 This pop-cultural phenomenon has been performed on stage for more than 50 million patrons in 26 countries for almost 18 years, churning more than $2 billion in ticket sales. Now that Cats has finally made it to the small screen, attention must be paid not just by fans of this critic-proof show, but also by those entertainment mavens who have somehow avoided Cats until now. The video version has been restaged but, alas, not really reconceived for its new medium. The video cast, assembled from London, Amsterdam, and New York productions, is competent. Ken Page as Old Deuteronomy, Jacob Brent as Mr. Mistoffelees, and Elaine Paige--the original London Grizabella, the Glamour Cat well past her prime--are a great deal more than that. Paige has toned down her theatrical belting of her big number, "Memory," and allowed the faded ruin of her character's soul to prevail in close-up. For all the "covers" of her signature song, Paige's version remains definitive. The video is, by definition, more intimate, not always a good thing: costumes are even more Halloweeny in garish close-up, the cats less cuddly without that all-important interaction, the stage's appropriately midnight lighting transmuted to a Las Vegas neon. And the chorus of cats in production numbers is even clunkier and more amorphous in two- and three-shots. The one complete newcomer to the cast is the 90-year-old icon among English actors John Mills, a delight as Gus the Theatrical Cat. Sir John and his character show the youngsters how it's done in close-up, largely behind the eyes, abetted by a heart-tugging delivery of his one song. Yet virtually all of the songs are lip-synched, further robbing the video Cats of its onstage seeming spontaneity. It's clearer than ever that Lloyd Webber's music is mostly twaddle, with the important exception of "Memory," which instantly and rightly became one of the genuine theater standards not dependent on context, in the vein of Stephen Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns." On the plus side, most of the Cats characters and lyrics, from T.S. Eliot's 14-poem Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, are far better defined and understood from the video version. --Robert Windeler
Customer Review: CATS
Having learned T.S. Elliot's poem and performed it in high school, I absolutely love Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical interpretation and production of it.Of course the actors in this production are legendary.
Publ.Date : Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:14:11 GMT
 Clark Gable's bluff masculinity is a big part of the story and appeal of Teacher's Pet, to such a degree that his age (near 60) doesn't seem like such a problem as he romances perky Doris Day. Gable is an old-school newspaperman who scoffs at the idea of journalism being taught in night school; hard knocks and shoe leather are his preferred textbooks. Naturally, Doris teaches journalism in night school. Gable masquerades as an inexperienced student in order to prove her wrong, which brings forth some fairly labored complications, presented in pedestrian style by director George Seaton. The film is too long for its own good, but as an illustration of movie-star value, it's a convincer--Gable and Day are completely, effortlessly within their established personas. Gig Young adds pep as a brainy psychologist (whose expertise extends to hangover recipes--he and Gable have a good morning-after scene). Doris sings the incorrigibly catchy title song over the opening credits, but stick around for Mamie Van Doren's nightclub rendition of "The Girl Who Invented Rock 'n Roll," a real eye-roller. --Robert Horton
Customer Review: They Didn't Call Him the KING for Nothing!
Gable is a gruff, battle scarred, school of hard knocks Lion of journalism, running his pride of employees with as much feeling as the time he has to get out a deadline, which is to say, hardly any. But you can tell he's well liked so there's a soft spot there, proven by the two young journalist cubs he's keeping his very critical eye on. By orders from the top, he is forced to attend Doris Day's night class of journalism, where he had sent a very sarcastic response to her request to have him give a lecture. He gets one look at Doris Day and decides to sit in and listen. His reactions to her starting off the class by reading his letter are just priceless and had me laughing out loud. And then the fun begins. Bring in an over-educated yet extremely modest and self-deprecating, hilarious Gig Young as a rival for Doris Day and you've got yourself one big cat with his fur up! The cocktail lounge scene of Gig Young being able to outdance, outdrink and outbongo Gable, and Gables reactions to them, are absolutely priceless! Gable was truly a world weary lion at this stage of his life, but his comedic timing, acting and bearing still spelled KING. While watching this movie, I found myself always looking at him, even when someone else was in the scene. Doris Day and Gig Young were in their prime and were gorgeous and sexy, yet, I could barely tear my eyes from Gable. Joan Crawford said of him in a book she wrote, that one time she was at a cocktail party and suddenly everything stopped and everyone felt compelled to look at the doorway. There stood Clark Gable. He was just standing there looking around, yet his presence stopped the room. Presence! You've either got it or you don't. Gable had it! Long Live the King's movies. Watch it if you get the chance.
