Ellis, Lindsay. “Why Is Cats?” Lindsay Ellis, RUclips, 3 Apr. 2020, • Why is Cats? .
Fish, Maggie Mae. “CATS! And the Weird Mind of TS Eliot.” Maggie Mae Fish, RUclips, 24 Mar. 2020, • The Baffling Politics ... .
Hulk, Film Crit. “Film Crit Hulk Smash: HULK VS. TOM HOOPER AND ART OF CINEMATIC AFFECTATION.” Birth.Movies.Death., DISQUS, 10 July 6403, birthmoviesdeath.com/2013/01/09/film-crit-hulk-smash-hulk-vs.-tom-hooper-and-art-of-cinematic-affectation.
Kallgren, Kyle. “Tommy Wiseau: The Last Auteur - Brows Held High.” Brows Held High, RUclips, 21 Dec. 2017, • Tommy Wiseau: The Last... .
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Pulver, Andrew. “Moments of Truth - Tom Hooper.” Directors Guild of America, DGA, 2014, www.dga.org/Craft/DGAQ/All-Articles/1401-Winter-2014/Tom-Hooper.aspx.
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Stealing the spotlight for a second. I want to say it was his third (?) time when I accompanied Henry to a screening of Cats. There were five other people in the theater with us, including a woman in a leopard-print coat. She had tried to walk out at least once, only to come back. Around the time Judi Dench starts singing for the first time, she gets up, tosses her hands in the air and shouts that she “CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!” and storms towards the exits.
We’re dying laughing, and I ask her if she’s okay.
“NO!!” She spits back at me as she disappears out of sight.
And then, about 20 minutes later, SHE COMES BACK.
The tragedy of Miss Leopard Coat embodies the Cats experience to me, an apocalyptic vision that is inescapable, no matter how hard you try.
I hope and. Leopard Coat is having a good day
Authenticity is great, but use of caricature can at times be even more effective than grounding everything in reality. Saying one is superior to the other, though, would be foolish. Fiction is a place to use fantastical elements to tell a grounded story even if the story itself is not grounded. Hooper should have kept a more open mind when trying to make a fantastical movie about dancing cats "authentic".
Then again, I might just be rambling.
Good video! Personally, I blame the worship of Kubrick. The way he treated his actors was often beyond appalling - like nearly drowning Malcolm McDowell, or the sheer hell he put Shelly Duvall through. Yet for decades, critics have been (and continue) lauding him for terrorizing his actors, treating these stories as little more than amusing anecdotes. And with Kubrick put on a pedestal as he is, that gives wannabes like Hooper free license to imitate his worst excesses.
Well said! It's ironic because Kubrick's movies would be nowhere near as good as they would be if he didn't have help from people like Ray Lovejoy (Editor for the Shining and 2001) and Geoffrey Unsworth. No artist is ever truly alone in the creation of great art, and we should acknowledge collaboration when it happens.
Okay the "what type of doug walker crap is this" killed me
Brilliant video. The more I learn about the production of Cats 2019, I think the more my hate for Tom Hooper intensifies. Well there is one silver lining to this actually. Even if other "auteurs" are still out there, Cats had a $100 million budget and barely made 10% of that back. Universal must have had that "bad publicity is still publicity" thought when everybody hated the Cats trailer, but jokes on them, everyone hated it AND no one went to see it. So I have serious doubts if Tom Hooper's ever gonna be allowed to touch a camera again, unless he's going to the woods himself a la Blair Witch, lmao.
The only thing I feel horrible about are the vfx artists and all their work has gone to waste on a movie that was doomed to fail from the start with Hooper directing it. So many people lost their jobs. Were laid off, had their physical and mental health destroyed with absolutely no thanks for their attempt at completing work under an impossible deadline. That clip at the oscars was the most disgusting thing I've ever seen. Pretty bold of James Corden and Rebel Wilson to make jokes at the expense of the people working under slavery conditions, when all they had to do is sit on their tracksuits all day and make the worst attempt at "humor" I've seen in a film in a long time.
