Cult films are considered cult precisely because not everyone who sees them gets them.
Fundamentally, what this means is nothing more than the fact that some stories are presented in such a way they resonate with a select few while meaning little to nothing to the majority of the moviegoing public. This could be because a particular story deals with a subject long considered taboo, and those who respond to its characters, situations, and message believe it’s high time that the topic get a bit of cultural examination. It could be that a certain tale is produced in such a way as to make it unusual when compared to more conventional fare. The feature’s colors could be vivid and splashy when dealing with some dark or dour issue, or its characters could ‘take the long way home’ through some theatrical adventure when competitors would’ve made short business of such an abnormal journey. The sad but sorry truth may be that we’ll never quite know what elevates one specific picture to cult status; but we’ll celebrate it all the same if it tickles our fancy in just the right unexpected manner.
Even within the catalogue of flicks long said to be ‘cult,’ there remains a unique subset that pretty much sticks to the classification of “they’re so bad that they’re good,” and that’s the label which might be most aptly applied to 1991’s The Cat. Based on just one installment of the widely popular Chinese-language Wisely novels, The Cat is about as chaotic thrill ride as they come, never quite stopping long enough to hammer out all of the details required for its people, places, and circumstances to make perfect sense. Yet – under Ngai Choi Lam’s direction – it takes off in every conceivable direction possible, spinning a SciFi/Fantasy about a trio of extraterrestrials coming face-to-face with an alien enemy seeking their eradication from the cosmos. In the process, our trio will make a few Earthly friends, steal a few museum artifacts, and probably diminish the property values of some real estate along the way.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
Fundamentally, what this means is nothing more than the fact that some stories are presented in such a way they resonate with a select few while meaning little to nothing to the majority of the moviegoing public. This could be because a particular story deals with a subject long considered taboo, and those who respond to its characters, situations, and message believe it’s high time that the topic get a bit of cultural examination. It could be that a certain tale is produced in such a way as to make it unusual when compared to more conventional fare. The feature’s colors could be vivid and splashy when dealing with some dark or dour issue, or its characters could ‘take the long way home’ through some theatrical adventure when competitors would’ve made short business of such an abnormal journey. The sad but sorry truth may be that we’ll never quite know what elevates one specific picture to cult status; but we’ll celebrate it all the same if it tickles our fancy in just the right unexpected manner.
Even within the catalogue of flicks long said to be ‘cult,’ there remains a unique subset that pretty much sticks to the classification of “they’re so bad that they’re good,” and that’s the label which might be most aptly applied to 1991’s The Cat. Based on just one installment of the widely popular Chinese-language Wisely novels, The Cat is about as chaotic thrill ride as they come, never quite stopping long enough to hammer out all of the details required for its people, places, and circumstances to make perfect sense. Yet – under Ngai Choi Lam’s direction – it takes off in every conceivable direction possible, spinning a SciFi/Fantasy about a trio of extraterrestrials coming face-to-face with an alien enemy seeking their eradication from the cosmos. In the process, our trio will make a few Earthly friends, steal a few museum artifacts, and probably diminish the property values of some real estate along the way.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“An adaptation of the novel Old Cat, by Ni Kuang. A cat from outer space teams up with a young alien girl and her knight, along with an adventure novelist named Wisely, to fight a murderous alien that possesses people.”
While that synopsis is respectfully adequate, there’s truly a great deal more to even beginning to grasp exactly what’s going on aboard The Cat.
Yes, it has Science Fiction elements, largely the idea of aliens coming to Earth and – somehow – taking on human and feline form in order to fit in undetected amongst the masses. Also, there are clearly some Fantasy and Horror pieces that bubble to the surface, namely the idea that a competing species also shows up with the possible ability to assume similar human shape as well as critters and creatures and blips and blobs which aren’t easily described. The reality is that there’s a great deal of … of … well … of stuff taking place between the opening and closing credits; and – without no disrespect to anyone involved – not a lot of it makes sense.
Where does one begin?
