Cat City

Cat City (Hungarian: Macskafogó (Cat Catcher)) is a 1986 Hungarian adult animated comic science fiction film, directed by Béla Ternovszky and written by József Nepp.[2] The title Cat City was used in the United States distribution.[3] The film was selected as the Hungarian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 59th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.[4]

This article is about the 1986 animated film. For other uses, see Cat City (disambiguation).

Cat City
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBéla Ternovszky
Written byJózsef Nepp
Produced byRomán Kunz
Starring
Cinematography
  • Mária Neményi
  • Csaba Nagy
  • György Varga
Edited byMagda Hap
Music byTamás Deák
Jimmy Giuffre
Distributed byMokép
Release date
  • 2 October 1986 (1986-10-02)
Running time
85 minutes
Countries
  • Canada
  • Hungary
  • West Germany
[1]
LanguageHungarian

The film is a parody of several famous feature films, mainly the James Bond series. It tells the story of a special agent who is sent to the city of "Pokyo" to obtain the secret plans of a machine that could save mouse society. Of course, the cats don't want this to happen, and send some rat gangsters to stop him, who don't always prove as efficient as they initially seem.[5] The film has developed a cult following in the years since its release.[6][7] A musical based on the film premiered in December 2011.[8]

Plot

The film opens with a Star Wars opening crawl, which explains the film's premise: In year 80 AM (Anno Mickey Mouse), the mice of Planet X are threatened by humiliation and total apocalypse. The well-organized, fully equipped gangs of evil cats are aiming for the total obliteration of mice, not caring for the old conventions between mice and cats. But in the last moment, when the mouse leaders are beginning to consider leaving the planet, a new hope rises...[9]

Reception

Gabriella Székely of Filmvilág gave a mixed review, calling it a "stereotype Gangster film which ends with a happy ending"[10]

Home media

In 2023, Deaf Crocodile Films announced a Blu-ray release of the film, the first time ever in the United States. The release will be based on a restoration by National Film Institute Hungary.[11]

In other media

A comic book adaptation, illustrated by József Nepp, Béla Ternovszky, and Zoltán Maros was released in 1987.[12]

A musical based on the film, adapted by Róbert Szikora and Attila Valla, premiered in December 2011.[8]

Sequel: Cat City 2: The Cat of Satan

Production of the sequel Cat City 2: The Cat of the Satan (Hungarian: Macskafogó 2 – A sátán macskája) started in September 2005. It was made on a budget of about 600 million HUF.[13] The story of Cat City 2 centers around an investigative journalist named Stanley Mouse, who wants to find out about the legend of an ancient "cat tribe" lost in Africa. He finds them and much more, once again threatening the continued existence of mouse civilization. Special Agent Grabowsky will act to save the day, however. The events are supposed to take place some 20 years after the first episode, as one of the already leaked cells shows the titular Cat-Catcher mecha rusting away in a shelter, and a grown-up child of some character appears in the plot.[14]

Premiering on December 20, 2007, by January 2008 it had made the Hungarian Box Office Top Ten for 6 consecutive weeks.[15] It was the most watched Hungarian film in 2008.[16]

See also

References
  1. "ÉÉÉn állat? Én nem vagyok állat! Az vagy!" [What animal? I'm not an animal! You are!]. Heti Világgazdaság (in Hungarian). 5 October 2011. Archived from the original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  2. "The 30th anniversary of the iconic Hungarian animated movie, Cat City". Daily News Hungary. 23 November 2016. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  3. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 172. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  4. Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
  5. "Cat City". National Film Institute - Film Archive. Archived from the original on 8 August 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  6. Dávid, Kovács (14 September 2018). "Megérdemelte a Macskafogó a ráncfelvarrást" [The Cat Catcher deserved to be stitched up]. Index.hu (in Hungarian). Archived from the original on 4 April 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  7. Benedek, F. Tóth (2 October 2022). ""Attól tartok, Safranek, hogy maga gúnyolódik velem. Jöjjön közelebb!″" [“I am afraid, Safranek, that you are mocking me. Come closer!″]. index.hu (in Hungarian). Archived from the original on 26 November 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  8. "Kisemberi macska és egérharc a Szegedi Nemzetiben" [Little human cat and mouse fight in Szeged National]. 24.hu (in Hungarian). 8 December 2011. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  9. "Cat City". Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022 – via Mubi.
  10. Székely, Gabriella (1 November 1986). "Macskafogó" [Cat Catcher]. Filmvilág. Budapest. p. 54. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  11. "Cat City Blu-ray". The Deaf Crocodile Shop. Archived from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  12. "Macskafogó musical kivitelben a Nagyszínházban" [Cat Catcher musical version at the Grand Theater] (in Hungarian). Szeged ma. 2 December 2011. Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  13. László, Valuska (1 July 2008). "Becsődöltek a Macskafogó 2 miatt" [They were bankrupted because of Catcatcher 2]. Index.hu (in Hungarian). Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  14. "Egeret szülnek" [They give birth to a mouse]. Kultúra.hu. 20 December 2007. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  15. "Catcher: Cat City 2". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  16. "Vasárnapig ingyen nézhető a Macskafogó mindkét része" [Both parts of The Cat Catcher can be watched for free until Sunday]. 24.hu. 25 May 2023. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.


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