The worse part about this movie (in my opinion as a mega fan of the 1998 stage recording) is the music. The visuals are horrible, but I can ignore that or even appreciate the artists that worked on it. But the music is so bad it's painful to listen to.
Let me go song by song.
Jelicle Songs for Jellicle Cats: I cant stand being able to hear the wavers in their breath. It's so painful. During live productions I expect it, because it's live. But in a movie I can't stand it.
The Naming of Cats: Robbie talking while ensemble is singing sounds so incorrect it makes me wanna cry. Robbie is one of the only good parts of this god awful movie.
Invitation to the Jellicle Ball: Mistoffelees in the movie deserves to be shot. I hate him so much. Not the actor, but the character.
The Old Gumbie Cat: There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said. But she sounds like she's struggling the whole time. She's also singing her own song, by herself, and that's so frustrating! Most of these numbers are ensemble numbers or sung by someone who isn't the title character of the song. So why is Jenny singing?! She sounds horrible, and I think it's because this was originally a trip, not a solo so it sounds empty. Again, Robbie actually did a good job here, but Rebel Wilson didn't.
Rum Tum tugger: I was so uncomfortable. Jason didn't do terrible but this song just doesn't feel like Tugger. I don't like the way he riffs and I just don't think he was cast properly. Also, make him a rockstar not this weird pimp.
Bustopher Jones: this version of this song made Bustopher look like a gluttonous pig who only cares about food, when in the musical he is a well off and respected member of the tribe. There's a couple funny moments, but he's not a comedic character.
Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer: I could go on for HOURS about how they butchered this song. Yes I know it was the "original" song with the same 4/4 time signature, but there is a reason it changed. The musical has parts of that song that are in 7/8, which shows the choas of these characters, but no, "we have to pay homage to the worse version of this song." Also they made these two villains? Bad guys?! In the musical they're just little kleptomaniacs, they would never actually hurt anybody!
Old Deutoronmy: it's fine, I guess. But why did they change the line "buried nine wives"? Because dame Judy dench is a lady? Don't be homophobic Tom Hopper.
Beautiful Ghosts: I don't have anything bad to say about this song, but it just doesn't feel like Cats. It doesn't really fit the style of the show, and because it wasn't based on a T.S. Eliot poem it doesn't sound like it belongs. It's an alright song outside of that.
Gus the Theatre Cat: WHY IS IT DELIVERED LIKE A SOLILOQUY?! IM SO MAD! They took out Jellylorum and her relationship with Gus and opted for him to sing/talk out his song? It's horrible. I absolutely hate it. There is zero emotional impact that this song has, unlike in the musical where I cried like a damn baby.
Growltiger: Alright is song isn't in the musical but it feels the need to mention him because WTF were they thinking? Why is Growltiger a real character? I guess it gets rid of that one weird part where Mungojerrie and Griddlebone are implied to work for Macavity, but when taking away that plot hole you ad like five more. Very confused.
Skimbleshanks: This is the best song in the whole movie. I still hate the visuals, but the song is actually such a vibe. The tapdancing sounding like a train starting? Beautiful. Literally on good song here though. Arguably better than the stage production, except for the lack of the trash train. I want the trash train.
Macavity: okay so Taylor Swift did alright here. I hate the characterization of Bombalurina, but I can get over that. The song is alright, but I can't get over this song being a glorification of Macavity rather than a cautionary tale. It's just not the intention for the song. Also making it a solo instead of a duet between Demeter and Bombalurina is a crime.
