[LHSTrombone]

Am I the only person that thinks that not including Growltiger's Last Stand makes us feel really bad for Gus, especially in the movie? Like to see him doing something that makes him happy, playing Growltiger, makes him less of a sad character, but watching the movie I feel worse for him than I do for Grizabella and kinda want him to go to Heaviside. Anyone else feel this sometimes?

[littlgriz]

[Spanish_Rumple]

Yeah I do think that Gus should be the one to go to Heavyside!! But then, how could we rearrange Grizabella's story?

[Rumblepurr]

The main point behind Grizabella was her return. Like the story of the Prodigal Son, Grizabella was seeking reacceptance by the Tribe and forgiveness for her past, but more important was her desire to belong once more. Gus never left the Tribe, so he has nothing to be forgiven, or no reason to be accepted - he already is part of the Tribe. Even though his story is long and he is old, he is still loved and respected - as we see through Jellylorum. His being given the Choice would have been a honorarium, whereas Grizabella would have been our cartharis - our own need to forgive and rejoice in someone being given a second chance...

Grizabella is the one we need to feel sorry for... As the "down-trodden" or the "Shunned One," the audience is supposed to feel for her - and her song of "Memory" is tuned to do that... In some ways, some might say she got what she deserved, but we see the kittens - the ones who probably did not know Grizabella - trying to accept her. As then there is Old Deuteronomy... At the end of Act One, you see him trying to call her back... It may have been that when Grizabella left the Tribe, he did not want her shunned, but the others of the Tribe did...

Respectfully submitted,
Rumblepurr
The Writer Cat.

[mistocopat]

I think it's a shame that they did not cast someone with the ability to do Growltiger, even if it was John Mills. After seeing Cats live I loved the Growltiger number and it's frustrating to not have anything to remember it by. I guess I just find it hard to feel sorry for the video gus because I know it's just cheery old John Mills.

[Rumblepurr]

I agree with the loss of Growltiger on the video. In my Bloopers page, that is my rant...

For some reason, they cut the scene primarily because of the time factor. The use of Tony Timberlake as Firefroerfiddle was their answer for the Growltiger segment. However...

I thought they really could have added an extra ten minutes or so for Growltiger just by having Jellylorum (Susan Tanner) take Gus (Sir John Mills) over to sit with Old Deuteronomy, and then have Asparagus ("Junior" as I call Tony Timberlake) act as Growltiger. They do the melodrama for Gus and Old D, and then have Genghis (MJ or Coricopat) bow to Gus instead of Asparagus (who would be off changing again...). We would have Growlie and still have somewhat the same thing as a production piece...

Rumblepurr
The Writer Cat

[LHSTrombone]

Well...I think they still have it in Japanese on Youtube but thats the best you can get >.o

[Roller Boy]

YAY for growltiger! HUZZAH!

[Moongewl]

I think when they chose John Mills for the part of Gus, they already weren't planning to do Growltiger's Last Stand. For one thing, I believe the film had to be short enough to remain on one videotape, and they still had to cut small bits out besides Growltiger to do that. Also, the traditional pirate-ship curtain backdrop wouldn't have looked "right" in the film version, when everyone expects videos to look more realistic than stage shows.
Personally, I'm glad they chose to keep Pekes and Pollicles instead, because that's something you usually don't get to see, whereas Growltiger remains on most tours.