Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageI Am a Cat (1975)
Director: Kon Ichikawa
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Adapted from the novel by Natsume Soseki, this is a comically misanthropic portrait of a Tokyo teacher circa 1900, detailing his ailments, his disappointing family and his feuds with pupils, neighbours and in-laws. For distraction he holds earnest conversations with his cronies about Life and Art, and observes with fascination the affairs of the local cat population. The humans are too caricatured to sustain interest, even as objects of satire, but the feline aspects are fun. Especially admirable is Blackie, perseverance personified as he dedicates himself to catching and dismembering an outlaw weasel who torments him with fusillades of fetid farts. Finally, the teacher's own cat addresses us from the soundtrack on the pointlessness of existence, before lapping up a pint of beer and falling drunk into a water barrel. Who'd be a cat? Who'd be a person?Author: BBa
Cast & crew
Director: Kon Ichikawa
Producer: Ichiro Sato, Kichi Ichikawa, Michio Morioka
Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Mariko Okada, Juzo Itami, Yoko Shimada, Eiji Okada full cast
Duration: 116 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Michael Haneke discusses 'The White Ribbon'
Dave Calhoun met with Michael Haneke in Munich to mull over the details of his Palme d'Or winner, 'The White Ribbon'
Review a Coens' movie and win!
A signed copy of the script for 'A Serious Man' is up for grabs, and we want you to look to your inner film reviewer to win it
Ang Lee talks 'Taking Woodstock'
Ang Lee talks to Tom Huddleston about his tale of the men behind history’s greatest music festival
Roland Emmerich's guide to disaster movies
Ahead of the release of '2012', Roland Emmerich offers his ten tips on creating the perfect global catastrophe
Hippies who work for The Man
To celebrate George Clooney comedy 'The Men who Stare at Goats', we look back at six memorable onscreen hippies who fought the system from within
Sheffield Doc/Fest round-up
Sheffield’s annual Doc/Fest is Britain’s largest documentary festival. Edward Lawrenson learnt a few new things by taking the train north.
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Grant Heslov: interview
Grant Heslov, director of 'The Men who Stare at Goats' talks about his old pal George Clooney, his interest in the paranormal, and his fond memories of working on 'Happy Days'
Ten inspirations behind 'Avatar'?
Time Out ponders the influences behind James Cameron's anticipated space-opera on the basis of the trailer
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations
What do you think?
Post your review now