"Cats Don't Dance" is a delightful animated feature in the style of a 1930's musical comedy. The main character, Danny (voiced by Scott Bakula), is a high-spirited cat from Kokomo, Indiana who goes to Hollywood with dreams of becoming a movie star. But there he finds limited roles available for animals. The story is a sly message about discrimination. The imagery is bright and the music is catchy. The villainess is a wonderful Darla Dimple, a Shirley Temple parody of a child star with a dark side. Together with her monstrous manservant Max, they provide many laughs. Other funny animals include Tilly the Hippo (voiced by Kathy Najimy) and T.W. the Turtle (voiced by Don Knotts). So "Cats Don't Dance" is an enjoyable movie for everyone!
62 Reviews
Cute, funny and incredibly enjoyable
Rectangular_businessman10 March 2012
Warning: Spoilers
In the nineties, there were several attempts made by different studios in order to emulate the style from the animated films that the Disney company were producing at those years (Such as "Aladdin", "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King") Some of those attempts were corny and lame, but fortunately, this nice animated film (Which was also the first animated movie directed by Mark Dindal, the same director "The Emperor's New Groove") instead of trying to imitate the Disney formula, prefers to be a light-hearted homage to all the classic musicals from the Golden Age of Hollywood, worked incredibly well in that aspect.
The plot is fast-paced, but easy to follow, with very likable characters, and many funny situations and clever dialogues, not to mention the incredibly catchy songs, that were the best part of the movie.
From my very personal point of view, I think that the combination of all those elements worked much better than in "The Emperor's New Groove" (Which is also a good movie, but I like this more) This is a nice movie for the whole family, and I highly recommend it to anyone.
The plot is fast-paced, but easy to follow, with very likable characters, and many funny situations and clever dialogues, not to mention the incredibly catchy songs, that were the best part of the movie.
From my very personal point of view, I think that the combination of all those elements worked much better than in "The Emperor's New Groove" (Which is also a good movie, but I like this more) This is a nice movie for the whole family, and I highly recommend it to anyone.
A great fun and entertaining animated musical that you'll enjoy!
RUKIA2218 January 2005
Cats don't dance is a fun entertaining cartoon for all the family and it's one of the best animated musicals I've ever seen. Scott Bakula is wonderful as Danny the talented ambitious cat who dreams of making it big in Hollywood. Along the way he meets a couple of animal buddies who are also like himself waiting for their chance to make their big break but whose stars have faded. Cats don't dance has some fantastic songs that are toe tapping good including Scott Bakula singing Danny's arrival song, the animal jam session, and Nothings gonna stop us now with incredible vocals from Natalie Cole and Scott Bakula.As I was saying Scott Bakula is great as Danny the enthusiastic cat with stars in his eyes. I think he did a brilliant job and his voice in the songs were just spectacular. This is cute,funny,uplifting and a feel good cartoon with a lot of heart and emotion. If you are looking for something with a real story that's fun and entertaining than look no further than this one it's a classic and one the kids will love.
Fun and entertaining..
AllisonLVenezio7 November 2001
Hollywood-it either makes or breaks you, sends some dreamers to the top, and others home. Can a little ambition go a long way?
Set in the late 1930s, "Cats Don't Dance" is about Danny (voice of Scott Bakula), a singing and dancing cat from Kokomo, who heads to Hollywood in search of a big break, complete with dreams, ambitions, and a song in his heart. He is immediately hired to play a part in "Lil Arc Angel," a picture starring Hollywood's most celebrated actress, Darla Dimple (Ashley Peldon/Lindsay Ridgeway), whom, beneath her sweetie-pie personality, is really a spoiled brat who hates animals and will do anythig to destroy their dreams. Danny decides to steal the show from Darla, who shows her true colors. When he approaches Darla for help in getting the animals a big break, Darla conjures up a plan to get them all blacklisted from movies. Can Danny prove that ambition can get them their dreams?
As a 19 year old, its not very common to like cutesy cartoons. However, this was something that would entertain anyone. Sure, the songs are corny, but the dance numbers are fun, and the singers really know their stuff. Scott Bakula, providing both the vocal and singing tracks for Danny, is energetic and fun, and he sings really well. Jasmine Guy and Natalie Cole, as Sawyer, is seductive and ambitious, just not willing to show it. The supporting animal cast, including Don Knotts as T.W. and Kathy Najimy as Tilly Hippo, are funny and smart. Kudos to Ashley Peldon and Lindsay Ridgeway, as Darla Dimple, who make her EXTREMELY evil, which I love.
Fave parts: The dancing scene in the alley, the "Lil Arc Angel" scene in the beginning, the part where Darla has Danny at her house, eating animal crackers and being sweetly evil, and the ending, which I won't give away. I liked the song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now". As for fave lines, I had a few. Max: What sound does the kitty cat make? Danny: (big fake grin)Meow??? Max: Gooood. This was also funny when the tables were turned. Scott Bakula doing all sorts of variations of Meow was classic too. Max cracked me up, hulking around scaring the animals. He even started to dance (one of the funniest moments).
This was a wonderful film, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a good laugh, likes cartoons, or Scott Bakula. This is a charming film that encourages chasing your dreams, no matter how big they are. As T.W. said, "They can break your cookie, but you'll always have your fortune." Isn't that the stuff dreams are made of?
Set in the late 1930s, "Cats Don't Dance" is about Danny (voice of Scott Bakula), a singing and dancing cat from Kokomo, who heads to Hollywood in search of a big break, complete with dreams, ambitions, and a song in his heart. He is immediately hired to play a part in "Lil Arc Angel," a picture starring Hollywood's most celebrated actress, Darla Dimple (Ashley Peldon/Lindsay Ridgeway), whom, beneath her sweetie-pie personality, is really a spoiled brat who hates animals and will do anythig to destroy their dreams. Danny decides to steal the show from Darla, who shows her true colors. When he approaches Darla for help in getting the animals a big break, Darla conjures up a plan to get them all blacklisted from movies. Can Danny prove that ambition can get them their dreams?
As a 19 year old, its not very common to like cutesy cartoons. However, this was something that would entertain anyone. Sure, the songs are corny, but the dance numbers are fun, and the singers really know their stuff. Scott Bakula, providing both the vocal and singing tracks for Danny, is energetic and fun, and he sings really well. Jasmine Guy and Natalie Cole, as Sawyer, is seductive and ambitious, just not willing to show it. The supporting animal cast, including Don Knotts as T.W. and Kathy Najimy as Tilly Hippo, are funny and smart. Kudos to Ashley Peldon and Lindsay Ridgeway, as Darla Dimple, who make her EXTREMELY evil, which I love.
Fave parts: The dancing scene in the alley, the "Lil Arc Angel" scene in the beginning, the part where Darla has Danny at her house, eating animal crackers and being sweetly evil, and the ending, which I won't give away. I liked the song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now". As for fave lines, I had a few. Max: What sound does the kitty cat make? Danny: (big fake grin)Meow??? Max: Gooood. This was also funny when the tables were turned. Scott Bakula doing all sorts of variations of Meow was classic too. Max cracked me up, hulking around scaring the animals. He even started to dance (one of the funniest moments).
This was a wonderful film, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a good laugh, likes cartoons, or Scott Bakula. This is a charming film that encourages chasing your dreams, no matter how big they are. As T.W. said, "They can break your cookie, but you'll always have your fortune." Isn't that the stuff dreams are made of?
Deceptively Good Non-Disney Classic
bkrauser-81-31106416 September 2014
Cats Don't Dance (1997) is a hyper-saturated animated feast for the senses and an especially fun treat for those familiar with the musicals and screwball comedies of the 1930's. Having been accustomed to the beautiful detail of Pixar and the delicate touches of Disney's golden age, I was pleasantly surprised by a movie that takes absolute advantage of the slapsticky world of cartoons.
Danny (Scott Bakula) is our wide-eyed feline protagonist who sings and dances his way into a big studio picture headlined by America's Sweetheart Darla Dimple (part voiced by Ashley Peldon and sung by Lindsay Ridgeway). His friends/critics include cynical bit players Tillie the Hippo (Kathy Najimy), Cranston the Billy goat (Hal Holbrook), Wollie the Elephant (John Rhys-Davies) and Pudge the Penguin (Matthew Herried). Also in the mix is obvious love interest Sawyer (voiced by Jasmine Guy and part sung by Natalie Cole). I say obvious because she absolutely despises Danny through two thirds of the film and she's the only other cat in the film. Call me crazy but I think that relationship is a lock.
