The Cat: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: West Germany, 1988
Director: Dominik Graf
Writers: Uwe Erichsen, Christoph Fromm
Cast: Götz George, Gudrun Landgrebe, Joachim Kemmer, Heinz Hoenig, Ralf Richter, Ulrich Gebauer, Sabine Kaack, Iris Disse, Erich Will, Heinrich Schafmeister, Uli Krohm

Release Date: February 24th, 2025 (UK), February 25th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 117 Minutes 40 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo German, DTS-HD 5.1 German
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Two robbers hold up a bank and its employees demanding 3 million marks for their ransom. The police plot to storm the bank but are unaware the robbers have an accomplice on the outside, anticipating their every move." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The Cat was supplied to Radiance Films as a high-definition digital file. Additional grading was performed by Radiance Films and overseen by director Dominik Graf."

The Cat comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.5 GB

Feature: 33.3 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, contrast, image clarity, and black levels are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5 (DTS-HD Stereo German), 4.5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 German)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in German and a DTS-HD stereo mix in German with removable English subtitles. Both audio tracks sound excellent; though the 5.1 audio track opens things up, I prefer the stereo audio track. That said, dialog always comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo German with removable English subtitles), an interview with producer Georg Feil (32 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo German with removable English subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Christoph Fromm (32 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo German with removable English subtitles), an interview with director Dominik Graf (65 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo German with removable English subtitles), a scene select audio commentary with Dominik Graf (12 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo German with removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 20-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information, an essay titled All The Good Time That’s Been Wasted written by Brandon Streussnig, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

The police are thwarted at every turn by two bank robbers demanding 3 million marks for their ransom. Frustrated by their inability to breach the bank, the police start to wonder if there's a third accomplice on the outside feeding them information. Will the police be able to find the third man before things turn deadly?

Though all films rely on music to reinforce and heighten the mood, choosing the right song for a moment is like catching lightning in a bottle. Case in point: The Cat’s use of Eric Burdon and The Animals Good Times. This song plays over the opening credits, and the characters in the opening scene sing it. The lyrics of Good Times offer insight into the characters and the journey they are embarking on.

Every great heist film has a plan that drives its narrative. The Cat is no exception; it features a meticulously laid-out narrative whose twists further enhance the mounting tension. What begins as a bank robbery evolves into something more elaborate. Instead of taking the money, it becomes clear that the real target is something or someone else.

Despite the bank robbers plan being perfectly timed down to the last detail, even the best-laid plans can go awry. There is a cat-and-mouse game that unfolds as the police try to outmaneuver the bank robbers. When the police finally realize there is a third man, they try to pit the two bank robbers against him.

All around, the performances are outstanding, especially Götz George’s portrayal of Probek, the criminal mastermind behind the robbery/heist. He delivers an exemplary performance that perfectly captures his character's confidence and calm demeanor. Where other characters get flustered when things go awry, he maintains his cool. Another performance of note is Gudrun Landgrebe’s portrayal of Jutta Ehser, the bank manager's wife. Her character is also having an affair with Probek.

When discussing a film like The Cat, you cannot overlook its central locations: a bank and a hotel next to each other. Besides offering a vantage of the bank, the hotel gives the third man plenty of space to hide. Even the entrance to the bank obscures some of the police's vantage points. That said, the visuals and Dominik Graf’s direction fully exploit both locations for maximum effect.

Though there are moments where violence erupts, The Cat is a film that relies heavily on dialog. That said, The Cat makes the most of its limited onscreen carnage, especially one killing in particular that is a textbook example of overkill. The narrative is well-constructed, and a few well-timed twists ensure that pacing is never an issue. Ultimately, The Cat is a tense crime/thriller that quickly draws you in and stays with you long after its moment of truth.

The Cat gets an exceptional release from Radiance Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer