By Brian Scott Lipton
Universal Home Pictures Entertainment has announced that the film version of the hit Broadway musical Cats will be available to purchase on Digital HD beginning today, with the Blu-ray and DVD release of the film to follow on April 7th. The Blu-Ray and DVD will also feature a number of behind-the-scenes featurettes that give a behind-the-scenes look at how this unusual movie musical was made.
Featuring a score by Tony Award winner Andrew Lloyd Webber and adapted from T.S. Eliot’s book of poetry, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the film musical focuses on a group of cats who are competing to start life over on the “heavyside.”
Directed by Oscar winner Tom Hooper, the film features Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Jennifer Hudson, James Corden, Idris Elba, Rebel Wilson, Jason Derulo, Robbie Fairchild, Francesca Hayward and Taylor Swift (who contributed a new song, “Beautiful Ghosts,” co-written with Lord Lloyd Webber.)
The original Broadway version of Cats ran on Broadway from 1982 until 2000 and won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. A revival ran at Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre from July 2016 through December 17.