Danny learns quickly that animals aren't considered star material in Hollywood. His hamming on the set captures the attention of an infuriated Darla yet gains the respect of the other animals. This dynamic is reminiscent of how African Americans were treating during the time. Those who made a go of acting were type-casted as slaves, maids and shoe shiners. Those lucky enough to take full advantage of their roles like Hattie McDaniel in Gone with the Wind (1939) received death threats.
It's interesting to not that in addition to the barrier breaking Gone with the Wind, The film also makes references to The Wizard of Oz (1939), regalia of the LGBT community instilling since of community. Maybe the creators of Cats Don't Dance wanted to make a modern day fable holding to the maxims of equality and acceptance towards all. Though the more reasonable rationale for both films getting their names in lights is they were both released in 1939.
There are other sly riffs on Hollywood classics such as The Footlight Parade (1933), The Ten Commandments (1956), Singin' in the Rain (1952) and Bringing Up Baby (1938). That is in addition to the Darla Dimple character being an obvious parody of Shirley Temple at one point ravenously biting off the heads of animal crackers in front of the beleaguered Danny. They even have an onslaught of throwaway gags involving King Kong (1933), Zsa Zsa Gabor and The MGM Lion among many, many others.
Yet those not looking to reduce an animated movie to a game of "I Spy" will still find a lot to take away. The plot while well-worn is nevertheless genuine and interesting, the animation is eye-popping- ly goofy and the songs are entertaining if occasionally a little bland. One would wish that the characters were given a little more breathing room since the pace of the film is near neck-breaking yet seeing the gang sing "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" makes it all worthwhile.
Directed by the man who gave you The Emperor's New Groove (2000), featuring songs written by the considerably talented Randy Newman and starring the Captain of the Starship Enterprise NX-01, Cats Don't Dance is infectious fun. Overall not quite up there with The Lion King (1994) but comparable to Disney's Hercules (1997) released the same year. It's certainly not a film deserving of its obscurity so track it down and watch it if you can.
http://www.theyservepopcorninhell.blogspot.com
Danny (Scott Bakula) is our wide-eyed feline protagonist who sings and dances his way into a big studio picture headlined by America's Sweetheart Darla Dimple (part voiced by Ashley Peldon and sung by Lindsay Ridgeway). His friends/critics include cynical bit players Tillie the Hippo (Kathy Najimy), Cranston the Billy goat (Hal Holbrook), Wollie the Elephant (John Rhys-Davies) and Pudge the Penguin (Matthew Herried). Also in the mix is obvious love interest Sawyer (voiced by Jasmine Guy and part sung by Natalie Cole). I say obvious because she absolutely despises Danny through two thirds of the film and she's the only other cat in the film. Call me crazy but I think that relationship is a lock.
Danny learns quickly that animals aren't considered star material in Hollywood. His hamming on the set captures the attention of an infuriated Darla yet gains the respect of the other animals. This dynamic is reminiscent of how African Americans were treating during the time. Those who made a go of acting were type-casted as slaves, maids and shoe shiners. Those lucky enough to take full advantage of their roles like Hattie McDaniel in Gone with the Wind (1939) received death threats.
It's interesting to not that in addition to the barrier breaking Gone with the Wind, The film also makes references to The Wizard of Oz (1939), regalia of the LGBT community instilling since of community. Maybe the creators of Cats Don't Dance wanted to make a modern day fable holding to the maxims of equality and acceptance towards all. Though the more reasonable rationale for both films getting their names in lights is they were both released in 1939.
There are other sly riffs on Hollywood classics such as The Footlight Parade (1933), The Ten Commandments (1956), Singin' in the Rain (1952) and Bringing Up Baby (1938). That is in addition to the Darla Dimple character being an obvious parody of Shirley Temple at one point ravenously biting off the heads of animal crackers in front of the beleaguered Danny. They even have an onslaught of throwaway gags involving King Kong (1933), Zsa Zsa Gabor and The MGM Lion among many, many others.
Yet those not looking to reduce an animated movie to a game of "I Spy" will still find a lot to take away. The plot while well-worn is nevertheless genuine and interesting, the animation is eye-popping- ly goofy and the songs are entertaining if occasionally a little bland. One would wish that the characters were given a little more breathing room since the pace of the film is near neck-breaking yet seeing the gang sing "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" makes it all worthwhile.
Directed by the man who gave you The Emperor's New Groove (2000), featuring songs written by the considerably talented Randy Newman and starring the Captain of the Starship Enterprise NX-01, Cats Don't Dance is infectious fun. Overall not quite up there with The Lion King (1994) but comparable to Disney's Hercules (1997) released the same year. It's certainly not a film deserving of its obscurity so track it down and watch it if you can.
http://www.theyservepopcorninhell.blogspot.com
Nothing's gonna stop me from loving this movie
ThisGuyLovesMovies6 July 2012
Nothing's more of a nostalgic movie for me than Cats Don't Dance, the energetic animated musical of Hollywood, passion, and the pursuit of dreams that is the most criminally underrated movie I have ever seen in my life.
We are introduced to Danny, a cat full of ambition and dreams of making it AS A STAR! He arrives in Hollywood and quickly meets the other wonderful cast of animals: Tilly Hippo, Cranston Goat, T.W Turtle, later Woolly Mammoth, and another cat simply named Sawyer; who is not too pleased with Danny's dream-chasing, singing and dancing attitude.
Shortly after the introduction to the others, he lands a spot on the latest movie "Little Ark Angel" starring "America's Sweetheart, Lover of Children and Animals" Darla Dimple: who's pretty much a cross between Shirley Temple, Baby-Doll from the animated Batman, and a Disney villain. While filming the movie, Danny makes himself noticed much to the displeasure of Darla who shows her true colors as a spoiled little munchkin who again is as heinously evil as some of Disneys most evil villains. Which results in the calling of the gargantuan servant of Darla known as Max, which results in Max teaching Danny a lesson that I'm not gonna lie is actually pretty funny.
After that happens, we find out why no one liked his little number and why Sawyer is so despondent toward Danny. We find out that Hollywood, for no clear reason, wants talented human actors and not talented animals. And the other characters we've met have talent that was wrongfully overlooked, Sawyer being both the most promising and seemingly the most broken of the group. But Danny, still wanting to follow his dream, tries to convince the others to do the same. The result: the rest of the movie.
If I took out the nostalgia, I would love Cats Don't Dance all the same. I love how fun it is, I love how sincere it is, but mostly I love how passionate and driven it is. Its not a flawless movie; some of the singing voices sound a bit odd when compared to the talking voices. Danny isn't THAT well developed but not enough that I think he brought the film down. But aside from a few nitpicks I truly do love it.
The music is done by Randy Newman. And while I don't "love" Randy Newman, this is really good. The songs are both catchy and fit the moods appropriately. The orchestral work is impressive as well, fitting the 1930s Hollywood setting perfectly. The animation is fantastic too; offering a familiar Warner Bros. animation feel.
Honestly, I love this movie. I love everything about it. It's great, fun to watch, memorable and very underrated. I love the characters, the music, the animation, the drama; but mostly the passion. Its serious nostalgia for me, and people should definitely watch it.
We are introduced to Danny, a cat full of ambition and dreams of making it AS A STAR! He arrives in Hollywood and quickly meets the other wonderful cast of animals: Tilly Hippo, Cranston Goat, T.W Turtle, later Woolly Mammoth, and another cat simply named Sawyer; who is not too pleased with Danny's dream-chasing, singing and dancing attitude.
Shortly after the introduction to the others, he lands a spot on the latest movie "Little Ark Angel" starring "America's Sweetheart, Lover of Children and Animals" Darla Dimple: who's pretty much a cross between Shirley Temple, Baby-Doll from the animated Batman, and a Disney villain. While filming the movie, Danny makes himself noticed much to the displeasure of Darla who shows her true colors as a spoiled little munchkin who again is as heinously evil as some of Disneys most evil villains. Which results in the calling of the gargantuan servant of Darla known as Max, which results in Max teaching Danny a lesson that I'm not gonna lie is actually pretty funny.
After that happens, we find out why no one liked his little number and why Sawyer is so despondent toward Danny. We find out that Hollywood, for no clear reason, wants talented human actors and not talented animals. And the other characters we've met have talent that was wrongfully overlooked, Sawyer being both the most promising and seemingly the most broken of the group. But Danny, still wanting to follow his dream, tries to convince the others to do the same. The result: the rest of the movie.