Publ.Date : Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:14:11 GMT
Customer Review: Furminator does the job
After using a smaller version that belonged to a friend, I decided I had to have my own. Bottom line, it works! I have used several devices to handle my dog's 3 inch long hair that constantly falls on my dark carpet. I used a standard brush, deshedder comb, a looped rake brush, and a device my husband formed out of something in his workshop. All of these made my pet wince with pain. However, I found none of this with the furminator. My dog stood over 10 minutes without moving and the undercoat came right off. It does take several sessions but I have seen a dramatic decrease in the amount of shedding. I highly recommend it. Amazon made it easy to shop around for the best price. No problem with shipping.
Publ.Date : Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:14:11 GMT
 Cat Stevens tends to be lumped in with the early-'70s singer-songwriter school led by James Taylor and Carole King, but he actually fits in rather neatly with such wistful English contemporaries as Nick Drake, Syd Barrett, and Donovan. Tea for the Tillerman's "Wild World," "Into White," and "Longer Boats" indicate that he may have been a more gifted tunesmith than the lot of them. As with the best of the Brit folk-rockers, Stevens mixed melancholy with whimsy. Yes, he was prone to airy platitudes, but when he harnessed his eccentricities, as he did throughout this 1970 masterwork, you had something truly distinctive. A natural cult artist, à la Tim Buckley and Leonard Cohen, Stevens connected with record-buyers to the tune of 25 million units sold before he changed his name to Yusuf Islam, established an Islamic school, and raised a ruckus by supporting Ayatollah Khomeini's death decree against author Salman Rushdie. This remastered 2000 version of the 1970 recording, which was overseen by the artist, is a vast improvement over the earlier CD reissue. --Steve Stolder
Customer Review: RFID ruins album art
The music is Cat Stevens. It's as always great. The RFID tag that is stuck to the album art will ruin it when removed. Bad Move whomever had the idea of putting RFID tags on album artwork.
Publ.Date : Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:14:11 GMT
 Customer Review: My Pet Monster Come To DVD Please!
Ok all i want to know is where i can get a copy on dvd? this is a great children's movie, i really enjoy this when i watched this with my younger brother in the 90's and would love to see it again. Highly Recommended.
Publ.Date : Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:14:11 GMT
 With songs inspired by the Beatles the Wonder Pets journey to Liverpool to save a band of mop-haired Beetles who are trapped in a Yellowish Submarine. Plus 3 more episodes in which Ming-Ming Linny and Tuck save a chameleon a platypus a kitten a duckling a sheep and a hermit crab!Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY UPC: 097368529342 Manufacturer No: 852934
Customer Review: OK! You've got me!
Well this is everything a Baby Boomer gran or auntie needs to see to guarantee a purchase! It's a combination British Invasion music "tribute" with tons of Beatle references and precious, funny animals! There's no violence and no scary guys to make it anything but perfect for its intended audience -- Babies and Boomers who love them! I'm sold. How about you?
Publ.Date : Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:14:11 GMT
 Customer Review: The Best Cat Product EVER!
I have a bunch of cats of my own, and foster for a local rescue group too so I'm always loooking for the perfect litter. I've been using Swheat Scoop for years, but I'm partially disabled and carrying 80 lbs of litter every week has been a major problem. When a friend told me about the BREEZE system, I was skeptical - you know the old saying, if it seems to good to be true......... Well, I'm pleased to say it's wonderful! A couple of my own antique cats who've had major litter issues have started consistently using the litter box for the first time in years. And my foster kittens love it! A couple caveats - it did take me almost 2 months to completely stop using the Swheat Scoop. Like some other reviewers said, my cats started using the BREEZE for peeing right away, but not for pooping for a long time. And I'm home most of the time, so I do scoop poop pretty much every time I walk by a box. If I was away for 8 - 10 hours a day, I might not be so happy! I also admit that I sometimes cheat and use a folded puppy pad when I run low on the pee pads, and I have to say it works just about as well. And for cats with loose stool, it does get messy, but I just take a damp paper towel and wipe up anything that smooshes on the bottom or side of the box. All in all, it takes me about 1/4 the amount of time, and costs me about 1/2 as much as Swheat Scoop. NOTE to Tidy Cat (the manufacturer) - please make economy size packages of the pellets and pads, and how about a hood?
Publ.Date : Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:14:11 GMT
 6" L, 1.75 wide deShedding edge FURminator deShedding Tool for Cats reduces shedding up to 90 percent by removing the loose, dead undercoat without damaging the topcoat. Brings out the cats natural oils, promoting healthier skin and a shiny topcoat.
Customer Review: FURminator
Works great to remove deeply buried loose hair. With 5 cats, there is now less furr balls flying around and less hair balls being vomited.
Publ.Date : Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:14:11 GMT
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