Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats Les Misérables

Cats is a 2019 musical fantasy film based on the 1981 stage
musical of the same name by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which

in turn was based on the poetry collection Old Possum's
Book of Practical Cats (1939) by T. S. Eliot. The film is
directed byTom Hooper—in his second feature musical
following Les Misérables (2012)—from a screenplay by Lee
Hall and Hooper and features an ensemble cast,
including James Corden, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris
Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, Rebel
Wilson, and Francesca Hayward.
Cats was theatrically released in the United Kingdom and
the United States on 20 December 2019, by Universal
Pictures. The film received negative reviews from critics,
who criticized the CGI effects, plot, and tone, with many
calling it one of the worst films of 2019. The film was a box-
office bomb, grossing $76 million on a budget as high as
$100 million and is estimated to have lost Universal Pictures
$71–114 million.
Victoria, a young white cat, is dropped in the streets of
London by her owner in the middle of the night. The alley
cats witnessing this introduce themselves to her as the
"Jellicles". Two toms, meek magician Mr. Mistoffelees who
develops a crush on Victoria and the loyal Munkustrap, and
two queens, the snooty Cassandra and Demeter, take
Victoria under their wing and show her the world of the
Jellicles as they hype up the Jellicle Ball, an annual
ceremony where cats compete for the chance to go to
the Heaviside Layer and be granted a new life.
Throughout the film, the competitors are introduced and
express their contributions to the community: Jennyanydots,
a domestic tabby, boosts the productivity of mice and
roaches; the Rum Tum Tugger, a flirtatious tom who riles up
the others; Grizabella, a glamour cat; Bustopher Jones, a
bourgeois cat who boasts about his weight and shares food
scraps from the garbage; Skimbleshanks, a tidy ginger cat
who taps along the railway; Gus, an aged theatre cat who
has played some of the biggest roles in history; and
Macavity, a villainous stray with the power to apparate and
who kidnaps the other contestants (save for Tugger) in order
to be made the Jellicle Choice by default.
Victoria also happens to meet the mischievous twins
Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer who enjoy causing trouble
and messing with things in the house of their human family.
They convince Victoria to join in the fun, but leave her
tangled up in some necklaces when the family dog is alerted
to their presence. Luckily, Mr. Mistoffelees comes to rescue
Victoria, distracting the dog and escaping with her. They
return to the group, just in time to see the arrival of the tribe's
wise and beloved matriarch Old Deuteronomy. The Jellicle
Ball commences inside the abandoned Egyptian Theatre.
Victoria dances a ballet solo in the moonlight but is
distracted by Cassandra harassing Grizabella, a former
member of the tribe who was banished for, among other
things, her past allegiance with Macavity. Victoria relates to
Grizabella's feelings of abandonment. As Grizabella slinks
away into the streets, Old Deuteronomy witnesses their quiet
camaraderie and assures Victoria that she can become a
Jellicle herself in time.
The Ball is interrupted by femme fatale Bombalurina, who
performs a song and dance number dedicated to Macavity: a
distraction to incapacitate the party with catnip. Macavity
arrives, demanding to be made the Jellicle Choice. Old
Deuteronomy deems him unworthy and is subsequently
kidnapped and placed with Macavity's other victims. As the
Jellicles recuperate, distraught over their leader's
disappearance, Victoria suggests that Mr. Mistoffelees use
his powers to conjure Old Deuteronomy back. He tries a few
times, eventually making Old Deuteronomy reappear. The
cats rejoice and praise Mr. Mistoffelees; he and Victoria
dance together. Meanwhile, Jennyanydots, via a costume
change, frees herself and the other cats kidnapped by
Macavity. Macavity apparates away, leaving his lackey to
walk the plank at the mercy of the emancipated cats.
Grizabella returns to the Egyptian. Victoria vouches for her
and urges her to sing her true feelings. Grizabella proceeds
to sing a passionate ballad about her mistakes, her former
glory, and her beauty, sentiments that touch the hearts of the
Jellicles. Old Deuteronomy names Grizabella the Jellicle
Choice and sends her off to the Heaviside Layer in a
chandelier (repaired by Mr. Mistoffelees' magic to float like
a hot air balloon). Macavity, in one last attempt to reach the
Heaviside Layer, leaps onto a rope from the chandelier but
falls onto Nelson's Column. The Jellicles, reunited with their
kidnapped brethren, and perched on a lion statue, watch
Grizabella ascend as the morning sun appears above the
horizon. After the congregation disperses, Old Deuteronomy
welcomes Victoria to the tribe.

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats Les Misérables

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats Les Misérables

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats Les Misérables

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Cats is a 2019 musical fantasy film based on the 1981 stage

musical of the same name by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which

You might also like