If I took out the nostalgia, I would love Cats Don't Dance all the same. I love how fun it is, I love how sincere it is, but mostly I love how passionate and driven it is. Its not a flawless movie; some of the singing voices sound a bit odd when compared to the talking voices. Danny isn't THAT well developed but not enough that I think he brought the film down. But aside from a few nitpicks I truly do love it.
The music is done by Randy Newman. And while I don't "love" Randy Newman, this is really good. The songs are both catchy and fit the moods appropriately. The orchestral work is impressive as well, fitting the 1930s Hollywood setting perfectly. The animation is fantastic too; offering a familiar Warner Bros. animation feel.
Honestly, I love this movie. I love everything about it. It's great, fun to watch, memorable and very underrated. I love the characters, the music, the animation, the drama; but mostly the passion. Its serious nostalgia for me, and people should definitely watch it.
The most hyperactive movie I've ever seen!
louisa_animaniac11 February 2002
Wow! What a fun movie! I love "Cats Don't Dance" with a passion. I found it so refreshing to see animation like this after such a long string of Disney films so bent on realism. Here, the animation is cartooney, way-overblown, and UNBELIEVABLY manic! The story is wonderfully carried out with anthropomorphic animal characters (something you don't often see in features), and the uplifting message is catching. It's very entertaining and very funny! I recommend you view "Cats Don't Dance" while feeling very energetic. Otherwise, it'll just make you tired. Probably not everybody's cup of tea, but it sure is MINE! An enthusiastic 10/10 stars!
P.S. Did you know that Scott Bakula can sing? He sure can!
P.S. Did you know that Scott Bakula can sing? He sure can!
Fun romp
DarthBill26 February 2006
Warning: Spoilers
It may not be a classic but "Cats Don't Dance" is a fun time killer.
PLOT - It's the 1930s and no animal has been able to reach the star status of their human counterparts: Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Joan Crawford, etc. The only thing animals are wanted for is to say animal lines and do stereotypical animal things.
Then from Kokomo, Indiana comes the naive, humble but ambitious Danny (Scott Bakula, throwing out a voice that is decades younger than he actually is and doing his own singing), a fast tapping tap dancer who dreams of being the cat version of Gene Kelly or Bing Crosby, so he comes to Hollywood to seek his fortune, only to find a town full of crushed souls and broken dreams. He also runs afoul of Darla Dimple (speaking voice Ashley Peldon, singing voice Lindsay Ridgeway), a demented, narcissistic child star who is basically an evil version of Shirley Temple but pretends to be the sweet little girl image that the public has of her, which includes loving animals when she really despises them, when he tries to upstage her during the filming of "Little Ark Angel". Did I mention Darla's giant man-servant/hit man/enforcer Max? Despite the set backs, Danny becomes determined to lead an animal revolt that will lead his fellow animal performers to stardom.
Along the way, Danny befriends Pudge, a chubby little penguin just trying to get by, Cranston the crotchety goat (voice of Hal Holbrook), Frances the Marlene Dietrich style fish (voiced by the late Betty Lou Gerson, who also voiced Cruella Deville in the original 101 Dalmations), a warm hearted hippo woman named Tillie (voice of Kathy Najimy), TW Turtle (the late Don Knotts), the mentor figure Woolie the Mammoth (John Rhys-Davies), and of course, the sassy, cynical love interest Sawyer (spoken by Jasmine Guy, sung by Natalie Cole).
All of them had dreams of being song & dance stars, as Woolie explains to Danny. Tillie wanted to sing and dance, Cranston and Frances were a dancing duet, TW had dramatic pirate of penzance in his past, while Woolie himself is actually a very skilled piano player and had hopes of writing music for the movies, but instead he became the Mammoth Studios mascot, putting on giant tusks and blowing his snout at the beginning of every Mammoth Studio picture, much like the roaring lion at the beginning of the MGM films (he probably lucked out better than the others did in that respect). We even learn that Sawyer too once dreamed of song & dance stardom, as she was quite a dancer herself and had what Woolie called "the voice of an angel" (though it's really more along the lines of Diana Ross); Woolie even thought that Sawyer would be the one to break through. Woolie instructs Danny that Hollywood will never appreciate animal actors enough to give them their time in the spotlight, but this only strengthens Danny's resolve and, the next day, Danny gets Woolie and Pudge to join him in rallying the other animals together and inspiring them to fight for their right to be stars; he even gets Sawyer in on the back alley boogie, luring her into a pleasant fantasy where she gets to show off her dance moves, but she quickly breaks loose from it and tells Danny that it'll never happen.
What Danny doesn't know is that Darla is on to him and, fearing that Danny and his animal cohorts might threaten her stardom, she tricks Danny into believing that she'll help him and lets him use her sound stage to from "Little Ark Angel" to perform for studio head L.B. Mammoth (voice of George Kennedy). Danny then rallies his fellow animals together, taking Darla's advice to make it "big & loud", and even gets Sawyer in on the act, still unaware of Darla's plot to destroy him. Darla KO's Pudge and then plays havoc with the special effects on the sound stage, resulting in a giant water mass spill out that engulfs both LB and the director Flanigan, leads to much mayhem on the studio lot and a fight between Sawyer & Danny. When the animals are all unceremoniously fired, Darla shows up to add insult to injury, exposing that she was the one who gave Danny use of the sound stage, making him even less popular with his already angry cohorts. Even Woolie tells Danny to just go home. The next night while Cranston, Frances, TW and Tillie lament their woes and blame Danny for ruining their already miserable careers, Sawyer takes to the rainy streets and sings of her own disillusionment with the industry and her confused feelings for Danny, which Tillie overhears and encourages her to go catch Danny before he leaves town. Danny, depressed and dejected over the calamity he has brought unto himself and his friends, miserably boards a bus back for Kokomo, leaving behind his hat for Sawyer to find and his list for how he would succeed, which leaves Sawyer tearful, heart broken and alone.
But naturally Danny's resolve kicks back in and, with help from Pudge, he makes a desperate last ditch effort to break the barrier, by bringing his closest friends to the premiere of Darla Dimple's new film, where they sing and dance their hearts out, wowing the audience, and exposing Darla for the evil little thing that she is and destroying her career. From there Woolie, Tillie, TW, Pudge, Frances, Cranston, and of course, Sawyer & Danny, become big stars, headlining animal versions of "Superman", "Batman & Robin", "Grumpy Old Men", "The Mask", "Beetle Juice", "The Witches of Eastwick", and "Singing In The Rain", among others.
Surprisingly entertaining due to its unabashed good naturedness and breezy songs. Above average animation too.
PLOT - It's the 1930s and no animal has been able to reach the star status of their human counterparts: Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Joan Crawford, etc. The only thing animals are wanted for is to say animal lines and do stereotypical animal things.
Then from Kokomo, Indiana comes the naive, humble but ambitious Danny (Scott Bakula, throwing out a voice that is decades younger than he actually is and doing his own singing), a fast tapping tap dancer who dreams of being the cat version of Gene Kelly or Bing Crosby, so he comes to Hollywood to seek his fortune, only to find a town full of crushed souls and broken dreams. He also runs afoul of Darla Dimple (speaking voice Ashley Peldon, singing voice Lindsay Ridgeway), a demented, narcissistic child star who is basically an evil version of Shirley Temple but pretends to be the sweet little girl image that the public has of her, which includes loving animals when she really despises them, when he tries to upstage her during the filming of "Little Ark Angel". Did I mention Darla's giant man-servant/hit man/enforcer Max? Despite the set backs, Danny becomes determined to lead an animal revolt that will lead his fellow animal performers to stardom.
Along the way, Danny befriends Pudge, a chubby little penguin just trying to get by, Cranston the crotchety goat (voice of Hal Holbrook), Frances the Marlene Dietrich style fish (voiced by the late Betty Lou Gerson, who also voiced Cruella Deville in the original 101 Dalmations), a warm hearted hippo woman named Tillie (voice of Kathy Najimy), TW Turtle (the late Don Knotts), the mentor figure Woolie the Mammoth (John Rhys-Davies), and of course, the sassy, cynical love interest Sawyer (spoken by Jasmine Guy, sung by Natalie Cole).
