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Visual Effects Artists Issue Scathing Response After 'Cats' Gets Dragged At The Oscars
12 February
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
The Academy Awards is Hollywood's opportunity for luminaries to shine in designer gowns and tuxedos.
But at this year's 92nd Annual Academy Awards, the ostentatious ceremony was not entirely without its glamour.
<p>James Corden and Rebel Wilson—both of whom starred in what may have been 2019's biggest flop, <em>Cats—</em>humbly crept onto the stage in their feline finest to present the nominees for Best Visual Effects.</p><p><strong>The pair announced:</strong></p><blockquote><em>"As cast members of the motion picture </em>Cats<em>, nobody more than us understands the importance … of good visual effects!"</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="0ec4e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ZPZIBO1581527128"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227314137476345857" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">The Visual Effects Society Has Its Claws Out Over the Oscars' 'Cats' Gag https://t.co/2Mr03UKWEE https://t.co/hOWS4sai7n</div> — Peter Sciretta (@Peter Sciretta)<a href="https://twitter.com/slashfilm/statuses/1227314137476345857">1581449467.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><strong>While audiences howled over their self-deprecating humor, members from the Visual Effects Society were hissing.</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="9561d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="IYT0541581527129"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227386006300758016" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@IndieWire It was just a joke. Yikes</div> — adam murphy (@adam murphy)<a href="https://twitter.com/QaptainQuixotic/statuses/1227386006300758016">1581466602.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>The film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical <em>Cats</em> was considered a huge box office disappointment. </p><p>Not even the all-star cast—including James Corden, Rebel Wilson, Idris Elba, Taylor Swift, and even Dame Judi Dench—failed to draw massive crowds into theaters. And those who did go panned it brutally. </p><p><div id="action_button_container"></div></p><p>With a 18% critic score on <em>Rotten Tomatoes</em>, the Tom Hooper-directed film grossed <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-major-reasons-why-cats-flopped-at-the-box-office-2019-12" target="_blank">$6 million domestically</a> and eventually hit the $38 million worldwide mark from a production that cost $95 million to make. </p><p><div id="c7da91bc-8e44-492f-b7fd-c382c0e55bda"></div></p><p><strong>The public considered it to be a laughing stock, with many expressing that the musical did not translate well to the screen.</strong></p><p><div data-conversation-spotlight=""></div></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="f3368" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="YUDIF11581527128"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1208820910389637127" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">I hope the lesson movie studios take from the financial failure of CATS isn't "No more musicals." Movie musicals ca… https://t.co/6WWkPoGxVG</div> — Brent FOR BERNIE! 👴🏼📣📈 (@Brent FOR BERNIE! 👴🏼📣📈)<a href="https://twitter.com/brentalfloss/statuses/1208820910389637127">1577040338.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="310b2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="HI37CR1581527128"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1208829533593325568" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">#CoolCat reviews #CATSmovie – Being a cat, I was excited for a holiday cat movie, but this wasn’t it. It’s terrible… https://t.co/72hn5fo0o1</div> — Cool Cat (@Cool Cat)<a href="https://twitter.com/CoolCatlovesyou/statuses/1208829533593325568">1577042394.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>So while Corden and Wilson acknowledged their part in the panned film with levity, the claws were out. </p><p><strong>The visual effects organization fired back in response to the pair's Oscars stunt in a statement.</strong><br></p><blockquote><em>"The best visual effects in the world will not compensate for a story told badly."</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="ea803" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="M9D9MH1581527128"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227386144238665729" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Meow! The Visual Effects Society fights back against the #CatsMovie joke at the #Oscars : https://t.co/yO7TphyaX5 https://t.co/qdTsDhfISv</div> — Gold Derby (@Gold Derby)<a href="https://twitter.com/GoldDerby/statuses/1227386144238665729">1581466635.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><div id="9561d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="IYT0541581527129"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227386006300758016" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@IndieWire It was just a joke. Yikes</div> — adam murphy (@adam murphy)<a href="https://twitter.com/QaptainQuixotic/statuses/1227386006300758016">1581466602.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The <em><a href="https://nypost.com/2020/02/10/visual-effects-society-livid-over-james-corden-and-rebel-wilsons-oscars-cats-diss/" target="_blank">New York Post</a></em> noted that VES' statement may have been triggered by an earlier dig from comedian <a href="https://deadline.com/2020/01/ves-awards-2020-winners-list-1202846197/" target="_blank">Patton Oswalt</a>, who hosted the 18th annual VES Awards on Wednesday night at the Beverly Hilton.</p><p><strong>Oswalt ruthlessly roasted the film, saying: </strong><br></p><blockquote><em>"The </em>Star Wars<em> franchise ended after 50 years, and after one screening, so did the </em>Cats<em> franchise." </em></blockquote><blockquote><em>"Isn't that amazing? Were you guys on strike when they made that one? What was going on there? That movie was a screensaver designed to not give me a boner."</em></blockquote><p><strong>Some said that the organization was too defensive.</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="fd974" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="X4N5Z41581527129"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227124699429142528" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@THR Maybe the Visual Effects “Society” should find a sense of humour. The movie was not their finest moment. #AcademyAwards #CatsMovie 😺</div> — vito m (@vito m)<a href="https://twitter.com/vitomattvm/statuses/1227124699429142528">1581404301.