Music gifts Item ID: #607Cats: The MusicalProduct Information:
Item DescriptionThis pop-cultural phenomenon has been performed on stage for more than 50 million patrons in 26 countries for almost 18 years, churning more than $2 billion in ticket sales. Now that Cats has finally made it to the small screen, attention must be paid not just by fans of this critic-proof show, but also by those entertainment mavens who have somehow avoided Cats until now. The video version has been restaged but, alas, not really reconceived for its new medium. The video cast, assembled from London, Amsterdam, and New York productions, is competent. Ken Page as Old Deuteronomy, Jacob Brent as Mr. Mistoffelees, and Elaine Paige–the original London Grizabella, the Glamour Cat well past her prime–are a great deal more than that. Paige has toned down her theatrical belting of her big number, “Memory,” and allowed the faded ruin of her character’s soul to prevail in close-up. For all the “covers” of her signature song, Paige’s version remains definitive. The video is, by definition, more intimate, not always a good thing : costumes are even more Halloweeny in garish close-up, the cats less cuddly without that all-important interaction, the stage’s appropriately midnight lighting transmuted to a Las Vegas neon. And the chorus of cats in production numbers is even clunkier and more amorphous in two- and three-shots. The one complete newcomer to the cast is the 90-year-old icon among English actors John Mills, a delight as Gus the Theatrical Cat. Sir John and his character show the youngsters how it’s done in close-up, largely behind the eyes, abetted by a heart-tugging delivery of his one song. Yet virtually all of the songs are lip-synched, further robbing the video Cats of its onstage seeming spontaneity. It’s clearer than ever that Lloyd Webber’s music is mostly twaddle, with the important exception of “Memory,” which instantly and rightly became one of the genuine theater standards not dependent on context, in the vein of Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns.” On the plus side, most of the Cats characters and lyrics, from T.S. Eliot’s 14-poem Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, are far better defined and understood from the video version. –Robert Windeler Item Reviews5 Responses to “Cats: The Musical” |
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My 8 year old daughter loves this DVD. I have to have her explain it to me because I just don’t really get it……but she loves it.
It is a beautiful DVD. I have been privileged to see the On-Stage performance in Seattle twice, and nice as that was, this DVD reveals costume and make-up detail that is even better seen. CATS DVD is near the very top of my collection. THANKS… to the creators!
JUST SAW THE TRAVELING VERSION OF THE BROADWAY SHOW, IT WAS FANTASTIC, THIS DVD IS BEYOND FANTASTIC. A MUST HAVE.
I bought this as a replacement for a worn out vhs copy. My daughter has enjoyed watching this musical over and over again since she was about 3. When our VCR stopped working I knew I had to search out a copy on DVD and I am glad I did. This musical is wonderful just to sit down watch and get lost in.
I purchased the CATS video for my 6 year old granddaughter after I had taken her to the live performance at our local PAC. She was thrilled to have the video–she loved the musical and now plays the video practically everyday. Her 2 year old sister begs to watch it too! I think this musical is timeless and will be enjoyed by adults and children for a long time to come.