All of them had dreams of being song & dance stars, as Woolie explains to Danny. Tillie wanted to sing and dance, Cranston and Frances were a dancing duet, TW had dramatic pirate of penzance in his past, while Woolie himself is actually a very skilled piano player and had hopes of writing music for the movies, but instead he became the Mammoth Studios mascot, putting on giant tusks and blowing his snout at the beginning of every Mammoth Studio picture, much like the roaring lion at the beginning of the MGM films (he probably lucked out better than the others did in that respect). We even learn that Sawyer too once dreamed of song & dance stardom, as she was quite a dancer herself and had what Woolie called "the voice of an angel" (though it's really more along the lines of Diana Ross); Woolie even thought that Sawyer would be the one to break through. Woolie instructs Danny that Hollywood will never appreciate animal actors enough to give them their time in the spotlight, but this only strengthens Danny's resolve and, the next day, Danny gets Woolie and Pudge to join him in rallying the other animals together and inspiring them to fight for their right to be stars; he even gets Sawyer in on the back alley boogie, luring her into a pleasant fantasy where she gets to show off her dance moves, but she quickly breaks loose from it and tells Danny that it'll never happen.
What Danny doesn't know is that Darla is on to him and, fearing that Danny and his animal cohorts might threaten her stardom, she tricks Danny into believing that she'll help him and lets him use her sound stage to from "Little Ark Angel" to perform for studio head L.B. Mammoth (voice of George Kennedy). Danny then rallies his fellow animals together, taking Darla's advice to make it "big & loud", and even gets Sawyer in on the act, still unaware of Darla's plot to destroy him. Darla KO's Pudge and then plays havoc with the special effects on the sound stage, resulting in a giant water mass spill out that engulfs both LB and the director Flanigan, leads to much mayhem on the studio lot and a fight between Sawyer & Danny. When the animals are all unceremoniously fired, Darla shows up to add insult to injury, exposing that she was the one who gave Danny use of the sound stage, making him even less popular with his already angry cohorts. Even Woolie tells Danny to just go home. The next night while Cranston, Frances, TW and Tillie lament their woes and blame Danny for ruining their already miserable careers, Sawyer takes to the rainy streets and sings of her own disillusionment with the industry and her confused feelings for Danny, which Tillie overhears and encourages her to go catch Danny before he leaves town. Danny, depressed and dejected over the calamity he has brought unto himself and his friends, miserably boards a bus back for Kokomo, leaving behind his hat for Sawyer to find and his list for how he would succeed, which leaves Sawyer tearful, heart broken and alone.
But naturally Danny's resolve kicks back in and, with help from Pudge, he makes a desperate last ditch effort to break the barrier, by bringing his closest friends to the premiere of Darla Dimple's new film, where they sing and dance their hearts out, wowing the audience, and exposing Darla for the evil little thing that she is and destroying her career. From there Woolie, Tillie, TW, Pudge, Frances, Cranston, and of course, Sawyer & Danny, become big stars, headlining animal versions of "Superman", "Batman & Robin", "Grumpy Old Men", "The Mask", "Beetle Juice", "The Witches of Eastwick", and "Singing In The Rain", among others.
Surprisingly entertaining due to its unabashed good naturedness and breezy songs. Above average animation too.
I could kick myself for seeing this wonderful film only once in my childhood
TheLittleSongbird29 December 2009
I remembered seeing Cats Don't Dance when I was 10, and really liking it. To this day, I still find it a mystery as to why I didn't see it again since, and I can't think of a convincing enough reason why other than I forgot about it. Then, I was reading some reviews by chance that were praising this film, and I decided I must give it another chance. Thank goodness for YouTube. And you know what, I am glad I did that, and now I am kicking myself for only seeing this film once in my childhood. Seriously I loved it, why it is so underrated I don't know.
I am also scratching my head on some of the aspects of the film critical reviews have picked up. Critics complained of dull characters, and others of forgettable songs. Now I will admit that Cats Don't Dance is surprisingly ambitious, but I cannot disagree more with the criticism that it has forgettable music. I thought it was wonderful, the incidental music itself was beautiful, but the songs were amazing and definitely memorable, from the wonderfully energetic end number, to the poignant one sung by Sawyer in the rain. Though special mention has to go to Big and Loud, where Lindsay Ridgeway did a spectacular job with the singing voice of the antagonist Darla Dimple.
And the characters certainly weren't dull. Danny is a very likable Gene Kelly-like protagonist, and Sawyer is lovely. And if you're looking for a character for comic relief, look to Flannigan especially. But the most memorable character is easily Darla, wonderfully voiced by Ashley Peldon. You could say Darla is like Shirley Temple's evil twin, she is very cute yet she is mighty mean too. Her bodyguard Max for some reason frightened me at the end when he was chasing Danny when I first saw Cats Don't Dance. The animation is colourful and detailed, and the voice cast is excellent. Other definite pros are in the surprisingly consistent and mature scripting, the inspired story, its constant sense of fun and the glamorous and irresistible choreography. All in all, despite the decent enough rating on IMDb(though I personally think it should be in the 7s) this is a very underrated and almost forgotten film. 10/10 Bethany Cox
I am also scratching my head on some of the aspects of the film critical reviews have picked up. Critics complained of dull characters, and others of forgettable songs. Now I will admit that Cats Don't Dance is surprisingly ambitious, but I cannot disagree more with the criticism that it has forgettable music. I thought it was wonderful, the incidental music itself was beautiful, but the songs were amazing and definitely memorable, from the wonderfully energetic end number, to the poignant one sung by Sawyer in the rain. Though special mention has to go to Big and Loud, where Lindsay Ridgeway did a spectacular job with the singing voice of the antagonist Darla Dimple.
And the characters certainly weren't dull. Danny is a very likable Gene Kelly-like protagonist, and Sawyer is lovely. And if you're looking for a character for comic relief, look to Flannigan especially. But the most memorable character is easily Darla, wonderfully voiced by Ashley Peldon. You could say Darla is like Shirley Temple's evil twin, she is very cute yet she is mighty mean too. Her bodyguard Max for some reason frightened me at the end when he was chasing Danny when I first saw Cats Don't Dance. The animation is colourful and detailed, and the voice cast is excellent. Other definite pros are in the surprisingly consistent and mature scripting, the inspired story, its constant sense of fun and the glamorous and irresistible choreography. All in all, despite the decent enough rating on IMDb(though I personally think it should be in the 7s) this is a very underrated and almost forgotten film. 10/10 Bethany Cox
One of my favourite underrated films as a kid based on the 1930s in Hollywood
lisafordeay4 August 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Cat's Don't Dance is a 1997 Warner Bros Family Entertainment animated film that tells the story of Danny(voice by and sung by Scott Bakula who was in Quantium Leap and he played Zachary Levi's father in the TV show Chuck)who dreams of going to Hollywood to pursue an acting career opposite Darla Dimple(voiced by Ashley Pendon)who is a big hit in Hollywood as she is a lover for animals...or is she?
So Danny goes to Hollywood and meets other animals too including a grumpy goat,a fish,a hippo,a elephant who's name is Mammoth,a cute pengiun and a sassy cat named Sawyer(voiced by Jasmine Guy and sung by Nat King Cole's daughter Natalie Cole). What I like about this film is the songs as every song fits this movie perfectly. In some animated films the songs don't actually suit at all,like in Disney's Hercules as the songs in that film were all over the place,here in Cat's Don't Dance all the songs had a Broadway/Jazz sound to them,and who is the composer for this film,why its Randy Newman (who also did music for Monster's Inc,all the Toy Story films and of course The Princess & The Frog).
Overall I found this film very entertaining and enjoyable to watch. I still have this on VHS ever since I was a kid,and I still watch it. The animation is vivid,the charcthers are likable,some of the songs are sorta forgettable but hey you gotta love them all the same. Also I love how they make fun of the 1930s genre and have films that Warner Bros made in the 1990s or 80s like The Mask,Batman & Robin,Grumpy Old Men,Beetlejuice and many more.
Its a shame that its such an underrated film like Swan Princess,another film I love to watch all the time.
7/10
So Danny goes to Hollywood and meets other animals too including a grumpy goat,a fish,a hippo,a elephant who's name is Mammoth,a cute pengiun and a sassy cat named Sawyer(voiced by Jasmine Guy and sung by Nat King Cole's daughter Natalie Cole). What I like about this film is the songs as every song fits this movie perfectly. In some animated films the songs don't actually suit at all,like in Disney's Hercules as the songs in that film were all over the place,here in Cat's Don't Dance all the songs had a Broadway/Jazz sound to them,and who is the composer for this film,why its Randy Newman (who also did music for Monster's Inc,all the Toy Story films and of course The Princess & The Frog).
