The Cats film version is a celebration of music, dance and visual details. The cast is magnificent, the music catchy and energetic, and the costumes and make-up couldn't in my mind be any better. I have seen the Cats film about twenty times, and every time I found some new detail to admire. I doubt this film will ever grow old for me, that much I love it. The cast is as said, immensely talented in dancing as well as singing and acting. My personal favourites were Michael Gruber as Munkustrap, John Partridge as Rum Tum Tugger (he simply oozes sex appeal!), Aeva May as Demeter, Veerle Casteleyn as Jemima (those eyes!), Jason Gardiner as Alonzo, Karl Morgan as Pouncival (my favourite, although he has only a minor part), Jacob Brent as Mr. Mistoffelees/Quaxo and Jo Bingham as Etcetera. To be truthful, I loved every single performer in the show. Elaine Paige was good as Grizabella, and Memory is a hauntingly beautiful song, but in my mind, this part of the show is a bit over advertised, as the show in whole makes Cats what it is. As for the missing plot, all I can say is that those who say there is no plot at all, you haven't been paying enough attention to the show. There indeed is a plot, although it only runs on the background. But this plot is not the major point in Cats. It's the ingenious lyrics of T.S. Eliot turned into captivating songs, the stunning dance choreography and the eye-catching costumes and make-ups together that create a true spectacle. Besides, it's a musical for crying out loud, not some drama movie, so it doesn't really even need a plot! The music and dancing should be enough for both the mind and the eye. Some people may complain about the Growltiger's Last Stand being missing, but as I have seen a live version after seeing the video, it's not really a flaw for me. There are of course some little details that could have been better, and that is why my rating for Cats is 9/10. I know that some people don't ever really get what Cats is about, but that's just their shame. I personally think that Cats is one of the greatest musicals in history.

I always lack words when I'm going to describe CATS... It's simple and pure movie magic! So mysterious and exciting. It makes me wanna see more and more and never enough. It's night, the Jellicle Moon is shining bright and it's time for the annual Jellicle Ball, where the cats of the Jellicle Tribe gather together to dance and sing. And when the dawn comes, the Jellicle leader will choose the cat who will go to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn and come back to a different Jellicle life. Who will it be?The music and dancing will have you captivated and will make it impossible to look away. You will be amazed by the actors performances as they transform into felines right before your very eyes. There's nothing like CATS and there never will be.

I found it very hard to sit through this abominable video. The choreography shifted from charming in the first five minutes to just plain embarrassing - Jennyanydots and the Rum Tum Tugger being prominent examples: musical numbers that I covered my eyes for.The costumes and sets were also worth hiding from. The reddish-purple lighting and indigo background were sickening, especially against the orange fur of many of the cats. Surreal, and frankly, dated.I was also confused by the haphazard plot. Their leader kidnapped by a lukewarm villain straight out of the Power Rangers - and then a lavish song-and-dance about a magician cat? Anticlimactic to say the least."Memory" was the only song where I didn't find myself cringing. It really stood out from all the other lame and repetitive songs as a lasting showtune. Overall, though, I want back the two hours that I spent plugging my ears in front of this ghastly production. I would love, actually, now, to see it performed - a play this popular can't be consistently that awful.

I've seen "Cats" at least a dozen times on stages in California and London. Didn't get a chance to see the on-Broadway version on Broadway. Did get a couple road-shows of it. With several different casts. Always enjoyed it. Always wanted to go back and see it again. And been very tempted to try and sneak in a video camera to capture it, but I respect the theatre too much to try it. (besides, they'd probably have caught me and banished me.) And I am definitely glad that RUG (and others) decided to make a video of it. Each new stage and each new cast has produced an amazing new flavor to a familiar friend, this show! So, while I am very familiar with it, I can still be surprised and look forward to a new twist. There are those that love everything by ALW. Those that love only one thing by ALW. And those that hate everything by ALW. I love "Cats"! And I've not been impressed by his other productions, but I will keep looking. I've heard people complain about a lack of plot in "Cats". But no one has faulted the dancing. Nor the quality of the voices singing. For me, there IS something Magical about this show. And if others don't like it, it just means there will probably be a seat available for me to see it one-more-time. (once they put it back on a stage) This video is not the finest sample of a video production of a "stage" show. My initial impressions, put the video on par with a proud parent's video of their small child's stage production. There are too many close-ups when the action includes the entire stage. And a bit too much cutting back and forth. And where is the bloopers reel? Since the video is the product of multiple performances. I wish there was an addendum to this video. The addendum would be a long-shot of the entire show and the entire stage. That's the way it shows on the stage. And for me, it lost a bit by showing close-ups of dancers as they crossed the stage. Isn't a dancer's instrument, their entire body? Also, someone forgot to modify the make-up, so that it would work better for close-ups. And now I need to buy the wide-screen version, to see what I've missed there. I am mostly contented with the cast. They brought back (or included) some of the best people for my money! I was a little surprised at one or two of them coming back, I'd heard they'd retired or some such. And as much as I like John Mills, he's not a dancer. And to add him, they had to cut one of the routines. I'm curious why he was added. There were one or two costume changes that I found curious, like cutting Victoria's wig shorter, it lost a little bit of her kitten-ness for me. And changing Rum Tum Tugger's vest/collar. And shortening Old Deuteronomy's robe at the beginning, it makes him less regal. It's just like some of the video-magic that was added, instead of the simple methods used on the stage, ie. for Mr. Mistoffelees. Why? And now that that is all said and done, I want to thank everyone involved for creating this video. Without it, I'd be searching for other mementos and home videos of it. It's a good souvenir. And I'm glad it was the London production that was recreated. There are some differences between them and the Broadway production, and I just seem to enjoy the London version that little bit more.