Mr. Mistoffelees: oh where to begin with this. This song is so damn awful. When listing to it on Spotify it's fine (minus the character of Mistoffelees) but when watch it, the constant starting and stopping and starting and stopping and starting and stopping- it loses all tension it was building. Tom was trying to tease us with one of the more popular numbers, but in doing that made the whole ordeal a pain to watch and it was completely unsatisfying. Also again, WHY IS MISTOFFELEES SINGING THIS SONG? Tugger singing this song gives him such good character, and you THROW IT AWAY TO HAVE THIS LITTLE PUSSY SING! The characterization of Mistoffelees is so horrible in this movie, because they heard "you would think there was nobody shyer" and fucking ran with it. In the musical he's a rambunctious boy who embarrassed himself, not this spineless baby. Also on the topic of Mistoffelees, they really blasted him with the "No homo" didn't they? You had a chance to make Tuggoffelees happen and yet you didn't. Shame. Him and Munkustrap did have a little bit of chemistry though 🫠
Memory: ok Jennifer Hudson did good. But the whole way the song is structured feels wrong? Something is off. Also having Victoria being new to the tribe but accepting her undermines everything Jemima stood for in the original, as well and reducing Victoria to and outsider. Why does it mean anything that an outsider accepts Grizabella??
Ad-Dressing of Cats: WHY DID THEY CUT JOURNEY TO THE HEAVISIDE LAYER ON SPOTIFY? Also this whole movie was using Victoria as the stand in for the audience, so why now at the very end are looking at us directly? This makes no sense. There's no build up to the ensemble either. Judy doesn't build her performance up big enough for the ensemble suddenly coming in to make sense. I hate it so damn much.
But yes that's why the music in the movie is horrible in comparison to the 1998 musical
That cat performance was amazing I am genuinely blown away
Okay like your criticism is so good but im transfixed by your catsona
You mean Django Pum Pum, the discourse cat? Just beware his gaze, for he will sow chaos in all of rhetoric 😼😼😼
im so glad your channel popped up in my recommended because im LIVING for your videos. i can't believe you've only got 4k subscribers! i just know you're bound to blow up soon cause the quality of ur vids are always top-notch! keep at it my guy! :)
You give me chaotic older cousin vibes
Wonderful job. Just discovered your channel. Cried during the video about BONE. You're talented and your videos are now keeping me alive and awake at work.
I absolutely adore the Broadway musical, Cats. This made me further hate the movie adaptation and Tom Hooper.
The more people who can see Tom hooper as a hack the better lol
ok ive watched it now.
so, i basically agree with everything -also, nice emma cameo!! but i do have to say that the idea of an auteur feels, at least to me, a bit more complicated than that. of course, most auteurs are or were kind of pieces of shit (from chaplin to hitchcock to godard to kubrick to tarantino to bay) but what must be clear is, they are the ones who are credited for *making* cinema as we know it. i adore the movie musical "sweet charity", directed by bob fosse, and how it managed to use editing, camerawork and cinematography to breathe new life to the movie musical. of course, this was not something he did himself alone: but the credit, just as chaplin and hitchcock and the like have been canonized, has always belonged to him. and the way they (just as artists in other fields, like van gogh, picasso, hemingway, bukowski, etc) are named The Great Men Of History, is a much bigger issue on to itself. im planning to make a video myself tackling this topic, but it is important not only to keep in mind the essential work crewpeople make, the assistants and muses and editors, the wives and maids and servants, but also how we, today, continue to not only choose to ignore abuse of power in favor of idolization, and the way we talk about these people in history.
i decided to study movies because i was obsessed with tim burton films. if i hadnt realized that movies could be made "by someone", that they could have a style particular to themselves, i may have never found my passion. that doesnt change the fact that, as i grew older, i began to love the influences more than the influenced artist himself, i had to unlearn the idolization i had as a child, and see reality as it is. theres a need to grapple with the past heroes and "great men", and i dont think its enough to attempt to ignore them and trying to raise other voices -because, as you said, auteurs like hooper have money and influence, enough to be celebrated, make headlines and remain at the top, and will always be the norm. i think these auteurs should be educated. i remember a very stupid interview i read of terry gilliam, complaining about how he couldnt distribute his don quijote movie, saying how he would have found distribution immediately if he made it about "a lesbian black woman". its not just that new generations have to take the matter at hand and change the status quo -it is about a larger conversation that needs to be had about how we talk when we talk about artists, about authorities, about figureheads. i think thats what we need to talk about when we talk about auteurs.
Holy crepes, how’s this only got 135 views
GOD! THAT INTRO!
I love u sm for not giving a fck about copyright and just doing it, best retrospective of 2020 lmao