Murdering "Cats"
The critics have apparently done it again. Sneering snidely, they have likely sunk any chance of success for the movie Cats, the film version of the long-running Broadway musical. Having seen and enjoyed the musical a few times, we decided to ignore the critics and went to the movies. After battling our way through throngs of people there for the twenty-third running of the Star Wars quintology (not a real word but it fits), also slammed by some critics, we sat in a nearly empty theater as the opening scene appeared.
To be clear, the movie version of Cats has some serious flaws; I about to tell you what they are. But to say that the movie is a "disaster," etc. as some critics have exclaimed, is, I think ridiculous.
First, one must recognize that the Cats story is a fantasy intended to entertain. It is not a serious thing, except perhaps in one way I'll come to. It was, after all, a musical based on some poems about cats. If you want to taste the kind of over-analyzed attempts to give some profound meaning to the story, you have many choices but a good one is https://screenrant.com/cats-movie-ending-explained-grizabella-heaviside-layer/ It's a spoiler in many ways, however, so you may want to avoid it and the others if you're considering watching the movie (it likely will be "free" on some Internet service soon since it's being massacred at the box office). I am, frankly, tired of critics condemning works of art because they don't fit some pre-conceived narrative of what "should" have been done.
Second, the musical is recognized even by the critics (however grudgingly) as much-loved by audiences. According to Wikipedia, the "London production ran for 21 years and 8,949 performances, while the Broadway production ran for 18 years and 7,485 performances, making Cats the longest-running musical in both theatre districts for a number of years." That doesn't count the many other performances (like Washington DC where I first saw it). Not bad for a fluffy piece of fiction with a somewhat puzzling story line and no dialogue.
Third, all that notwithstanding, the movie version has some serious flaws. They detract from the heft of the music and special effects, sometimes in major ways. First, and most serious for me, is the modern practice of having the camera viewpoint constantly shifting from one vantage point to another every few seconds. Rather than letting you see a dance scene as a whole, the director, or whomever, has the camera viewpoint constantly changing.
One moment it's on the lead dancer, Victoria, played by the stunning Francesca Hayward, who in real life is a principal dancer in the Royal Ballet at London's Covent Garden. Then it shifts to a group of cats dancing, then back to Victoria, then to another cat doing something different, then to the entire scene from a different vantage than the first one, and so on and so on. Why, I have to ask, when you have a talent as beautiful and skilled as Francesca Hayward as a main character do you not just show her dancing as the center of attention in the larger frame? If you were watching a live ballet you likely would focus most of your attention on her. But, no, the director, or whoever makes these decisions, wants us to see everything from a constantly changing viewpoint.
This practice is commonplace in music videos I have seen (rarely to completion) but I suggest it does not belong in the staging of a musical as movie.
Fourth, there are several "episodes" in the movie version that occupy an inordinate amount of space/time seemingly to accommodate the actors chosen for the roles. These include James Corden, Rebel Wilson and Jason Derulo. I was struck that at the end of the movie, when the credits roll, Corden was given top billing. I lack the imagination to understand how that could be warranted by anything related to the movie.
Fifth, the most iconic music from the stage version is, of course, Memory. It is sung by the aged and defeated Grizabella, played in the movie by the powerful Jennifer Hudson. Unfortunately, her rendition is an over-wrought downer, over-acted and overwhelmed. I don't fault Hudson. This had to be the director's choice and it was a bad one.
Finally, the handling of Macavity, played, inexplicably, by Idris Elba, was a major error. In the story he is a malevolent creature with magical powers and the presentation seems discordant with the rest of the story, albeit that it contains many fantasy elements throughout.
Well, then, with all those flaws, how did the critics go wrong? The answer, I think, is in condemning the whole because of a few defects, unhappy ones, to be sure, but hardly fatal to the overall concept. In the end the story is about redemption, goodwill and generosity triumphing over evil and selfishness. It is a fantasy, a divertissement that should not be taken seriously. It is intended to amuse you and, in the end, lift you up. I thought that, flaws notwithstanding, it did that. It's a movie, after all, not a major philosophical dissertation.
