Rating: 
Summary: My absolute favorite!
Review: I know that I am just adding my voice to the hundreds of others that have already shown their favor of it, but I had to say something. I loved this production, and am anxious to see it on stage. The fact that they did not put Growltiger's Last Stand doesn't bother me at all. I did not miss it. I absolutely loved Ken Page in the part of old Deuteronomy, and get goosebumps every time Mistopholese brings him back. There are a couple things that I didn't really like about it, however. Elaine Paige as Grizebella was great, but I felt that she tried too hard with Memory. I have a copy of the soundtrack with a different woman playing the part, and you can tell that she had an easier time with the hard parts of the song. The second thing is some of the body language. The part with Victoria and two male cats is a little "interesting", so I wouldn't let little kids watch it too much. Other than those two things I loved it. I know almost all the words to every song. Does anyone know if John Partridge has a web site?
Rating:
Summary: Nothing's Purrfect!
Review: Many of the other reviews have criticised aspects of this production, but it is still excellent entertainment. On the whole it is a high quality production, with a handpicked cast. 'Cats' is a character-based, rather than plot-based show, but the performers bring their cats to life beautifully. The make-up (very much toned down from the stage production) and costumes, as well as superb choreography, all add to the effect - you can almost see their whiskers.If you don't like 'Cats' then you won't like this either, but as a film of the stage show it is very good. Of course it is not as good as experiencing the show live - no video ever is - but not all of us have the luxury of the West End or Broadway on our doorstep (or the money to buy tickets). Also when I saw the live show there was so much happening that I missed quite a lot: at least with the video you can see and notice things that are easily missed on stage. The sound quality is excellent - far better than in a real theatre - so to complain about the lip-syncing seems like nit picking. The performances range from good to outstanding. My personal favourites are Michael Gruber as Munkustrap and Jacob Brent as Mistoffelees, who both convey the feline qualities of their characters quite brilliantly, and Elaine Paige, who gives a definitive performance as Grizabella. Of the more minor characters, Phyllida Crowley-Smith as Victoria and Jason Gardiner as Alonzo give outstandingly faultless performances. Many people find John Partridges' Rum Tum Tugger to be a little extreme: personally I find him hilarious, and I have to add that he is far more over the top on stage! My only major criticism of the production is one of disappointment. It is a great shame that sections of the show have been omitted from the video. Some sections of the songs have been dropped, as has some of the dancing, such as the extended solo dance that Mistoffelees usually performs after his 'magical' turn. However, most sorely missed is the section entitled 'Growltiger's Last Stand' which normally follows on from 'Gus: The Theatre Cat'. There is no way that Sir John Mills (as Gus) could have performed this section, but as this is supposed to be a fantasy sequence anyway he could have been replaced by a 'younger' version of Gus. I was quite sad to find that this part of the show (my favourite) is completely missing. On the whole this is an excellent evening's entertainment, suitable for all the family, which will allow me to remember the production I saw much more vividly. P.S. The DVD is even better!
Rating:
Summary: Way cool! A journey to another world!
Review: This is a beautiful trip into a fantasy world of intelligent cats. If you've ever seen, heard, or heard of the musical, you must see the video. Ken Page and John Partridge are wonderful as Old Deuteronomy and Rum Tum Tugger. I'll admit there's not much of a plot line, but who needs one? I watch this movie almost daily, and drive my roommates nuts. This is a definite buy.
Rating:
Summary: Positive to the final meow
Review: Well, it's been some time since I've been here, but like many reviewers, CATS has become solidly entrenched in my life. Because of this fantastic musical I have met some of the sharpest, yet greatest people on the planet. Just a wonderful litter of brat-cats, a junkyard of kittens who want to do the right things in their lives, do the best they can with and for their friends. They're young people who've maintained a warm and caring friendship with me over these long, trying months. To all of you, Angelcat, Mungo, Ecty, Rumple, Neppy, Kalea, Gena, and of course, Bjohn. Thanks for all the ways you've enriched my life. May the great Purrr master smile on you for all nine of your cat-lives. JF
Rating:
Summary: marvelous
Review: I've seen it in Broadway last summer so I decide to bought the video. It's marvelous as the comedy.
Rating:
Summary: A fantastic joyride into another dimension!
Review: I have never seen the stage production of CATS but I saw the show finally on our local PBS station and fell in love! John Partridge as RTT is incredible and I just adore Jemima and Etcetera, they are great as kittens. My 1 1/2 year old daughter watches it at least 3 times a day and dances to every song. RTT is her favorite. Bombalurina is incredible as are Mungo Jerry and Rumpleteazer. An enjoyable time is had by my entire family! I can't wait to see it on stage, although I am used to the players on video!
Rating:
Summary: This is the best movie that I've ever watched!!!
Review: I loved it!! There's so much about this video that I love, and I hope to one day go to New York and see it live on Broadway! I'm dieing to see all of Growltiger!!!! And, it even got me into danceing, I started exerciseing more, and tried to get more fit, in order to dance Victoria's solo!! It was so purr-fect!
Rating:
Summary: A fantastic piece of fun and frolic
Review: Over the years this piece of theater has become a bit of a joke, but one watch will change all minds. It is not a "conventional" piece of theater by any meens. It is more of an explosion of dance and song. The filming is wonderfully done, with close-ups on the faces to see make up and everything. What is lost in it thoe, is a sence of expreience that one gets seeing it live. In the theater the interaction between cast and audience is a part of the fun, but for people whom have seen the stage version this is a good refresher. All the make-up has been redone for this disk, and the staging tighten up to top notch form. The cast is ab-fab ( all but for the Rum-Tum-Tugger he's only ok). All but for the opera seen have made it to film, but no great loss. The 5.1 will bring tears to the eyes of any fan, and the documentary id great to watch to. So look at this piece of theater as it should be looked on, as the greadfather of the stage spectical, because that is what it is, a real piece of musical history
Rating:
Summary: I LOVE IT!
Review: My friend bought the video because she thought it had Terry Mann in it, and when it turned out to have John Partridge, she wasn't as interested, she let me borrow it. I wasn't too interested either, because the only thing I'd ever heard from Cats was RTT, w/Terry singing it. So, I watched it, and was bored out of my mind, I was like, this is so stupid and boring and pointless. I'm going to go do something better with my time. The next day, I had nothing to do, so, I decided I would give the Cats video another try. And, for some odd reason, I LOVED IT! I don't know why, but everything suddenly entertained me, and now I am completely and totally obsessed with it. I watch it twice a day, and I have memorized most of the songs, and I am just so entertained by the whole thing! I lent it to another friend, and she loved it too, and now we can do the whole dance from Mungo & Rumple, except for the cartwheels at the end. It's so great! Everyone on it is just so good, and I think everyone should buy it, especially because it is so cheap here.
Rating:
Summary: A must for all broadway or musical fans
Review: Holding true to the theater production, Cats give the viewer an up close and personal view of the show without diminishing the full stage view. Though at times the camera seems to shift from place to place to much. Closeups that would not be possible without high power lenses show the true facial expressions of the cast, proving that they are truely "in to " their parts. Camera trickery is used only to enhance the producton and bring out the director's true vision of the show which would not be possible on a stage.
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