Overall I found this film very entertaining and enjoyable to watch. I still have this on VHS ever since I was a kid,and I still watch it. The animation is vivid,the charcthers are likable,some of the songs are sorta forgettable but hey you gotta love them all the same. Also I love how they make fun of the 1930s genre and have films that Warner Bros made in the 1990s or 80s like The Mask,Batman & Robin,Grumpy Old Men,Beetlejuice and many more.
Its a shame that its such an underrated film like Swan Princess,another film I love to watch all the time.
7/10
Fast-paced, frantic animation effort...
dwpollar29 July 2001
1st watched 7/29/2001 - 4 out of 10 (Dir-Mark Dindal): Fast-paced, frantic animation effort by Ted Turner's feature animation group plays a lot like tv cartoons and leaves a lot to be desired in the area of likeable characters, but definetly has extremely unlikeable villains. I'm not even sure why the kids would like this movie because there are so many references to old movie stars that kids know very little or nothing about. Mediocre effort at best despite raves on the box comparing it to Disney efforts like Aladdin and Lion King. Don't let this fool you -- there is no comparison in story or quality.
My entire family loves this colorful, clever, comedic, cartoon!
plummer-128 March 2003
"Cats Don't Dance" is an excellent animated film, and if you asked my three kids, they'd tell you it's one of their favorite movies ever! "Cats Don't Dance" can be enjoyed whether you're age 4 (close to my youngest child) or age 40 (close to me). The movie uses bright and crisp colors which make you pay attention---and you'll have to! "Cats" moves at a rapid pace. I'm always apprehensive when I hear about animated musicals because the songs usually stink. However, I think the songs and musical sequences in "Cats" are better than those in most Disney hit movies. [Darla Dimples's performance singing "Big And Loud" is an animated classic.] My kids sing "Cats" songs just for fun. They've seen the movie (by their own request) almost 20 times. By the way, I knew Natalie Cole was a good singer, but who knew that Scott Bakula was too? "Cats Don't Dance" has great dialogue (Danny and Sawyer at her job, the same two cats arguing while a disaster ensues, and Danny meeting with Darla Dimple at her home are among my favorite scenes. If characters are going to achieve a good and noble goal in a movie, there MUST be worthy foils trying to stop them. "Cats Don't Dance" has two of the best villians ever in Darla Dimple and her behemoth of a butler Max. Darla takes being two-faced to a whole new level. (Notice at least twice in the movie when the red bow on her head looks more like two horns) Max is so huge that he actually blocks out light! His laugh is chillingly amazing and Max the the BEST line of dialogue in the movie: "How does the kitty cat gooooooooooooooo? [Danny: 'Meow?'] "Very goooooooooood." Every character in this movie (most of whom are animals) are drawn exaggeratedly and that fits perfectly for the theme and tone of this movie. "Cats" is a funny, wild ride for children and adults. If you like animation and/or musicals and/or clever comedy, you'll love "Cats Don't Dance". It's a shame this great movie isn't more popular. Hopefully good word-of-mouth (and word-of-internet) will change that.
A fast-paced movie with a deliciously devilish antagonist
dean-r-collins10 December 2010
I'm definitely not familiar with Mark Dindal, but kudos to him for making one heck of an animation. It's rather different, kiddish and yet there's stuff for adults too, it's fast-paced and yet there's some slow scenes, and all together it just ridiculously fun. Together with its cast of famous actors which includes John Rhys-Davies (Gimli in LOTR), Don Knotts (Andy Griffith Show, of course), and even Betty Lou Garson (the original Cruella De Vil). WARNING: if you want to see this movie, brace yourself for major Wackiness.
The story follows optimistic—sometimes air-headed—Danny the Cat who journeys to Hollywood from Kokomo to fulfill his dream of becoming a star, but his ambition is trampled by the pernicious vile child star Miss Darla Dimple. Danny finds a band of unlikely dreamers consisting of a grumpy grandpa goat, a sweet yet over-social hippo, a Bette Davis style Fish, a pudgy penguin kid who just loves to eat (yeah, and he's pretty annoying too), a poor turtle who relies on his fortune cookies to determine his day, and last but not least Sawyer the cat who believes her dreams have been completely crushed. Together the wacky dreamers try to prove even "different species" can be stars, before the lovely—more like loathsome—Darla smashes their dreams to smithereens.
Believe me; so many loony scenes are in this movie: Tilly Hippo and her ridiculous introducing method, the unbelievable flooding of Hollywood, any scene with Max and Darla, that eccentric director and many more! I just found it way too wacky when I was little.
The intro cast was a great opening (and those jiving moles!). This is a 90's film so the animation is so-so and slightly incomplete, though I loved how they did Sawyer. This is a kid's flick so everything was berzerkly colorful. The voice acting was great for an animation like this (especially Ashley Peldon as Darla). The dialogue was simple and clean. Almost every scene is musical, there's music going on every where! the songs themselves gave such a good vibe. "I Got Rhythm" was very nice with a those animals!
I rated this movie a 6 star because it's a fair animation, sincere movie; it's a little TOO fast-paced though (75 minutes, people!) and it's unrealistic, of course. The message is the usual fallow your dreams. Like I said before, brace yourself for wackiness.
The story follows optimistic—sometimes air-headed—Danny the Cat who journeys to Hollywood from Kokomo to fulfill his dream of becoming a star, but his ambition is trampled by the pernicious vile child star Miss Darla Dimple. Danny finds a band of unlikely dreamers consisting of a grumpy grandpa goat, a sweet yet over-social hippo, a Bette Davis style Fish, a pudgy penguin kid who just loves to eat (yeah, and he's pretty annoying too), a poor turtle who relies on his fortune cookies to determine his day, and last but not least Sawyer the cat who believes her dreams have been completely crushed. Together the wacky dreamers try to prove even "different species" can be stars, before the lovely—more like loathsome—Darla smashes their dreams to smithereens.
Believe me; so many loony scenes are in this movie: Tilly Hippo and her ridiculous introducing method, the unbelievable flooding of Hollywood, any scene with Max and Darla, that eccentric director and many more! I just found it way too wacky when I was little.
The intro cast was a great opening (and those jiving moles!). This is a 90's film so the animation is so-so and slightly incomplete, though I loved how they did Sawyer. This is a kid's flick so everything was berzerkly colorful. The voice acting was great for an animation like this (especially Ashley Peldon as Darla). The dialogue was simple and clean. Almost every scene is musical, there's music going on every where! the songs themselves gave such a good vibe. "I Got Rhythm" was very nice with a those animals!
I rated this movie a 6 star because it's a fair animation, sincere movie; it's a little TOO fast-paced though (75 minutes, people!) and it's unrealistic, of course. The message is the usual fallow your dreams. Like I said before, brace yourself for wackiness.
Proof that movies are made from dreams.
Gab-14 November 2001
I'll always be a hardcore Disney fan, but I can't help but have a real soft spot for movies which prove that dreams can come true. This movie about anthropomorphic characters (animals that are like people) is simply incredible- animation stylized, cute, and fun... with an incredible plot, great music (I bought the soundtrack), amazing voice talent (that includes singing!), and believable characters. This is a real keeper...and I'm surprised that it didn't get as much attention as it deserved. I'd reccomend it to anyone who's had a dream, or who has one... and those who just love cartoons.
Overall, a nice animated family feature, but one with an almost unbearable antagonist
Beta_Gallinger28 October 2010
This does not appear to be one of the most widely recognized animated films of the 90's, but I did see it once on video during that decade. I guess that would have been shortly after the movie came into stores. It definitely wasn't up there with certain other animated films I saw in my childhood, but I think I found it fairly entertaining. After that, I didn't see "Cats Don't Dance" again until this year, I think just a few weeks ago. It seemed to be well-liked among those who have seen it, so I wasn't expecting a lacklustre effort. However, I didn't like it much during what was my first viewing in a long time. A few weeks later, I've already given it another try. I think it did improve with this viewing, but a lot of it still didn't really impress me.
Danny is an ambitious cat who leaves his hometown of Kokomo, Indiana to pursue a career in Hollywood. Very soon after arriving at his destination, he gets a role in a film with Darla Dimple, a child star who is known as "America's Sweetheart, Lover of Children and Animals." He is very excited about his role, until he learns that all he gets to say is "meow" and he doesn't get to dance and sing. When Danny tries to spice up his role, he soon sees Ms. Dimple's true colours and how misleading her on screen persona really is! She is actually a horribly spoiled, selfish, mean-spirited brat with a giant valet named Max, who makes sure she always gets her way! It turns out that animals only get to be extras in Hollywood, so Danny begins to work with other animals to try and change this and show Tinseltown their true talent, but Ms. Dimple knows this could threaten her career if they succeed, so she is determined to foil their plan!