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="3ec33" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="100MGW1581527129"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227209220866609153" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@THR Lighten up. Geez!</div> — Karen Maser (@Karen Maser)<a href="https://twitter.com/maser_karen/statuses/1227209220866609153">1581424453.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="80ab6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="WZL35J1581527129"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227232799125622786" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@THR Pointless in them being salty and blaming the story: the effects in Cats were creepy at best, downright awful at worst.</div> — Joe Stevenson (@Joe Stevenson)<a href="https://twitter.com/WhatDoYouJoe/statuses/1227232799125622786">1581430074.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>After <em>Cats</em> was largely viewed as the butt of a joke, Universal began unceremoniously pulling the movie from award campaigns for visual effects—even as the studio had prepared to make digital improvements after its release. </p><p><strong>Yves McCrae—who worked on the visual effects of <em>Cats—</em>said that the effects were not to blame for the film's shortcomings and that all the long hours spent working on it should not be discredited. </strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="e5105" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="XZ62UY1581527129"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227092859565641728" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Hey guys I haven't watched all of the Oscars but I assume these two were really classy and thanked me for working 8… https://t.co/yXXZuHQUoe</div> — Yves McCrae (@Yves McCrae)<a href="https://twitter.com/YvesTM/statuses/1227092859565641728">1581396710.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><strong><br></strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="6a973" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="AYB7401581527129"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227298940225085440" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@IndieWire They're entitled to feel that way ofc but I fail to see how people are blaming the VXF workers. Everybod… https://t.co/MZYZkfSZ4i</div> — Caro (@Caro)<a href="https://twitter.com/NocturnalAnim4l/statuses/1227298940225085440">1581445844.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><strong>Still, the verdict was in. </strong></p><p><strong><em>Cats</em> creeped people out. <br></strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="e2fe3" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="H9PELB1581527129"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227245487725608960" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@IndieWire Yeah... No.
The effects were horrible</div> — Nicole (@Nicole)<a href="https://twitter.com/GirlyGirl694/statuses/1227245487725608960">1581433100.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="11e54" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="U4JYD81581527130"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227355327756029952" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@IndieWire No, it was the effects. I blame the bigwigs who decided to rush the project. What was the hurry? I stil… https://t.co/xexG342PIj</div> — Sierramoon (@Sierramoon)<a href="https://twitter.com/Sierramoon/statuses/1227355327756029952">1581459287.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="72e69" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="IZ04P51581527130"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227152207151128576" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@THR Sometimes stuff happens that makes us unhappy. Sometimes people do that stuff. That kind of thing happens freq… https://t.co/WDorg74g3I</div> — Chris MacIntosh (@Chris MacIntosh)<a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisMa07575722/statuses/1227152207151128576">1581410860.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="41703" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="Q2GB8N1581527130"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227384160836186112" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@IndieWire Everything was bad, including the VFX. Just because the rest of the movie is a mess, doesn’t mean the critique isn’t valid.</div> — Niko Meagher (@Niko Meagher)<a href="https://twitter.com/NikoMeagher/statuses/1227384160836186112">1581466162.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="4188a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="FIWMHJ1581527130"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1227384403501948933" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@IndieWire These realistic fur effects were actually really good. The problem is the character design and rushed production.</div> — KantePic (@KantePic)<a href="https://twitter.com/kante_pic/statuses/1227384403501948933">1581466220.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><strong>The VES statement, in full, read:</strong><br></p><blockquote><em>"The Visual Effects Society is focused on recognizing, advancing and honoring visual effects as an art form—and ensuring that the men and women working in VFX are properly valued."</em></blockquote><blockquote><em>"Last night, in presenting the Academy Award for Outstanding Visual Effects, the producers chose to make visual effects the punchline, and suggested that bad VFX were to blame for the poor performance of the movie </em>CATS<em>. The best visual effects in the world will not compensate for a story told badly."</em></blockquote><blockquote><em>"On a night that is all about honoring the work of talented artists, it is immensely disappointing that The Academy made visual effects the butt of a joke. It demeaned the global community of expert VFX practitioners doing outstanding, challenging and visually stunning work to achieve the filmmakers' vision."</em></blockquote><blockquote><em> "Our artists, technicians and innovators deserve respect for their remarkable contributions to filmed entertainment, and should not be presented as the all-too-convenient scapegoat in service for a laugh."</em></blockquote><p>In all deference to the many talented artists who worked on the film in a hit or miss industry, <em>Cats</em> was far from <em>purr</em>-fect. </p>
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