If you’re a fan of batshit crazy Hong Kong fare, get ready, because you’re about to hear about your next must see.
1991/92’s bizarro horror/sci-fi masterwork The Cat which just hit Blu-ray thanks to 88 Films was a Chinese/Japanese coproduction based on the novel Old Cat, by Ni Kuang – who is oddly enough a character in the film, because why not? It’s the final film directed by Story of Ricki’s own Lam Ngai Kai brings that same insanity to the story of an alien cat, who teams up with an alien girl, on earth, to then fight yet another alien who’s a shape shifter. I think in a normal director’s hands the film might have turned out much differently, but it’s one of those films I caught wind of thanks to a random clip that was floating around social media. Normally when you see a clip like that, it’s usually the best or craziest part of the film, but given the director’s penchant for utter what-the-fuckery you get so much much more.
Released by Golden Harvest, the phantasmagorical practical effects extravaganza is a surreal fever dream that offers up, sequence after sequence filled with giant pulsating creatures, puppet cats fighting puppet dogs, and buckets of blood and goo. It’s something that I am still processing even as I write this, but I am so glad 88 Films chose to release an upgrade to the VHS copy I originally saw. The practical effects only get more bizarre given the HD upgrade with a repulsiveness and detail I wasn’t expecting. The creatures breathe and undulate and gush blood in a way that’s so not real, but so much worse.
Oddly the thing that really highlights this insanity is the film’s reliance on practical effects. Like Ricky there’s a cartoonishness to the battles of a cat vs a dog and giant monsters that are surreal as they are grotesque. The film comes with a 40 page perfect bound book about the film, newly translated subtitles and the Japanese version of the film that’s slightly different. My personal favorite is the commentary by Frank Djeng of NYAFF fame. His commentary not only helps fill in some of the background on the source book and author, but some bizarre production anecdotes as well. Like there was a shortage of black cats in Hong Kong, so the production dyed them and sadly most didn’t survive the process.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Brand new 2K restoration from the original negative
- Remastered original Cantonese monoaural soundtrack
- Newly translated English subtitles
- Audio commentary by Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
- Brand new film interview with writer Gordon Chan
- Image gallery
TECHNICAL SPECS:
- Region Code: AB
- Picture: 2K Restoration
- Audio: Original Cantonese Monoaural Soundtrack
- Language: Cantonese
- Subtitles: English
- Rating: 15
The Cat easily was one of my favorite discoveries of last year. The film is an assault on the senses that’s pure madness in the best possible way. While the plot itself is interesting enough, with its alien battle royale, it’s these interludes with their practical effect monstrosities that make the film as memorable as it is. This is paired with an informative commentary that manages to answer all of your burning questions, while dealing out some impressive facts and context, which coalesce in a rather impressive presentation. I loved The Cat before, and I love it even more now, the best part is now it’s much more accessible thanks to 88 Films.
