“Cats” Lives!
Wait – “What The Friday?!?!?!?!?!?!”
Last month Hollywood watched one of the biggest flops of all time hit theaters: the film version of the Broadway smash hit “Cats” just seemed wrong in every way.
Don’t believe me? Well, check out the trailer:
But This “Cats” Is Purring Back To Life!
Folks, “only in Hollywood” can a film destined to lose more than $100-million suddenly show signs of life – because audiences have decided to share the experience of just how bad the film is!
The wildly entertaining entertainment website Vulture.com has a great story on how this “Cats” is having nine lives!
Alamo Drafthouse Makes “Cats” A Drinking Game!
Thanks to the film’s already legendary reputation as one of the worst of all time, the Alamo Drafthouse movie chain sensed there was a new “Rocky Horror Picture Show” in the making – so get ready for “Cats” singalongs and drinking games!
Here’s why that could breathe new life into a huge bomb…
Remember that “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” was a massive failure when released in 1975, but soon became a fixture on midnight movie screens – with audiences acting out scenes from the film in the audience….it has since become one of the most successful films of all time!
And guess what? According to Vulutre, “Cats” may be next!
“Cats” Sells Out “Rowdy” Screenings!
As Vulture reports, the hipster Alamo Drafthouse movie chain is adding special screenings of “Cats” across the country as of today, “What The Friday!?!?!?! indeed – and each movie screening filled with special surprises:
“All of our Rowdy screenings [for Cats] are sold out — the tickets are going like hotcakes,” says Rachel Walker, head of programming and creative at Alamo’s Los Angeles venue. Incentivizing that attendance, which anecdotal evidence indicates is increasingly comprised of repeat viewers: the secret menu of milk-based cocktails and the Jellicle Ball Karaoke Challenge, in which participants belt out songs with the word “cat” in their titles or engage in a knockout competition called Bombalurina Roulette (organized around Swift’s songbook). “We started with a couple of [nonmandatory] drinking games: Drink every time a cat introduces themselves, drink every time a cat is a little too sexual, and drink every time a cat magically vanishes to the purgatory barge,” she adds. “At certain screenings, people started yelling ‘Hands!’ every time human hands on the cats were visible. And sometimes they start chanting ‘Deut’ for Old Deuteronomy. Sometimes they chant ‘Dench’ when Judi Dench comes back on at the end. People are going crazy!”
Vulture spoke to veteran Costume Designer Courtney Hoffman, who arranged for a group of friends to see one of Alamo’s screening in Los Angeles. As she told them:
“Everyone was just crying of laughter. And the number of times people just screamed, ‘What?!’ Like, ‘What’s happening?,’” Hoffman says. “I feel like if you were to see it without the ability to vocalize your confusion and excitement and horror, it would be too self-serious. From the second the movie starts, you feel like everything you know about reality is over. It’s just so truly baffling: How many great people said yes to it? How many people wrote checks for it? I was so entertained by the complexity. Why do they have shoes on? Why do the female cats have boobs? How did they get Idris Elba? There are just so many questions!”
Yes, people couldn’t stop talking about Elba’s outfit – or lack thereof, but remember that Taylor Swift and Jennifer Hudson looked just as shocking!
Um…..”What The Friday!?!?!?!”
Have to say it again – “Cats” is a “Creepy” looking movie!
That said, it would probably be a blast to watch it in a crowded theater with everyone downing special drinks – who’s up for it?
Check out Vulture’s entire story for more details on how you can take part in this campy cinematic experience!
https://www.vulture.com/2020/01/cats-box-office-flop-is-it-the-next-rocky-horror.html
Of course, some movies are just BAD with a capital “B” – but that’s not true of the reigning “midnight movie” champ:
Doing The “Time Warp” Again And Again!
Everyone fell in love with “Rocky Horror” once the film’s charms were made known, and audiences have danced along now for more than 40 years…here are three things you didn’t know about the film – click to find out:
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Leave a comment and let me know if you’re heading out for a “rowdy” screening of “Cats” with your friends!
Categories: 70's Cinema, 70's Music, Art, Books / Media, Classic Rock, Comedy Movies, Cult Movies, Film Fight Club, Great Films, Hollywood, Movies, Music, Obscure Movies, Obscure Music, Pop Culture, Talent/Celebrities
I’ve been a big fan of Rocky horror for +40years. Now my grandkids jump to the left.
I LOVE THAT! Thanks for sharing – I am also a HUGE fan!
Now I have to watch both!
Well, “Rocky Horror” is a really fun movie with GREAT music…”Cats” looks like a “must see” disaster! Thanks for commenting!
Hey John,
I’ll take your word for the value of both RH and Cats.
People who know me have vehemently warned me to stay away from RH and from the few facts I’ve heard about Cats, I suspect they would repeat their warnings.
That said, it’s getting to be fun reading about this train wreck as folks find new and fun ways to slice off exposed sections of movie-skin to the enjoyment of folks of all flavors.
Frankly, your essay above was among the most fun I’ve had with Cats since its release.
As always, thanks for fun ride.
Thanks for the comment! My wife said that it could actually be fun to watch a train wreck of a film if there were enough creative drinks involved, and I will say again “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is a FANTASTIC movie!
No to Cats. Ever. However, Rocky Horror has always been great on a multiple of levels. It came out when I was in high school. I was there in the theater bringing my newspaper and water guns and dancing the time warm in the aisles.
Yes, it’s a great film….sadly it does not appear “Cats” is….so I think the novelty will wear off soon…
I never wanted to see Cast on stage, and I certainly don’t want to see the film.
But I would watch TRHS film any day of the week! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
Cats was the first live theatre production I ever saw, John, followed by Rocky Horror Picture show. I don’t suppose it really matters what makes a movie a hit, as long as the money rolls in.
“Rocky Horror” is a great film, while everyone says “Cats” is strange and awful…BUT…let people have lots of drinks and laugh at it for two hours and a hit is born!
While I love Rocky Horror, I don’t know about Cats.🤔
“Rocky Horror” is a great film…”Cats” is a joke that everyone is being invited in to laugh at – with a drink in hand! Thanks for commenting!