Well, for starters, Lam’s film opens with the suggestion that it’s likely going to be about the trials of a rather ordinary man – Li Tung (played by Lawrence Lau) – who’s having trouble sleeping at night because of the incessant noises made by an upstairs neighbor. Li does what any of us would do – he goes to complain and witnesses developments which further confuse him – only to then learn that those pesky residents are departing to reside elsewhere. However, after Li shares these events with his friend – author Wisely (Waise Lee) – he essentially disappears from the film, rarely to be seen again.
At this point, Wisely and his lovely girlfriend – Pai So (Christine Ng) – inherit the task of headlining the next segment of the picture. Obviously, they’re a loving pair – she with her daytime hours spent playing tennis and he constantly narrating his thoughts about these mystery neighbors to the soundtrack while scribbling in a notebook – but they reside in a mansion apparently without enough money to invest in bookshelves. Every single room is stacked floor-to-ceiling with books for – ahem – no discernible reason. Sometime later in the flick, the two share a curious softcore fetish-porn timeout which include scenes of Wisely studying intimate close-ups of Pai’s sweaty armpits.
“An adaptation of the novel Old Cat, by Ni Kuang. A cat from outer space teams up with a young alien girl and her knight, along with an adventure novelist named Wisely, to fight a murderous alien that possesses people.”
While that synopsis is respectfully adequate, there’s truly a great deal more to even beginning to grasp exactly what’s going on aboard The Cat.
Yes, it has Science Fiction elements, largely the idea of aliens coming to Earth and – somehow – taking on human and feline form in order to fit in undetected amongst the masses. Also, there are clearly some Fantasy and Horror pieces that bubble to the surface, namely the idea that a competing species also shows up with the possible ability to assume similar human shape as well as critters and creatures and blips and blobs which aren’t easily described. The reality is that there’s a great deal of … of … well … of stuff taking place between the opening and closing credits; and – without no disrespect to anyone involved – not a lot of it makes sense.
Where does one begin?
Well, for starters, Lam’s film opens with the suggestion that it’s likely going to be about the trials of a rather ordinary man – Li Tung (played by Lawrence Lau) – who’s having trouble sleeping at night because of the incessant noises made by an upstairs neighbor. Li does what any of us would do – he goes to complain and witnesses developments which further confuse him – only to then learn that those pesky residents are departing to reside elsewhere. However, after Li shares these events with his friend – author Wisely (Waise Lee) – he essentially disappears from the film, rarely to be seen again.
At this point, Wisely and his lovely girlfriend – Pai So (Christine Ng) – inherit the task of headlining the next segment of the picture. Obviously, they’re a loving pair – she with her daytime hours spent playing tennis and he constantly narrating his thoughts about these mystery neighbors to the soundtrack while scribbling in a notebook – but they reside in a mansion apparently without enough money to invest in bookshelves. Every single room is stacked floor-to-ceiling with books for – ahem – no discernible reason. Sometime later in the flick, the two share a curious softcore fetish-porn timeout which include scenes of Wisely studying intimate close-ups of Pai’s sweaty armpits.
Still later in the feature, the Princess (Gloria Yip), Errol (Lau Siu Ling), and the infamous cat – the aforementioned neighbors – take over the narrative, dribbling out some whimsical exposition which tells their woeful story of escaping their planet for Earth some time ago. Hiding out from some menace which apparently has finally discovered them on our world has taken its toll, but the signs in the universe are just right to signal an opportunity for a return to their ancestral home. It will take some work on their part – basically, the theft of a few mysterious artifacts which both serve as a weapon (at one point) as well as a means of transport (in another) – and it was about this time when I realized The Cat – as a whole – was missing most of its nine lives.
Like the little engine that could, the film just never stops. It’s that snowball rolling downhill! The one that keeps getting bigger and bigger, rolling faster and faster, until it’s crossed the Rubicon, and there’s absolutely no way back to sanity! None of the decisions made by any of its principals make a lick of sense, starting with why one alien decided a cat body was a good choice to inhabit (when vastly more humans were available) up to Wisely deciding to hire a dog (named Lao Pu) to hunt down and face-off against the film’s black mouser. Yes, our two animals do eventually earn a showdown, but don’t get me started on the unbridled lunacy that unfolds before our eyes in a junkyard as the dog and cat shake off their mammalian ways … and everybody was kung-fu fighting!
