OMG! Global music icon Taylor Swift and legendary composer Andrew Lloyd Webber have collaborated on a new original song for the stage musical-turned-film ‘Cats’. Entitled ‘Beautiful Ghosts’, the song will feature in both the film and in the end credits.
In Philippine theaters January 8, ‘Cats’ is directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Tom Hooper (Les Misérables, The King’s Speech), and stars Taylor Swift herself alongside James Corden, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, Rebel Wilson, and Royal Ballet principal dancer Francesca Hayward.
In the film, the song is performed by Francesca, who stars in the role of Victoria. The version of the song performed by Taylor, who plays Bombalurina in the film, will play over the end titles.
As part of the announcement, Universal also released an exclusive behind-the-scenes video documenting the creation and recording of the song and including an interview with Taylor, Andrew, and Tom. Watch it here:
One of the longest-running shows in West End and Broadway history, ‘Cats’ includes some of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most indelible songs, including ‘Memory’. Andrew, Taylor, and the filmmakers were excited at the idea of introducing a new song for the film adaptation.
Andrew saw an opportunity to create a new signature song for Victoria, whose character has been expanded for the film.
“When I first read the screenplay, the first thing I said was, ‘We have to have a song for Victoria,’” Lloyd Webber shares. “Beautiful Ghosts,” he says, is now, “an incredibly important and central part of the whole film.
”
For the director, the song exceeded even Tom’s high expectations. “What I couldn’t believe was the extraordinary beauty of these lyrics that Taylor had written,” he says. “It was as if someone had come into the film I was in the middle of making and … had reflected back to me a profound understanding of what we are trying to do with the movie. It was utterly thrilling.”
Do you have a story for the WhenInManila.com Team? Email us at story.wheninmanila@gmail.com or send us a direct message at WhenInManila.com Facebook Page. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad!
