Feline flicks

"Isthmus" writers and artists share our favorite onscreen characters

From Sylvester chasing Tweety Bird to that naughty lasagna-loving cat, Garfield, cats (and feline-inspired creatures) have captivated audiences ever since the dawn of the silver screen. The first cat to appear on screen was Master Tom in the silent film Feline Follies (1919), a predecessor of Felix, who began appearing on American TV in 1953. Here are the results of a decidedly unscientific survey on the cats that inspire us.

The Aristocats

Now that the House of Mouse has dumped Disney+ into our laps, it’s the perfect time to reacquaint yourself with the underrated and oft-forgotten animated gem that is The Aristocats. Sure, this ’70s-era tale of a pampered Parisian cat (voiced by Eva Gabor, dahling) and her trio of kittens trying to avoid being offed by a nefarious butler shares too much DNA with other, more popular animated Disney flicks — O’Malley the alley cat is basically a feline Baloo from The Jungle Book — but it’s still good fun. The real reason to watch is Scatman Crothers, doing his best Louis Armstrong impression as Scat Cat, the piano-playing head of a group of multiethnic kitties meant to mirror the actual Parisian jazz scene of the 1920s. Ev’rybody wants to be a cat, indeed. — Aaron R. Conklin

Born Free

There are multiple reasons why Born Free was one of the most popular films of 1966. Based on the real-life exploits of author Joy Adamson and her husband George, a park ranger in Kenya whose job it was to control marauding lions by killing them, the film embraced the wild’s kill-or-be-killed ethos, yet with no small modicum of heart. 

After George kills a murderous lion and its mate, the couple adopts the animals’ three cubs, taking a real shine toward the youngest, a female they name Elsa. The two elder cubs are eventually shipped to the Rotterdam Zoo, but the couple keeps Elsa. Their job is not to create a Disney-esque happily-ever-after ending, but to reintroduce Elsa to the wild, a task that promises fatal consequences for all involved. 

After many tries, the Adamson’s succeed, but at the cost of having to sever all ties with the lioness they raised as part of their family. If you truly love something, let it be what it must be. That’s the takeaway message here.

--Michael Muckian

Cat People

Ordered by RKO Studios to come up with a horror cheapie from just the title Cat People, producer Val Lewton crafted a moody masterpiece of jealousy and animal desire in this 1942 chiller (rebooted in 1982). French actress Simone Simon is mesmerizing as a young Serbian woman who fears she may be the descendant of a bestial cat cult that causes her to change into a killer panther when sexually aroused. So what else could she do but marry the mild-mannered marine engineer? Rather than relying on showy transformations, director Jacques Tourneur cloaks the slim budget behind artful shadows that frighten you for what you can’t see, transforming this B-movie into a first-rate haunter. It also pioneered what’s been called the “Lewton bus,” a shock effect that’s been forever duplicated. With its adult themes and evil premise, Cat People out-howls many of the Universal horror classics. — David Michael Miller

Cats (The Movie)

In 1963, at age 15, the remarkably prolific Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber had already set to music T.S. Eliot’s 1939 book Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, a volume of “light poetry” about feline psychology and sociology. Fast-forward to 1981, by which time Weber’s teenage conceit had evolved into Cats, one of the most successful Broadway musicals of all time. On December 20, fans will get their first look at a star-studded turn in what appears to be a fairly unsettling and slightly creepy-looking film version of the musical.

No one knows quite what to expect, but Internet wags have taken the Cats theatrical trailer and, in one case, laid down the music track from Us, Jordan Peele’s uber-creepy horror film about a family haunted by its own avatars, and in the other the audio track for It, Stephen King’s tale of Pennywise the murderous clown. The fact that the horror film audios fit so well shouldn’t cause us concern, should it?

— Michael Muckian

Garfield and Friends

Garfield and Friends (1988) was a staple of Saturday mornings when I was a kid. I’m sure Garfield’s predilection for snark and sass lead to my developing those same traits. Luckily, I was never inspired to ship my nemesis to Abu Dhabi, as Garfield does to Nermal the kitten. While some of the shows I loved as a child don’t hold up when I rewatch them as an adult, Garfield and Friends does. I enjoyed rewatching it with my own child until Hulu heartlessly pulled it from their regular line-up. I also screened the show at a party a few years back, jokingly at first, but it quickly evolved into a small group of intelligent adults critiquing and drawing meaning from a show meant for children. And there is occasionally some deep stuff in there, most notably during the “US Acres” segments, when Sheldon the Egg was afraid to come out of his shell. All the feels! — Jeri Casper

Kiki’s Delivery Service

As far as animated cat sidekicks go, Jiji on Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) is my favorite. Jiji is a small black talking cat and the best friend of Kiki, a witch in training. She takes him on all her adventures, usually hanging from her broom. He is sort of a devil’s advocate for Kiki, questioning her decisions and adding sarcasm when things go wrong. And the English version of Jiji, made in 1997 (original version in Japanese by Studio Ghibli) is voiced by Phil Hartman (The Simpsons, SNL), who uses his talents to make the cat sound like a softer, sweeter version of Troy McClure. — Todd Hubler

The Lion King

These days, eyes cross at any mention of Disney’s The Lion King. Are we talking about the 1994 animated musical? The 2019 Pixar remake? The Broadway show? Or any of the many prequels, sequels or side projects? This is a lesson less about filmmaking and more about franchising.