When the film begins, we soon see that the animation is nicely colourful and pleasing to the eye, but for at least a while, the movie is a little too fast-paced, making it less effective than it could be. There are some fairly funny parts early on, such as Danny accidentally slamming Sawyer's (a cat secretary in Hollywood who becomes a major part of the story) tail in a door, and the look she gives him, but at this point, I had trouble really getting into the film. It isn't long before Darla Dimple, the antagonist, comes into the story. This character is clearly supposed to be funny, but she didn't amuse me very much. I did not care for her loudness, faces, etc. After a while, the film improves. It eventually didn't seem quite as fast to me and the story got more intriguing, though Ms. Dimple continues to be hardly bearable in the scenes she appears in. The animal characters are generally likable, and viewers can easily find themselves rooting for them. The movie also has an interesting premise and some funny moments, even if there aren't as many good laughs as there are supposed to be.
There are times when I'm not 100% sure about my rating for a movie, and this is one of those cases. I most definitely can't say I absolutely LOVE this movie like many others do, but feel I could be giving it a seven out of ten instead of a six. In fact, without the antics of the Darla Dimple character, I might not have any reason to give "Cats Don't Dance" a rating any lower than seven. It seems most people who have seen this 1997 animated feature like it more than I do, but I can still understand its appeal, as it certainly does have its charm. I wouldn't complain if it were to ever gain more recognition. The pace around the beginning, the antagonist, the film's songs which are not exactly bad but not the most memorable numbers for an animated musical, and maybe occasionally some other problems (minor ones) make the movie lose points, but there's also a lot to like. While this film can't match a number of other full-length animations made in the same decade, you could still easily find that it's good family fun.
Danny is an ambitious cat who leaves his hometown of Kokomo, Indiana to pursue a career in Hollywood. Very soon after arriving at his destination, he gets a role in a film with Darla Dimple, a child star who is known as "America's Sweetheart, Lover of Children and Animals." He is very excited about his role, until he learns that all he gets to say is "meow" and he doesn't get to dance and sing. When Danny tries to spice up his role, he soon sees Ms. Dimple's true colours and how misleading her on screen persona really is! She is actually a horribly spoiled, selfish, mean-spirited brat with a giant valet named Max, who makes sure she always gets her way! It turns out that animals only get to be extras in Hollywood, so Danny begins to work with other animals to try and change this and show Tinseltown their true talent, but Ms. Dimple knows this could threaten her career if they succeed, so she is determined to foil their plan!
When the film begins, we soon see that the animation is nicely colourful and pleasing to the eye, but for at least a while, the movie is a little too fast-paced, making it less effective than it could be. There are some fairly funny parts early on, such as Danny accidentally slamming Sawyer's (a cat secretary in Hollywood who becomes a major part of the story) tail in a door, and the look she gives him, but at this point, I had trouble really getting into the film. It isn't long before Darla Dimple, the antagonist, comes into the story. This character is clearly supposed to be funny, but she didn't amuse me very much. I did not care for her loudness, faces, etc. After a while, the film improves. It eventually didn't seem quite as fast to me and the story got more intriguing, though Ms. Dimple continues to be hardly bearable in the scenes she appears in. The animal characters are generally likable, and viewers can easily find themselves rooting for them. The movie also has an interesting premise and some funny moments, even if there aren't as many good laughs as there are supposed to be.
There are times when I'm not 100% sure about my rating for a movie, and this is one of those cases. I most definitely can't say I absolutely LOVE this movie like many others do, but feel I could be giving it a seven out of ten instead of a six. In fact, without the antics of the Darla Dimple character, I might not have any reason to give "Cats Don't Dance" a rating any lower than seven. It seems most people who have seen this 1997 animated feature like it more than I do, but I can still understand its appeal, as it certainly does have its charm. I wouldn't complain if it were to ever gain more recognition. The pace around the beginning, the antagonist, the film's songs which are not exactly bad but not the most memorable numbers for an animated musical, and maybe occasionally some other problems (minor ones) make the movie lose points, but there's also a lot to like. While this film can't match a number of other full-length animations made in the same decade, you could still easily find that it's good family fun.
A fast-paced movie with a deliciously devilish antagonist
mooveejunkie5 January 2007
I'm definitely not familiar with Mark Dindal, but kudos to him for making one heck of an animation. It's rather different, kiddish and yet there's stuff for adults too, it's fast-paced and yet there's some slow scenes, and all together it just ridiculously fun. Together with its cast of famous actors which includes John Rhys-Davies (Gimli in LOTR), Don Knotts (Andy Griffith Show, of course), and even Betty Lou Garson (the original Cruella De Vil). WARNING: if you want to see this movie, brace yourself for major Wackiness.
The story follows optimistic—sometimes air-headed—Danny the Cat who journeys to Hollywood from Kokomo to fulfill his dream of becoming a star, but his ambition is trampled by the pernicious vile child star Miss Darla Dimple. Danny finds a band of unlikely dreamers consisting of a grumpy grandpa goat, a sweet yet over-social hippo, a Bette Davis style Fish, a pudgy penguin kid who just loves to eat (yeah, and he's pretty annoying too), a poor turtle who relies on his fortune cookies to determine his day, and last but not least Sawyer the cat who believes her dreams have been completely crushed. Together the wacky dreamers try to prove even "different species" can be stars, before the lovely—more like loathsome—Darla smashes their dreams to smithereens.
Believe me; so many loony scenes are in this movie: Tilly Hippo and her ridiculous introducing method, the unbelievable flooding of Hollywood, any scene with Max and Darla, that eccentric director and many more! I just found it way too wacky when I was little.
The intro cast was a great opening (and those jiving moles!). This is a 90's film so the animation is so-so and slightly incomplete, though I loved how they did Sawyer. This is a kid's flick so everything was berzerkly colorful. The voice acting was great for an animation like this (especially Ashley Peldon as Darla). The dialogue was simple and clean. Almost every scene is musical, there's music going on every where! the songs themselves gave such a good vibe. "I Got Rhythm" was very nice with a those animals!
I rated this movie a 6 star because it's a fair animation, sincere movie; it's a little TOO fast-paced though (75 minutes, people!) and it's unrealistic, of course. The message is the usual fallow your dreams. Like I said before, brace yourself for wackiness.
The story follows optimistic—sometimes air-headed—Danny the Cat who journeys to Hollywood from Kokomo to fulfill his dream of becoming a star, but his ambition is trampled by the pernicious vile child star Miss Darla Dimple. Danny finds a band of unlikely dreamers consisting of a grumpy grandpa goat, a sweet yet over-social hippo, a Bette Davis style Fish, a pudgy penguin kid who just loves to eat (yeah, and he's pretty annoying too), a poor turtle who relies on his fortune cookies to determine his day, and last but not least Sawyer the cat who believes her dreams have been completely crushed. Together the wacky dreamers try to prove even "different species" can be stars, before the lovely—more like loathsome—Darla smashes their dreams to smithereens.
Believe me; so many loony scenes are in this movie: Tilly Hippo and her ridiculous introducing method, the unbelievable flooding of Hollywood, any scene with Max and Darla, that eccentric director and many more! I just found it way too wacky when I was little.
The intro cast was a great opening (and those jiving moles!). This is a 90's film so the animation is so-so and slightly incomplete, though I loved how they did Sawyer. This is a kid's flick so everything was berzerkly colorful. The voice acting was great for an animation like this (especially Ashley Peldon as Darla). The dialogue was simple and clean. Almost every scene is musical, there's music going on every where! the songs themselves gave such a good vibe. "I Got Rhythm" was very nice with a those animals!
I rated this movie a 6 star because it's a fair animation, sincere movie; it's a little TOO fast-paced though (75 minutes, people!) and it's unrealistic, of course. The message is the usual fallow your dreams. Like I said before, brace yourself for wackiness.
