I decided to compare the music of stage version of Cats and the 2019 film.
I saw the movie and I'm not sure if I liked it a lot. For most part it was okay, not good or not as bad as the reviews say. Some scenes, like Grizabella the Glamour Cat, Old Deuteronomy and Jellicle songs for Jellicle Cats were executed pretty well. I wanted to make this post to compare the songs from the musical and the movie. Unfortunately not all songs from the movie are published, so I cannot link a video from those. I've previously talked about Cats, you can read it here.
Let's start with the opening song, Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats. This was made pretty well in the movie. The singing is not that great, and I don't like how foolish they made Mr. Mistoffelees, but overall I liked this song, especially the disco beat at the end. The chorus was not perfect, but still pretty good.
The movie version.
Second part.
I personally prefer this version. The singing is so much better, and the dancing as well. The costumes are made from fabric and not from CGI, which did not bother me, but this still looks a lot better. I still like the movie version, but this version will always be the superior one for me.
Then we come to the scene I hated the most in the movie. Old Gumbie Cat is a very fun and nice song in the musical, and the movie just murdered it. Rebel Wilson cannot sing at all, and the cockroaches and the mice looked pretty disturbing - and her eating the cockroaches, ugh. The movie also completely skipped the tap dancing part, which is the best part of the song. The only positive thing I can say about this scene is that Robbie Fairchild at least sounds pretty good here.
The movie version.
The stage version.
This version, once again, is superior to the movie. Michael Gruber is an excellent singer, and his Munkustrap is fun to watch. Susie McKenna is a way better singer and performer. Also this scene has the tap dancing scene, which is one my favorites from the musical.
The next scene is not one of my favorites in either the musical or the film. That of course is Bustopher Jones. Even though I liked the song's melody, the whole scene seemed a bit silly for me.
The movie version.
The stage version.
This version is one of the few scenes that are comparable to the musical version. Even though I did not like what was happening in the screen, I have to say, James Corden is one of those few people in the whole movie that could actually sing.
The next song is Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer. Their scene in the musical is one of my favorites, as it is fun and the melody is great. I also love the double cartwheel they do in the end. The movie version used the melody from the original London production, which was little bit confusing, since the new melody is a lot better. The scene itself was okay, even though it was just Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer messing with Victoria.
The stage version.
Like I said in the beginning, Old Deuteronomy is one my favorite scenes in the movie. The melody is just beautiful, and the chorus was just beautifuland when I watched this in the theather I actually sung with it. The only part of this song I don't like is Judi Dench's singing, as she is not that great.
The movie version.
The stage version.
Even though I liked the movie version of this song, the stage version is just perfect. The chorus sounds angelic, and the singing by Munkustrap and Rum Tum Tugger is just beautiful.
Mr Mistoffelees is one of my favorite songs from the musical, and even though I liked the movie version, I did not like how insecure and clumsy they made Mr Mistoffelees. But I did like how Mr Mistoffelees sung his own song, in the musical that is usually sung by Rum Tum Tugger.
The first part of the stage version.
The second part.
I really like the musical version of Misto, even though he does not sing himself. If you ever manage see Cats live, you will see over 20 a la seconde turns from Mr Mistoffelees, which was unfortunately cut from the stage production movie.
Now we go to my favorite scene from the movie, Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat. This scene was extremely well made, even though ballet dancer Steven MacRae was asked to tap dance. The scenery of this scene was just great and I love the energy that this song was done with.
The stage version, part one.
Let's start with the opening song, Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats. This was made pretty well in the movie. The singing is not that great, and I don't like how foolish they made Mr. Mistoffelees, but overall I liked this song, especially the disco beat at the end. The chorus was not perfect, but still pretty good.
First part of the stage version.
I personally prefer this version. The singing is so much better, and the dancing as well. The costumes are made from fabric and not from CGI, which did not bother me, but this still looks a lot better. I still like the movie version, but this version will always be the superior one for me.
Then we come to the scene I hated the most in the movie. Old Gumbie Cat is a very fun and nice song in the musical, and the movie just murdered it. Rebel Wilson cannot sing at all, and the cockroaches and the mice looked pretty disturbing - and her eating the cockroaches, ugh. The movie also completely skipped the tap dancing part, which is the best part of the song. The only positive thing I can say about this scene is that Robbie Fairchild at least sounds pretty good here.
This version, once again, is superior to the movie. Michael Gruber is an excellent singer, and his Munkustrap is fun to watch. Susie McKenna is a way better singer and performer. Also this scene has the tap dancing scene, which is one my favorites from the musical.
The next scene is not one of my favorites in either the musical or the film. That of course is Bustopher Jones. Even though I liked the song's melody, the whole scene seemed a bit silly for me.
This version is one of the few scenes that are comparable to the musical version. Even though I did not like what was happening in the screen, I have to say, James Corden is one of those few people in the whole movie that could actually sing.
The next song is Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer. Their scene in the musical is one of my favorites, as it is fun and the melody is great. I also love the double cartwheel they do in the end. The movie version used the melody from the original London production, which was little bit confusing, since the new melody is a lot better. The scene itself was okay, even though it was just Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer messing with Victoria.
The movie version.
Like I said in the beginning, Old Deuteronomy is one my favorite scenes in the movie. The melody is just beautiful, and the chorus was just beautiful
Even though I liked the movie version of this song, the stage version is just perfect. The chorus sounds angelic, and the singing by Munkustrap and Rum Tum Tugger is just beautiful.
Mr Mistoffelees is one of my favorite songs from the musical, and even though I liked the movie version, I did not like how insecure and clumsy they made Mr Mistoffelees. But I did like how Mr Mistoffelees sung his own song, in the musical that is usually sung by Rum Tum Tugger.
The movie version.
I really like the musical version of Misto, even though he does not sing himself. If you ever manage see Cats live, you will see over 20 a la seconde turns from Mr Mistoffelees, which was unfortunately cut from the stage production movie.
Now we go to my favorite scene from the movie, Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat. This scene was extremely well made, even though ballet dancer Steven MacRae was asked to tap dance. The scenery of this scene was just great and I love the energy that this song was done with.
The second part.
This scene is one of my favorites in the musical, and even though I enjoyed the movie version, I find this version better. The singing is better and the scene is more fun, even though the movie version is fun as well.
Then we come to my second least favorite scene in the movie, Macavity. I absolutely loved the stage version, the strong singing, the background music, the dancing, everything. I hated the movie version. I'm not saying that Taylor Swift is a bad singer, but she sung badly here. The song is supposed the to be sung with power, and her way almost whisper the song did not please my ears.
The movie version.
Part one of the stage version.
The second part. This is my favorite scene in the whole musical.
I did not like the movie version of Rum Tum Tugger. I did not think that Jason Derulo is the best person to play him, but at least the song isn't rap. Rum Tum Tugger is supposed to be a sexy cat, and the movie did not execute that very well.
The movie version.
The stage version.
John Patridge's Rum Tum Tugger was a lot better version, his singing was better and I still love how he moves his hips.
Now we'll see the last song on my list, Memory. This is the most well known song from the musical, and for a reason, it is so beautiful. I absolutely loved Elaine Paige's version, but this is the only song that I need to link someone who is not from the 1998 recording, Betty Buckley. Her version of Memory is just so powerful, that it gives me goosebumps. I did not think that Memory suited Jennifer Hudson's voice that well, but turns out she was only one of the musical who could actually sing. I liked her version of the song, even though I did not like how she cried throughout the whole song.
The movie version.
Elaine Paige's version.
Betty Buckley's version.
I hope you liked this comparison between the musical and the movie, and thanks for reading. :)
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