When the audience reaches a level of understanding, a new twist or turn enters the fray – be it the Princess’ sudden ability to fly (which never figures prominently into the plot whatsoever) or the cat’s seemingly improbable talent to fight karate-style or why no one seems to take significant notice when a police character of the first half uncharacteristically turns to the dark side (once ‘infested’ by the bad alien) – simply spools out and changes the story’s direction. As a consequence, The Cat isn’t a tale that ever becomes unpredictable mostly because there’s no way to know which way it’s going next! Just about when you think you have it minorly under control, Lam steers it into then beyond left field … and suddenly police headquarters is being overrun by an omnipresent pile of gelatin that won’t stop growing!
Like the little engine that could, the film just never stops. It’s that snowball rolling downhill! The one that keeps getting bigger and bigger, rolling faster and faster, until it’s crossed the Rubicon, and there’s absolutely no way back to sanity! None of the decisions made by any of its principals make a lick of sense, starting with why one alien decided a cat body was a good choice to inhabit (when vastly more humans were available) up to Wisely deciding to hire a dog (named Lao Pu) to hunt down and face-off against the film’s black mouser. Yes, our two animals do eventually earn a showdown, but don’t get me started on the unbridled lunacy that unfolds before our eyes in a junkyard as the dog and cat shake off their mammalian ways … and everybody was kung-fu fighting!
When the audience reaches a level of understanding, a new twist or turn enters the fray – be it the Princess’ sudden ability to fly (which never figures prominently into the plot whatsoever) or the cat’s seemingly improbable talent to fight karate-style or why no one seems to take significant notice when a police character of the first half uncharacteristically turns to the dark side (once ‘infested’ by the bad alien) – simply spools out and changes the story’s direction. As a consequence, The Cat isn’t a tale that ever becomes unpredictable mostly because there’s no way to know which way it’s going next! Just about when you think you have it minorly under control, Lam steers it into then beyond left field … and suddenly police headquarters is being overrun by an omnipresent pile of gelatin that won’t stop growing!
The tremendous upside to enduring something as bizarre at The Cat is remains the fact that – regardless of what one might make of the plot, the acting, and the premise – it’s entirely ambitious, probably to a fault. Lam packs the picture with everything – including the kitchen sink – with some gonzo action and effects sequences – some optical trickery but a great deal of it is rendered practically (meaning ‘in camera’) – so much so that the audience can’t look away for fear of missing something. Granted, the majority of it might be laughable if not downright cringe-inducing; and yet every conceivable blemish of what would otherwise be considered sub-standard pyrotechnics and narratively incredulous remains intact. When something this curiously peculiar might signal the end for any other working collaborator, Lam goes ‘balls to the wall’ nutty with one oddball vignette after another, delivering what I’ve read was his last cinematic frenzy before retiring from the industry entirely. And why not? Who or what could – ahem – possibly top this performance?
Surprisingly, The Cat still manages to resemble an awful lot of actioners coming out of Hong Kong in that era. John Woo and Ringo Lam were achieving something relatively special at the time, and the global video explosion had American video stores stocking an assortment of their very best efforts. Downright brazenly, Ngai Choi Lam stocks his fare with sequences meant to correspondingly boggle the senses – like choreographed gunplay and pyrotechnics whether they’re coherent or not – and he even throws in curiously obtuse close-ups and slow-motion sideshows because – Hell – they’re pretty, right? In fact, The Cat practically showcases two big shoot-em-up sequences in its second half – both similarly devoid of logic – almost as if to say, “Everyone else is doing this, so I’m going to do it to, even if it’s equally gratuitous and superfluous at the same time.” Rarely does such gusto go unnoticed, so hats of to Lam and his crew for sticking to their vision, even though Science Fiction and Fantasy rarely gets such wonder.
Now, I don’t want to feel as if I’m been too harsh on the project.
