Baby Friendly! presents CATS DON'T DANCE
608 College St, Toronto, ON M6G 1B4, Canada
43.6553504
-79.41458169999999
Because tots need movies too, we're introducing a brand new once-monthly kids program! Join us at The Royal Cinema for baby friendly screenings of some of your favourite children's flicks - house lights on, and volume not-too-loud. This month: CATS DON'T DANCE
"This was Mark Dindal’s directorial and screenwriting debut. His success with this film propelled him to further success with Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove and Chicken Little. The all-star cast included NCIS: New Orelans‘ Scott Bakula as the lead character, a cat named Danny who dreams of making it big in 1939 Hollywood. The story has its hyperbolized version of Shirley Temple in its villain ‘Darla Dimple’, who is anything but sweet. Danny has to get past her and the industry’s standard practice of typecasting animals in films, a clear metaphor for all minorities and women in cinema at the time.
If the plot wasn’t enough to draw you in, consider this. The music, written by Randy Newman post-Toy Story, boasts some of the best voices in the business. Scott Bakula not only voiced his character, he sings as well! Most importantly, the lead female feline belting out a beautiful ballad at the top of the third act is none other than the incomparable Miss Natalie Cole. With her personal connections to old Hollywood, it’s no wonder she was quickly snatched up for the music role. Just because it’s an animated film, doesn’t mean choreographers don’t need to be consulted when the animals break out dancing. For that the producers went to the best as well, tapping Hollywood legend Gene Kelly as an uncredited choreography consultant for the film. It would be his last work in industry he loved before he passed away in 1996. It was a fun project with nothing but love for the legacy of cinema." -tvovermind.com