CATS

      Okay. I Feel very fortunate to have seen the musical Cats on Broadway, just a year after it began its run. We were seated close to the front, and I never got a single hairball hacked up into my lap. 

       I was blown away by the music. I have always been a fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber, and his music for Cats is some of his finest. And the performances were top drawer. To me, Betty Buckley owned her role of Grizabella, and her version of “Memory” can never be topped. And while Jennifer Hudson is undeniably a great singer, to me, she did not “own” the role even half as well as Buckley. 

     Equally, Terrance Mann will always be Rum Tum Tugger in my book. Jason Derulo was missing the “Dr. Frank N. Furter” vibe that I so loved from Mann. 

    It was obvious from the get-go that this film was meant to capitalize in a big way on the massive success of the Broadway show. I mean, they rewrote the script, adding new characters just so they could parade some A-list actors around. Dame Judi Dench is a great actor, but Old Deuteronomy as a male cat. Why did they feel the need to castrate him? (or CATstrate?)  Jennyanydots was in the play, and casting pulled the sometimes funny, sometimes silly Rebel Wilson into the role.

      I love James Corden as both comedian and singer, but his Bustopher Jones left me cold. Sir Ian McKellen is great as Gus the Theatre Cat, but would have been better on stage, not screen. Making a movie version of a musical is always a gamble, and this one just tanks. Oh, by the way, here’s the plot. (Spoiler alert!)

"Jellicle" cats join for a Jellicle ball where they rejoice with their leader, Old Deuteronomy. One cat will be chosen to go to the "Heavyside Layer" and be reborn.

      The dancing and singing truly belong on the Broadway stage. Not unlike the movie version of Jesus Christ Superstar, it simply doesn’t work. Yes, the new song written by Tay-Tay (Taylor Swift) “Beautiful Ghosts” is a very good song, and her “acting” in the film is “okay.” Still, not even the biggest selling pop star since Michael Jackson could save this one from the litter box.

One Star. (For “Beautiful Ghosts.”)

-Michael Buffalo Smith