Fresh and funny
pmcollectorboy27 September 2000
Having grown slightly weary of Disney's modern formula, I was pleasantly surprised to find an animated movie that didn't try to be something BIG. The formula was fresh and original, despite the fact that the premise is as old as time, and the songs were jazzy and finger snapping. All in all, this was a fun movie. Fun and high energy. There was also not one single weak character. No stupid sidekicks here. Everybody makes the experience enjoyable. And the humor is priceless. They also managed to make the story thoughtful and even touching while still keeping the movie light and fun. Great direction. Great music. Great animation. Overall, just a great movie. Surprising for a WB movie. This movie came out the same year as Disney's own Hercules, but this is many times better.
Worth the Watch
EnemyPavement8 July 2018
This movie is entertaining.
A great selection for child audiences with stellar animation and coloring. The film has a creative story, told with likable characters. The animals have unique and interesting designs and are portrayed by a great voice cast. The animation also has a charming stylized look that would never be seen from studios such as Disney.
Unfortunately, this film has it's faults.
The pacing is just way too fast. This was definitely on purpose (going for a 'His Girl Friday' vibe appropriate for the time period), however, at times it makes the dialogue hard to follow. Everything is happening at once. The movie is just too chaotic. This pace that they move in shortens the picture to about an hour and a half, including opening and closing credits.
The film definitely could have been longer if they took their time to tell the story. They also could have added more exposition to the movie, giving the characters more depth, which they greatly deserved.
A great selection for child audiences with stellar animation and coloring. The film has a creative story, told with likable characters. The animals have unique and interesting designs and are portrayed by a great voice cast. The animation also has a charming stylized look that would never be seen from studios such as Disney.
Unfortunately, this film has it's faults.
The pacing is just way too fast. This was definitely on purpose (going for a 'His Girl Friday' vibe appropriate for the time period), however, at times it makes the dialogue hard to follow. Everything is happening at once. The movie is just too chaotic. This pace that they move in shortens the picture to about an hour and a half, including opening and closing credits.
The film definitely could have been longer if they took their time to tell the story. They also could have added more exposition to the movie, giving the characters more depth, which they greatly deserved.
its my favorite animated movie
alimacu26 March 2006
this movie is great-- i watched it when i was small, and i've loved it ever since! my favorite characters are Danny and sawyer... i just thought Danny was so cute and the sparks between Danny and sawyer were adorable!!! well, i guess my real favorite character would have to be sawyer, she's a great dancer and has some really good songs. my ultimate favorite scene was in the last number "nothing's going to stop us now" when they were in the "venice" scene...i thought it was the cutest, even if it was only a few seconds long! but it definitely was a cute movie, and my favorite of all time. this was a great movie. everyone, of all ages, should watch it.
Nothing's Gonna Stop Them Now
elicopperman12 May 2018
In 1997, Warner Bros. and Ted Turner released an animated musical feature called Cats Don't Dance, which was intended as a tribute to Hollywood musicals from the 1930s. With direction from Mark Dindal (who would go on to make The Emperor's New Groove) and some choreography taught by the legend himself, Gene Kelly, this seemed like a sure fire hit....that is if it really were. While the film was decently well received by critics, it wasn't marketed very well and sadly flopped at the box office. Luckily, it has garnished a cult following over the years, and after seeing it myself, I can more than ever see why.
Set in Hollywood in the late 1930s, the film centers around the optimistic and talented cat Danny who wants to make it into showbiz. The only issue, he's a cat and all other animals are only treated as second rate props behind human actors, including the nasty Darla Dimple. Upon getting into trouble with Ms. Dimple, Danny decides to bring all the animals together to make it big in the movies. Yeah, right off the bat, the plot is rather predictable and it's not so different from the usual underdog story we normally see in some animated movies. That being said, the film makes up for the weak plot with some highly entertaining scenes and jokes, fast paced animation, likable characters, and a true passion for Hollywood.
In terms of the characters, Danny is the highly ambitious albeit naive protagonist who wishes to be a star, even if he has to fight hard to get his dream, which is something many people still go through today so he is a little sympathetic. Sawyer is the disillusioned albeit beautiful white cat who neglects Danny's hopes at first, but soon supports him and the other animals to become big as well. Also, can I just say that Danny and Sawyer are absolutely adorable? I love cats as it is, but they are so charming and delightful to watch....anyway, the rest are rather one dimensional, but are still humorous in their own right, like the giddy Tillie, the bad tempered curmudgeon Cranston, the superstitious T.W., and the chubby albeit charming Pudge.
And then there's Darla Dimple, who is absolutely hilarious from her voice to her design. As she is a parody of Shirley Temple, she may seem like an adorable animal loving angel, but she's really an egotistical monster who will do whatever it takes to sabotage the animals just so she can be the big shot. In addition, her butler Max just cracks me up almost every time, mainly from how huge and deadpan he is. Speaking of Darla's prejudice of animals, the most interesting thing about the story itself is how, as stated before, the animals are viewed. Many of the animals themselves have dreams to be big in the theater, but they're sadly looked down upon by the humans who top them. If not for the fact that they were animals, this film probably could have been a social commentary on how African Americans were mistreated in showbiz until the 1960s....damn, this film is smart.
As for the animation, in accordance to the film's upbeat and whimsical tone, the general style is reminiscent to the Looney Tunes and cartoons by Tex Avery. The characters are designed from the ground up to be cartoony, and their fast paced squash & stretch movements are perfectly timed. Not to mention, given how Gene Kelly did some choreography for the animators, the dance moves are superb, really bringing out a lot of jive and soul from each animal. The way the movie recreates Hollywood is solid enough, but the dance movements bring out that extra flavor of fun for the audience. It's also cool how the film utilizes a perfectly contrasted color scheme to set the tone: saturated when optimistic and happy and neutralized when sad and hopeless.
Now I will admit, the musical numbers done by Randy Newman are rather hit or miss. Some like I Do Believe, Danny's Arrival Song and Tell Me Lies do come at their given times and are well directed and choreographed, but they don't leave enough impact to be memorable enough to sing along to. That being said, others like Animal Jam, Big and Loud, and especially Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now are highly entertaining, catchy and worth getting off your seat and just dancing to. The last one mentioned is a special highlight, not just because of the shenanigans Darla Dimple gets herself into, but also by the jazzy and upbeat tone that stands as a true finale highlight, complete with solid colors, lyrics, and dances. So yeah, the songs are either average or very good, but the good ones stick out more.
I don't know how this film would have gone had it been marketed properly, but I do know that it would have been somewhat of a classic. Cats Don't Dance is a highly entertaining and fun feature that stands as an enjoyable tribute and rendition to musicals from Hollywood's golden era. Even if the plot is fairly standard and most of the characters aren't particularly grand, the wacky fast paced animation, lovable main protagonists and antagonists, catchy songs, and comedic tone make it an enjoyable feature worth your time. If you're a fan of Hollywood movies from the 30s and 40s, musicals, animated features with talking animals, or even cartoony animation, then definitely seek this one out for the whole family. Give this film as much love and support as it needs, and make it big and loud (wink wink).
Set in Hollywood in the late 1930s, the film centers around the optimistic and talented cat Danny who wants to make it into showbiz. The only issue, he's a cat and all other animals are only treated as second rate props behind human actors, including the nasty Darla Dimple. Upon getting into trouble with Ms. Dimple, Danny decides to bring all the animals together to make it big in the movies. Yeah, right off the bat, the plot is rather predictable and it's not so different from the usual underdog story we normally see in some animated movies. That being said, the film makes up for the weak plot with some highly entertaining scenes and jokes, fast paced animation, likable characters, and a true passion for Hollywood.
In terms of the characters, Danny is the highly ambitious albeit naive protagonist who wishes to be a star, even if he has to fight hard to get his dream, which is something many people still go through today so he is a little sympathetic. Sawyer is the disillusioned albeit beautiful white cat who neglects Danny's hopes at first, but soon supports him and the other animals to become big as well. Also, can I just say that Danny and Sawyer are absolutely adorable? I love cats as it is, but they are so charming and delightful to watch....anyway, the rest are rather one dimensional, but are still humorous in their own right, like the giddy Tillie, the bad tempered curmudgeon Cranston, the superstitious T.W., and the chubby albeit charming Pudge.
And then there's Darla Dimple, who is absolutely hilarious from her voice to her design. As she is a parody of Shirley Temple, she may seem like an adorable animal loving angel, but she's really an egotistical monster who will do whatever it takes to sabotage the animals just so she can be the big shot. In addition, her butler Max just cracks me up almost every time, mainly from how huge and deadpan he is. Speaking of Darla's prejudice of animals, the most interesting thing about the story itself is how, as stated before, the animals are viewed. Many of the animals themselves have dreams to be big in the theater, but they're sadly looked down upon by the humans who top them. If not for the fact that they were animals, this film probably could have been a social commentary on how African Americans were mistreated in showbiz until the 1960s....damn, this film is smart.
