"Cats Don't Dance" is a cute musical that takes place in 1939 in an alternate world where humans and anthropomorphic animals co-exist. Danny (voiced by Scott Bakula ) is a cat from Indiana, Kokomo wants to be a star, and the film is a satirical look at Hollywood. The villain only exists for young girls to get a kick out of, Darla Dimple (voiced by Ashley Peldon,) a spoiled child actor who has a problem with rage. He travels to Hollywood on a bus in hopes of starting an acting career.
I love the look of the bus in this movie, and the song that opens the movie by "James Ingram - Out Time Has Come," fits perfectly in that has the bus comically bouncing down the road. When he arrives he meets a young penguin named Pudge (voiced by Matthew Herried.) Farley Wink (voiced by Frank Welker) is the over-the-top executive producer character who gives Danny his first role in a movie Darla is starring in. Wink's secretary, a cynical cat, Sawyer (Jasmine Guy,) clashes with Danny.
Warners Bros. Is the studio behind the movie, and there are aspects of them trying to make this in a loony-tunes-style movie because it has a lot of energy. Most likely, this movie was made because of last year's "Space Jam,' but it's far from a loony tunes movie. "Space Jam" was a box office smash, and this movie is set in the 1930's. It couldn't be further away from anything Warners Bros has done before, satrizing hollywood's inner workings.
The movie Danny is hired for "Lil' Ark Angel" for Mammoth Pictures. He joins fellow Animals Tilly the Hippo (voiced by Kathy Najimy) and Francis the Fish (voiced by Betty Lou Gerson.) Danny attempts to weasel his way into more spotlight than Darla which angers her, and she sics her gigantic Frankenstein-like butler, Max (voiced by Mark Dindal) on him, intimidating him.
Danny discovers Woolie the elephant (voice by John Rhys-Davies) and spends his day playing piano in the gypsy caravan that is also his home. He gives Danny advice. He begins to fall in love with Sawyer, who is either an actress from before or never was. She can dance tho, and he convinces her to give her dreams a try, and it's sweet.
When a scene with Darla goes wrong, Danny gives up and wants to head back home, only to change his mind and put Darla in the spotlight for something malicious she does in the movie. The snobby Movie mogul L. B. Mammoth (voiced by Geroge Kennedy) is won over and he greenlights Danny's production.
Danny learns that human actors are normally given the important parts, and the animals are not in high demand, often getting thankless roles such as snorting or dancing. He gets a dance sequence going and caches Darla's attention. He happily accepts an offer from her, but in reality, she is a cruel little monster, who is setting the animals up for failure, all because she doesn't want her spotlight stolen.
There are some moments in the film that stand out, such as when Danny realizes how Hollywood works, and his plan to be a star backfires. There is more of a serious tone than expected, and it does work. The problem is the film is what you expect, and the animals are supposed to be what makes the movie, and they don't completely. Danny comes up with a performance to impress LB. Mammoth, but it's only to impress the kids with the dance numbers.
"Cats Don't Dance," is not a compelling movie where anything new is going to happen, but it's a sweet movie that kids will like, bacause of the musical numbers, but I don't know if the film is strong enough to be remembered. The animation is top-notch, but none of the characters are memorable. Perhaps, Darla, but there is not much to her other than a spoiled child.
6/10.
I love the look of the bus in this movie, and the song that opens the movie by "James Ingram - Out Time Has Come," fits perfectly in that has the bus comically bouncing down the road. When he arrives he meets a young penguin named Pudge (voiced by Matthew Herried.) Farley Wink (voiced by Frank Welker) is the over-the-top executive producer character who gives Danny his first role in a movie Darla is starring in. Wink's secretary, a cynical cat, Sawyer (Jasmine Guy,) clashes with Danny.
Warners Bros. Is the studio behind the movie, and there are aspects of them trying to make this in a loony-tunes-style movie because it has a lot of energy. Most likely, this movie was made because of last year's "Space Jam,' but it's far from a loony tunes movie. "Space Jam" was a box office smash, and this movie is set in the 1930's. It couldn't be further away from anything Warners Bros has done before, satrizing hollywood's inner workings.
The movie Danny is hired for "Lil' Ark Angel" for Mammoth Pictures. He joins fellow Animals Tilly the Hippo (voiced by Kathy Najimy) and Francis the Fish (voiced by Betty Lou Gerson.) Danny attempts to weasel his way into more spotlight than Darla which angers her, and she sics her gigantic Frankenstein-like butler, Max (voiced by Mark Dindal) on him, intimidating him.
Danny discovers Woolie the elephant (voice by John Rhys-Davies) and spends his day playing piano in the gypsy caravan that is also his home. He gives Danny advice. He begins to fall in love with Sawyer, who is either an actress from before or never was. She can dance tho, and he convinces her to give her dreams a try, and it's sweet.
When a scene with Darla goes wrong, Danny gives up and wants to head back home, only to change his mind and put Darla in the spotlight for something malicious she does in the movie. The snobby Movie mogul L. B. Mammoth (voiced by Geroge Kennedy) is won over and he greenlights Danny's production.
Danny learns that human actors are normally given the important parts, and the animals are not in high demand, often getting thankless roles such as snorting or dancing. He gets a dance sequence going and caches Darla's attention. He happily accepts an offer from her, but in reality, she is a cruel little monster, who is setting the animals up for failure, all because she doesn't want her spotlight stolen.
There are some moments in the film that stand out, such as when Danny realizes how Hollywood works, and his plan to be a star backfires. There is more of a serious tone than expected, and it does work. The problem is the film is what you expect, and the animals are supposed to be what makes the movie, and they don't completely. Danny comes up with a performance to impress LB. Mammoth, but it's only to impress the kids with the dance numbers.
"Cats Don't Dance," is not a compelling movie where anything new is going to happen, but it's a sweet movie that kids will like, bacause of the musical numbers, but I don't know if the film is strong enough to be remembered. The animation is top-notch, but none of the characters are memorable. Perhaps, Darla, but there is not much to her other than a spoiled child.
6/10.