Despite the cynicism, the original animated feature offered some serious life lessons spun with a whirlwind of literary and cultural references. It’s the story of Simba the lion cub, who flees to the wilderness after his uncle Scar kills his father Mufasa and seizes control of the Pride Lands, which by right are Simba’s to rule. The narrative reads like a mash-up of Moses in the Wilderness meets Hamlet, including a colorful cadre of Shakespearean side characters, all performing to a fairly memorable Elton John score.

Get past all the glitz, goofs and gaggle and you’ll find The Lion King to be a story of heart, of hope, of loyalty, and the right to be who you are, especially if you can carry a snappy tune. And, yes, this one does have a Disney-esque ending. Hakuna matata – no problem!

-- Michael Muckian

Oliver & Company

While I certainly have my issues with Disney as a corporation, there will always be a place in my heart for their creative output. And since we’re talking about felines here, that means a perfect opportunity to talk about the Disney movie where Billy Joel taught a kitten how to be cool. The 1988 film Oliver & Company is a modern take on Dickens’ Oliver Twist, swapping house pets for humans and New York City for London. In it, homeless cat Oliver gets a lesson in “street savoir-faire” from Dodger, a mutt voiced by Joel. In the process, the pair delivers one of Disney’s more underrated songs, “Why Should I Worry?” Not only is it one of the best songs Joel did in the 1980s, but it also finds the lonely kitten at the film’s heart learning to stick up for himself and choose his own family. Who knew a dog in sunglasses could be so wise? — Tom Whitcomb

Pet Sematary (1989 and 2019 versions)

As a die-hard dog person, I’ve always been convinced that cats are, in fact, demonically possessed. So what comes back after Dale Midkiff’s good-hearted dad foolishly buries Church the cat in that cursed Native American burial ground in the 1989 original adaptation of Stephen King’s 1983 novel was always going to be a vicious, hissing killer with glowing, yellow eyes. That’s just simple biology.

The gray British shorthair that startled and scratched the crap out of Midkiff’s face in the original was so iconic, the directors of this year’s remake opted to use not one, not two, but eight similar Maine Coons to fill the role, all of which were creepy and unnerving as hell. The scene where the newly resurrected zombie Church slowly and malevolently stalks up the highway is topped only by the one where he stares down John Lithgow from the top of the basement stairs with those dead, dead eyes. Shudder. — Aaron R. Conklin

Roar

Critics should never promise that a work will provide emotions: Phrases like “You’ll laugh! You’ll cry!” make up bad criticism. But I guarantee you will scream while watching Roar (1981). You might also laugh. The screams and laughs will meld together creating a noise most associated with 19th century insane asylums. The movie is a bloody mess, and I mean “bloody” in the literal, not British, sense. There is a plot to the movie (comic mayhem ensues as an American family goes to visit dad at his animal sanctuary in Africa), but you do not watch Roar for the plot. Or acting. Or quality filmmaking. You come to Roar for the carnage, and stay with Roar for the carnage. More than 100 lions and other jungle cats roam inside and outside a villa while frequently charging at their human co-stars. The lead humans/bait are played by director Noel Marshall and his family, including wife Tippi Hedren and daughter Melanie Griffith. They, and most of the cast and crew, were injured during the making of the movie, and much of it is caught on film. Not to worry, though. No animals were harmed in the production. Roar’s purpose was to garner sympathy for these cats. The Marshall/Hedren family famously kept a lion in their Los Angeles mansion as a pet, and Hedren, now 89, has dedicated decades of her life to protecting large cats. Roar was meant to show how humans are taking over the cats’ natural habitat and how poachers are killing them. It’s true: All that is bad and should be stopped, but as the old saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and, in this case, glazed with the blood of a young Melanie Griffith. — Craig Johnson

That Darn Cat

Crooner Bobby Darin sets the ’60s vibe during the opening credits for That Darn Cat (available on Disney+). The plot of the 1965 Disney movie is simple: Two bank robbers are holding a bank teller hostage. D.C., short for Darn Cat, finds the robbers’ safe house on one of his nightly prowls. The hostage puts her watch around the Siamese cat’s neck with a partially scrawled message for help. The cat returns home to sisters Patti and Ingrid Randall. Patti finds the bracelet and contacts the FBI. The FBI chief directs Agent Kelso to “tail” D.C.

“You wish me to set up a surveillance on this informant exactly as if we thought of him as a person?” Kelso asks his boss.

“Unless of course it works out better to think of him as a cat,” the chief responds.

Hijinks ensue. That Darn Cat is funny, sweet and suspenseful (I can’t attest to the 1997 remake). And there’s even a smattering of subversive messaging about women’s roles. Let’s just say that it’s a good thing that Patti did not heed Agent Kelso’s order to stay home while he was hot on the trail of the robbers. — Judith Davidoff

Tiger: Spy in the Jungle

In this 2008 miniseries narrated by the soothing and familiar voice of David Attenborough, the filmmakers are able to capture rare footage of four tiger cubs growing up and learning the ways of the world in Pench National Park in India. The innovation that allows extraordinary access to the adorable and stunning creatures is that elephants (!) are carrying the cameras. It’s a must-see for big cat lovers and nature documentary aficionados. — Catherine Capellaro

[Editor's note: We accidentally omitted Michael Muckian's contributions to this feature in our print edition. His reviews of Born Free, Cats, and The Lion King have been added to this article.]