As I’ve said, the film has an audience faithful to its wicked, wicked ways; and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Some of their fascination is likely owed to insatiable curiosity always getting the better of our species, so why shouldn’t a benign galactic potboiler starring a cat, a princess, and some book-smart writer receive anything less? In spite of never understanding exactly where Lam was going with all of this, I just couldn’t look away – just couldn’t tear myself from it – not so much like the customary rubbernecking at a car crash so much as it was abject horror at how the progression just never stopped, the genuine befuddlement over how I was still watching this. Even at points wherein characters kinda/sorta come and go freely, they showed up later in the sequences, acting as if they’d been there the whole time; and that’s mostly how I come to look at myself – on the couch – watching the film unfold.
Surprisingly, The Cat still manages to resemble an awful lot of actioners coming out of Hong Kong in that era. John Woo and Ringo Lam were achieving something relatively special at the time, and the global video explosion had American video stores stocking an assortment of their very best efforts. Downright brazenly, Ngai Choi Lam stocks his fare with sequences meant to correspondingly boggle the senses – like choreographed gunplay and pyrotechnics whether they’re coherent or not – and he even throws in curiously obtuse close-ups and slow-motion sideshows because – Hell – they’re pretty, right? In fact, The Cat practically showcases two big shoot-em-up sequences in its second half – both similarly devoid of logic – almost as if to say, “Everyone else is doing this, so I’m going to do it to, even if it’s equally gratuitous and superfluous at the same time.” Rarely does such gusto go unnoticed, so hats of to Lam and his crew for sticking to their vision, even though Science Fiction and Fantasy rarely gets such wonder.
Now, I don’t want to feel as if I’m been too harsh on the project.
As I’ve said, the film has an audience faithful to its wicked, wicked ways; and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Some of their fascination is likely owed to insatiable curiosity always getting the better of our species, so why shouldn’t a benign galactic potboiler starring a cat, a princess, and some book-smart writer receive anything less? In spite of never understanding exactly where Lam was going with all of this, I just couldn’t look away – just couldn’t tear myself from it – not so much like the customary rubbernecking at a car crash so much as it was abject horror at how the progression just never stopped, the genuine befuddlement over how I was still watching this. Even at points wherein characters kinda/sorta come and go freely, they showed up later in the sequences, acting as if they’d been there the whole time; and that’s mostly how I come to look at myself – on the couch – watching the film unfold.
The Cat (1991) was produced by Tokuma Shoten, Nippon Television Network (NTV), Diagonal Pictures, Golden Harvest Company, and Paragon Films Ltd. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at 88 Films. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still comfortably assure readers that this reported 2K restoration both looks and sounds very good: and I can’t imagine it looking or sounding any better. Frankly, some of the crispness really damages the impact of some inferior effects work, but – as they say – it is what it is. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? The disc boasts an audio commentary (a bit dry and dreary, if you ask me) along with an alternate Japanese cut of the flick, an interview, and the usual stills and trailer stuff. The physical collection includes a nice collector’s booklet (with essays) and a reproduction of the theatrical poster. It’ll likely be treasured by fans of such fare.
Recommended, but …
If anything, it really should go without saying (yet again) that The Cat (1991) will most definitely not be to everyone’s liking. I’ve read that the picture has long been a favorite – for various reasons – of those who worship Chinese ‘underground’ flicks; and – even though I’m unfamiliar with such products – it isn’t hard to see why. Still, there’s a bit of big screen charm in there for those of us who both recognize and appreciate schlock for what it is and can be. What emerges one of the weirdest outings I can say I’ve ever undertaken; and I vacillated between laughing and questioning what the Hell I’d just seen throughout its modest 90-minute running time. While I’m okay with that, you – faithful reader – will have to decide if you’re even remotely interested.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at 88 Films provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Cat (1991) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
Recommended, but …
If anything, it really should go without saying (yet again) that The Cat (1991) will most definitely not be to everyone’s liking. I’ve read that the picture has long been a favorite – for various reasons – of those who worship Chinese ‘underground’ flicks; and – even though I’m unfamiliar with such products – it isn’t hard to see why. Still, there’s a bit of big screen charm in there for those of us who both recognize and appreciate schlock for what it is and can be. What emerges one of the weirdest outings I can say I’ve ever undertaken; and I vacillated between laughing and questioning what the Hell I’d just seen throughout its modest 90-minute running time. While I’m okay with that, you – faithful reader – will have to decide if you’re even remotely interested.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at 88 Films provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Cat (1991) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
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