As for the animation, in accordance to the film's upbeat and whimsical tone, the general style is reminiscent to the Looney Tunes and cartoons by Tex Avery. The characters are designed from the ground up to be cartoony, and their fast paced squash & stretch movements are perfectly timed. Not to mention, given how Gene Kelly did some choreography for the animators, the dance moves are superb, really bringing out a lot of jive and soul from each animal. The way the movie recreates Hollywood is solid enough, but the dance movements bring out that extra flavor of fun for the audience. It's also cool how the film utilizes a perfectly contrasted color scheme to set the tone: saturated when optimistic and happy and neutralized when sad and hopeless.
Now I will admit, the musical numbers done by Randy Newman are rather hit or miss. Some like I Do Believe, Danny's Arrival Song and Tell Me Lies do come at their given times and are well directed and choreographed, but they don't leave enough impact to be memorable enough to sing along to. That being said, others like Animal Jam, Big and Loud, and especially Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now are highly entertaining, catchy and worth getting off your seat and just dancing to. The last one mentioned is a special highlight, not just because of the shenanigans Darla Dimple gets herself into, but also by the jazzy and upbeat tone that stands as a true finale highlight, complete with solid colors, lyrics, and dances. So yeah, the songs are either average or very good, but the good ones stick out more.
I don't know how this film would have gone had it been marketed properly, but I do know that it would have been somewhat of a classic. Cats Don't Dance is a highly entertaining and fun feature that stands as an enjoyable tribute and rendition to musicals from Hollywood's golden era. Even if the plot is fairly standard and most of the characters aren't particularly grand, the wacky fast paced animation, lovable main protagonists and antagonists, catchy songs, and comedic tone make it an enjoyable feature worth your time. If you're a fan of Hollywood movies from the 30s and 40s, musicals, animated features with talking animals, or even cartoony animation, then definitely seek this one out for the whole family. Give this film as much love and support as it needs, and make it big and loud (wink wink).
A brilliant change of pace
tsirman21 February 2010
This film does what few animated musicals attempt but fail to accomplish. The energy and feeling of an old silver screen musical. Gene Kelly would be proud.
The animation is quite the throwback to the Chuck Jones era of cartoons. The city is wonderfully drawn and given a slight art deco feel. The voice acting is spot on for all of the characters and the singing talent is some of the best. Randy Newman does a wonderful job of scoring this film. His musical arrangements are upbeat and fun when need be and pull at your heart's strings at the right time.
It's quite sad that this film was brushed under the carpet by Warner Bros. The lack of popularity, besides not being a Disney movie, could also be due to the fact that the story deals with a subject that not many kids are familiar with, Racism. But the older audience will really appreciate this movie on a whole different level.
Cats Don't Dance was a film that was destined to fail but at the same time left to be one of the best animations of our time.
The animation is quite the throwback to the Chuck Jones era of cartoons. The city is wonderfully drawn and given a slight art deco feel. The voice acting is spot on for all of the characters and the singing talent is some of the best. Randy Newman does a wonderful job of scoring this film. His musical arrangements are upbeat and fun when need be and pull at your heart's strings at the right time.
It's quite sad that this film was brushed under the carpet by Warner Bros. The lack of popularity, besides not being a Disney movie, could also be due to the fact that the story deals with a subject that not many kids are familiar with, Racism. But the older audience will really appreciate this movie on a whole different level.
Cats Don't Dance was a film that was destined to fail but at the same time left to be one of the best animations of our time.
1930's Musicial
DJ_Shilo27 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
"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.
Good fun if you give it a chance
einsteins_stein2 February 2004
This is a great movie for both kids and adults! I have 3 boys, ages 4, 9 and 14, and they ALL like the film, especially the songs. The strange thing is that my boys generally think musical numbers are girl-stuff. Well, girl-stuff or not, they get into this flic, and I sometimes catch them singing along with the catchy tunes.
Scott Bakula is a real surprise as Danny, the talented singing and dancing cat from Kokomo, Indiana, who comes to Hollywood with stars in his eyes, and ignites the fading dreams of the jaded animals who work as extras while humans get all the good scenes.
The principal characters are well cast and easy to like, except for Darla and Max, whom you'll love to hate! BTW - I don't know the name of the young woman who did the singing voice for Darla, but she has a set of pipes that will absolutely knock you on your seat. Big And Loud!
Take a look at this movie with an open mind and a young heart. You'll be glad you gave it a chance!
Scott Bakula is a real surprise as Danny, the talented singing and dancing cat from Kokomo, Indiana, who comes to Hollywood with stars in his eyes, and ignites the fading dreams of the jaded animals who work as extras while humans get all the good scenes.
The principal characters are well cast and easy to like, except for Darla and Max, whom you'll love to hate! BTW - I don't know the name of the young woman who did the singing voice for Darla, but she has a set of pipes that will absolutely knock you on your seat. Big And Loud!
Take a look at this movie with an open mind and a young heart. You'll be glad you gave it a chance!
Cats do dance
DogePelis201516 March 2021
Undoubtedly One of the Best Non-Disney Animated Musicals.
blizshadow125 December 2004
I was quite small when I saw this movie inside of the local Blockbuster. Naturally, being the animal/animation lover that I am, I immediately picked it up. Watched it, loved it. Then it quickly disappeared from my memory and everyone else's since all of its hype burned out; however, it suddenly started popping up on television a few years later, and I must say, it's as good a watch as the first.
The plot: We find our hero, Danny the Cat, heading out to Hollywood in pursuit of his dreams: to become a star. The cat is bursting with musical talent, as well as his other animal friends, like Tillie, Frances, and especially Sawyer. However, the business only has its eye on musically talented humans and our friends are left out of the spotlight. Can Danny overcome firmly established prejudiced ways and the fake child star Darla Dimple, and make it to the big time, or will he and his friends be stuck with the two-bit roles?
The first thing that sticks out about this movie is the animation. Wonderful, bright,zany, and fast-paced: a very different take on the more, slower moving animated movies. From the memorable ark ride to simply the characters being themselves, the animation was simply fantastic. It dared to be different, and not only did it pay off well with the lasting appeal of the movie itself, but it greatly helped the musical numbers, which were just wonderful.
Of course, with this being a musical, you're going to be like "not another Disney-wannabe. Their songs are already bad enough...." CDD pleasantly surprised me. The songs were very enjoyable. Witty lyrics coupled with good music actually made me feel the writer's took time to develop these songs and the score. Songs ranging from the all-around fun "I've Got Rhythm" to the soulful tune of "Tell Me Lies" greatly moved the story to the wonderful finale that had me with my eyes glued to the screen.
All in all, this movie is a nice little break from many of the overworked Disney movies of today. Good plot, wonderful, colorful animation, and actually GOOD songs make this a feature that is not to be missed. And as a little token to this wonderful movie: "See you in the movies!"
The plot: We find our hero, Danny the Cat, heading out to Hollywood in pursuit of his dreams: to become a star. The cat is bursting with musical talent, as well as his other animal friends, like Tillie, Frances, and especially Sawyer. However, the business only has its eye on musically talented humans and our friends are left out of the spotlight. Can Danny overcome firmly established prejudiced ways and the fake child star Darla Dimple, and make it to the big time, or will he and his friends be stuck with the two-bit roles?
The first thing that sticks out about this movie is the animation. Wonderful, bright,zany, and fast-paced: a very different take on the more, slower moving animated movies. From the memorable ark ride to simply the characters being themselves, the animation was simply fantastic. It dared to be different, and not only did it pay off well with the lasting appeal of the movie itself, but it greatly helped the musical numbers, which were just wonderful.
Of course, with this being a musical, you're going to be like "not another Disney-wannabe. Their songs are already bad enough...." CDD pleasantly surprised me. The songs were very enjoyable. Witty lyrics coupled with good music actually made me feel the writer's took time to develop these songs and the score. Songs ranging from the all-around fun "I've Got Rhythm" to the soulful tune of "Tell Me Lies" greatly moved the story to the wonderful finale that had me with my eyes glued to the screen.
All in all, this movie is a nice little break from many of the overworked Disney movies of today. Good plot, wonderful, colorful animation, and actually GOOD songs make this a feature that is not to be missed. And as a little token to this wonderful movie: "See you in the movies!"
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