I suspect it's too late for a "market correction" that might save this movie from the dust heap where severe criticism tends to push productions that the true critics don't like. Too bad. Many people who would enjoy the spectacle will now miss it because self-important and self-appointed "experts" have decided that the movie is a "debacle." Debacles do happen in Hollywood as elsewhere, but I don't think this Cats is fairly condemned.
P.S. — I had a similar response to the critics' treatment of Bohemian Rhapsody [see https://autumninnewyork.net/2018/11/04/bohemian-rhapsody-ignore-critics/] that, according to Wikipedia, grossed over $903 million worldwide on a production budget of about $50 million, making it the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2018 worldwide and setting the all-time box office records for the biopic and drama genres. The film earned 4 Oscars and was Best Motion Picture – Drama at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, among other awards and nominations. Just saying. Since the Bohemian Rhapsody post was in the AutumnInNewYork.net blog, I am simultaneously posting the Cats piece in both blogs.
This entry was posted in Commentary, Reviews and tagged Bohemian Rhapsody, Cats, Elba, Francesca Hayward, Macavity, Victoria on December 30, 2019 by shiningseausa.
F**king Liberals
As previously reported, it was a cold and wet night in New York City for Impeachment Eve. That did not stop the thousands upon thousands of loyal Americans from joining a rally and march from Times Square (46th & Broadway) to Union Square (14th Street & Park Avenue). The large crowd was enthusiastic and angry. The repeated chants of "Ho, Ho, Donald Trump has got to GO!" and "Impeach Trump – REMOVE!" were rendered with gusto. There were some amusing signs but most were direct in their recognition that the occupant of the White House is a criminal and traitor to American values. Considering the weather, the turnout for this event was extraordinary. New York's Finest were turned out in force to block streets where necessary to let the march pass unimpeded.
Meanwhile, back in the White House, the president of the United States was likely going berserk. Having already produced a tyrannical and hysterical rant letter of six pages to the Speaker of the House, packed as usual with dissembling and lies, what is left? He could break up some furniture that, after all, doesn't belong to him so why would he care? Better yet, he could do some tweeting. I haven't checked but I'm betting that's what he did. And continues to do today.
Anyway, the march in New York City was remarkable. As far as I'm aware, there was no pushback from Trump "supporters" except one relatively young man with a large backpack who pushed past us on the sidewalk muttering aloud, "f**king liberals!" Otherwise, the crowd was of one mind. We were impressed to see the diversity of ages, including elderly folks walking with canes and many young adults who recognize the danger that Trumpism represents to their future.
I have set out below a small sample of photos from the event, mostly rendered in "night vision." We were not alone, of course, as the internet is alive with photos from around the country as groups large and small went outside to show their contempt for this president and his enablers.
We all understand that the Republicans in the Senate are not going to convict Trump. Their position is that they don't care what crimes he may have committed. He is their man and they are going to stick with him to the end. They apparently live under the illusion that they will be in control of the federal government forever and therefore there will be no day of reckoning. That is, of course, the ultimate question: will the majority of Americans accept the destruction of their democracy or will they rise up and assure that truth, justice and the American way prevail in 2020? If Impeachment Eve is any guide, the answer is YES.
This entry was posted in Commentary, Photos, Politics and tagged impeachment, Trump on December 19, 2019 by shiningseausa.
Impeachment Eve
NOTE: Feel free to share this post with anyone you wish.
Tomorrow evening (Tuesday), rallies will be held around the country in anticipation of the House vote on the Articles of Impeachment against Donald Trump. The weather forecast for New York City (wet and cold) notwithstanding, we will be participating in the Times Square event. At last count 589 events were scheduled around the country. If you're reading this, you can almost certainly find an event close enough to attend.
When asked what kind of government the new Constitution would produce, Ben Franklin famously said, "A republic, if you can keep it." That is the essence of the question before us now.
While news reports indicate that the House Democrats have the votes to adopt the impeachment articles, it is important to show strength of conviction now and actively support the impeachment effort. If it's cold where you live, add some layers, buy pocket warmers, do whatever it takes to join the thousands, nay, the tens of thousands who will be demonstrating in support of the House action to impeach Donald Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors.
