Brief Summary
This video analyzes the 2019 film adaptation of "Cats," focusing on its musical aspects and why it failed despite the stage show's success. The video breaks down the musical structure of the original "Cats" and contrasts it with the film's adaptation, highlighting issues such as the addition of a protagonist, poor performances, and flawed musical direction. It argues that the film's failure stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of the source material and a misguided approach to adapting it for the screen.
- The original "Cats" musical works because of its unique structure, relying on "I am" songs and culminating in a powerful "I want" song ("Memory").
- The film adaptation introduces a protagonist (Victoria), disrupting the original's ensemble focus and weakening the emotional impact of "Memory."
- Poor musical performances, tempo inconsistencies, and unnecessary interruptions plague the film, indicating a lack of understanding of the music.
- The film's attempt to give actors freedom in tempo and phrasing backfires, resulting in a disjointed and rhythmically unsound score.
- The video concludes that the film's musical failures were overshadowed by its visual flaws, but were significant contributors to its overall failure.
How the Sh*t Does Cats Work?
The original "Cats" musical is simple yet effective. It opens with an establishing number that introduces the jellicle cats and their quest to be reborn at the heavyside lair. Unlike typical musicals, "Cats" lacks a central protagonist with an "I want" song. Instead, it features "I am" songs that describe the characters. The exception is Grizabella, whose song "Memory" expresses her desire to rejoin the jellicle cats. This song is the emotional core of the show, causing a shift in the other cats' attitudes towards her. The success of "Cats" relies on the impact of "Memory," which carries the show structurally.
Victoria
The film adaptation adds Victoria as a protagonist, which undermines the original's structure. In the stage show, Jemima recognizes Grizabella's worthiness, but the film replaces her with Victoria, who is given an audience self-insert role. Victoria's song, "Beautiful Ghosts," diminishes Grizabella's plight and confuses Victoria's character. The film misinterprets the relationship between Old Deuteronomy and Grizabella, further weakening the story. The addition of Victoria detracts from Grizabella's emotional storyline and invalidates the show's core message.
Music is Hard
The film features several poor musical performances. Rebel Wilson's rendition of "Jennyanydots" suffers from intonation problems and a confusing arrangement. The tap-dancing cockroaches are out of sync with the music, and random musical additions further detract from the number. The film interrupts several numbers for pointless reasons, ruining the music's flow. Mr. Mistoffelees' number is particularly egregious, starting and stopping repeatedly. The film fails to properly use musical techniques such as tempo changes to build energy in the songs. Judy Dench's performance lacks the necessary build-up, and the ensemble is often out of sync.
Stolen Time
The film's musical direction is flawed, with actors leading the music and the orchestra struggling to keep up. This approach, inspired by "Les Misérables," results in rhythmic inconsistencies and a disjointed score. The film uses a five-track system to switch between different musical arrangements during takes, but this only exacerbates the problem. The actors' lack of familiarity with the music is evident, and the orchestra is forced to make constant adjustments. The film's attempt to create a natural, expressive performance through "rubato" backfires, resulting in a warped and awkward sound.
Dance Rehearsal
The film's approach to rehearsals is backwards, with performers encouraged to change their performances live on set. This is not how professional musical productions work, where rehearsals are used to establish a consistent and polished performance. The film's emphasis on dance is undermined by its inability to keep a consistent beat. The best performances in the film are by dancers, who are accustomed to performing to a click track. The film's musical failures were overshadowed by its visual flaws, but were significant contributors to its overall failure.