If you harbor doubts about whether the impeachment is warranted, I urge you to search for the editorials of the New York Times or the many other major papers that have come out in favor of impeachment. Here is a sample of the some of those papers:
USAToday
Philadelphia Enquirer
Salt Lake Tribune
The Republican arguments against impeachment have changed so many times it is impossible to comprehend in cogently logical terms the principles or concepts on which their defense is based. In the end, it comes down to "So what? Who cares?" They simply refuse to acknowledge what the White House-manufactured "transcript" says Trump demanded. They argue that he was really only interested in curing corruption in Ukraine even though corruption was not mentioned in the call with Ukraine President Zelensky.
I will not go into the details of all that at length. If you aren't persuaded by now that Donald Trump is a corrupt violator of the U.S. Constitution, including his oath of office, and American law, nothing I can say here will persuade you.
But I will say this, that I believe is true beyond a doubt: the fate of the democracy we know as the United States of America, imperfect though it may be, is in grave danger. It is no exaggeration to compare the Republican subservience to Donald Trump and the resulting disinformation campaigns to the events that subverted Germany in the 1930s. Many serious thinkers, historians and legal experts, have warned of these dangers.
I understand that the Republican-dominated Senate is not going to convict Trump. The Senate Majority Leader has already publicly stated that the Senate Republicans will coordinate with the accused and do whatever the president wants. Senator Lindsey Graham, who formerly condemned Trump as a "nut job," has stated that he is not even going to read the evidence before voting against impeachment. It is nonetheless vital that the evidence of Trump's perfidy be presented for action.
Suffice to say, then, that the burden is upon us as individuals to be a little uncomfortable and to take action to challenge the narrative on which the Republican Party has chosen to stand. If we fail to do enough, we may regret it forever.
This entry was posted in Commentary, Politics and tagged impeachment, Trump on December 16, 2019 by shiningseausa.
Hero of the Week
No, it's not any of the Democratic politicians who brought articles of impeachment against the criminal traitor Donald Trump (because they omitted the 10 cases of blatant obstruction of justice from the Mueller Report – more about that in another post).
No, my Hero of the Week is Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo who ripped into Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn for their corrupt alliance with the National Rifle Association that the Sheriff said was ultimately responsible for the death of the officer he was there to bury [https://bit.ly/2RAg7XA]:
I don't want to see their little smug faces about how much they care about law enforcement when I'm burying a sergeant because they don't want to piss off the NRA.
Referring to the three senators, Sheriff Acevedo also said:
Make up your minds. Whose side are you on? Gun manufacturers, the gun lobby — or the children that are getting gunned down in this country every single day?
The Violence Against Women Act is stalled in the Senate in part because
the NRA doesn't like the fact that we want to take firearms out of the hands of boyfriends that abuse their girlfriends …. You're either here for women and children and our daughters and our sisters and our aunts, or you're here for the NRA.
This is a law enforcement officer who speaks his mind. He is angry because he witnesses the real-life consequences of the Republicans' refusal to advance legislation that might affect the position of the NRA that any restriction on access to guns is unacceptable. Cornyn is cited in the referenced article as, typically, blaming the bill's failure to advance on the Democrats who won't "negotiate" because they are focused on the small matter of a criminal traitor sitting in the White House with the support of, naturally, the Texas senatorial delegation and, of course, #MoscowMitch. I saw a TV clip yesterday of Cruz claiming that it was true that Ukraine interfered in the U.S. election in 2016, another example of gaslighting the nation with false narratives promoted by Russia for which zero evidence has been found to exist. Cruz cited a public statement made by an official in Ukraine to support his case, but it is blatantly obvious to any thinking person that expressing an opinion about something is not "interference" in an electoral process. Cruz is just another Trump toady.
In any case, kudos to Sheriff Acevedo for speaking the truth under the difficult circumstance of burying a fellow officer who died in the line of duty answering a domestic disturbance call involving an abusive boyfriend. The blood on NRA's hands continues to mount. One day they will drown in it and good riddance.
This entry was posted in Commentary, Politics and tagged Acevedo, Cornyn, Cruz, impeachment, McConnell, NRA on December 10, 2019 by shiningseausa.