Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Felidae 4K Standard Edition Blu-ray Movie Review

Felidae is a gritty and mature animated feature-film aimed more at adults than at children. Based on the novel by Akif Pirinçci, Felidae is a dark and mysterious murder-mystery animated classic that gained a cult following for its unique style and cinematic approach. The German animated classic is one of the most unique murder-mystery thrillers in animation history – with the cats at the front of the stage. Executive produced by Michael Schaack (Pippi Longstocking, Pippi's Adventures on the South Seas), Felidae is a must-see animated class. Produced by Hanno Huth (Trapped, Heavenly Creatures), Felidae features voice-performances by Ulrich Tukur and Mario Adorf.

The work of a detective is dangerous and full of surprise. A murder-mystery tale quite unlike any other, Felidae explores a series of murders and the mystery to solve them in a group of domesticated neighborhood cats. Francis (Ulrich Tukur) is the chief cat to work on solving these murders. The mysterious murders of fellow cats leads Francis down a rabbit-hole that includes a journey into the dangers of the occult. Bluebeard (Mario Adorf) accompanies Francis on the murder-mystery mission.

Revelations of occultism, religious fever, and technological surprises takes Francis and Bluebeard on an unexpected mission while working on the murder-mysteries. There’s even a computer that enters the equation – what’s a detective cat to do but sleuth the computer?   Francis even encounters a world of genetic experimentation and mutation on his fellow cats. Can the unsolved cases be resolved before more feline lives are lost?

The animation is extraordinary and some of the best seen from Germany. The German produced animated classic is renowned in part because of the stunning art work. The animation pushes the creative envelope of the medium and the team of animators delivered their all to this gripping and mesmerizing classic. Felidae features art direction by Desmond Downes (Das Pflaumenhuhn). The art direction is fantastic and helps to expand the storytelling.

The cinematography by Mark Marren is a perfect accompaniment to the production. Marren is a gifted cinematographer with a great cinematic sensibility. The animation is bold and invigorating. There is an enormous sense of cinematic craft and an understanding of the love-language of filmmaking.

The score composed by Anne Dudley (The Crying Game, The Full Monty) is terrific and one of the most fundamental parts of the production. Dudley is a gifted composer and someone who brought a great sense of excitement and energy to the production. The score is full of vitality and joy. There is much worth appreciating about the music and its essential part of the feature-film.

The screenplay by Martin Kluger (Rama Dama, Strangers and Lovers) and Akif Pirinçci (Karussell, The Door) is far more ambitious and mature than most modern audiences might expect. Felidae doesn’t shy away from adult themes or topics – exploring the roles of the cats in the story with an interesting sense of curiosity. The script emphasizes the mystery element well. There is plenty of note with a script that explores feline relationships and the bold journey of the protagonists to be the heroes of the story.  Mystery fans will especially delight with the sly and intelligent script.

Directed by Michael Schaack (The Little Punk, Pippi Longstocking), Felidae is a must-see animated classic. It is obvious why Felidae managed to become a cult classic. Not only does Felidae have an incredible sense of scale and scope, the film creates a compelling mystery. Schaack provides the animated classic with a noir-like sense of style and the mystery element is enhanced by the sensibility of the filmmaker. Don’t miss it.

Felidae 4K Standard Edition Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on 4K UHD by Deaf Crocodile, Felidae is presented in HEVC / H.265 2160p in the original theatrical aspect ratio. Felidae is presented in the original 1.85:1 widescreen. The animation cult classic has a gorgeous new restoration in 4K. The 4K restoration was completed using the original camera negative. Deaf Crocodile has done an exceptional job with the new 4K scan and restoration. This incredible animated classic has a naturally filmic and robust presentation.

The restoration from the original camera negative is fantastic and the quality of the scan is first-rate throughout. There are still occasionally specks of dirt or dust but the condition is exceptional and free from damage or wear to the image. The encoding on the release is similarly first-rate and something special to behold. Deaf Crocodile has provided the 4K restoration with a high bit-rate encoding that utilizes the physical format exceptionally well.

Felidae 4K Standard Edition Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The sound was also restored from Deaf Crocodile using the original master audio tapes associated with the original camera negative. Felidae is presented in German DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 in 24 bit depth. The release is presented in German with English subtitles. The lossless audio sounded fantastic and is clear, detailed, and engaging. The audio is a wonderful component of the restoration. The new audio restoration from the master tapes is a great part of the experience. The lossless encoding provides greater depth and detail. The English subtitles are exceptional, too. The subtitles were free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

Of course, one of the essential elements of Blu-ray and 4K disc is the lossless encoding. Streaming only provides lossy (non-lossless) audio encoding – if you can even manage to find something on streaming. Deaf Crocodile went the extra mile with a superb audio presentation sure to please home theater enthusiasts and audiophiles alike.

Felidae 4K Standard Edition Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Felidae is provided on Blu-ray with a both a standard edition and a limited edition. The limited edition release (exclusive to the Deaf Crocodile web store) features a deluxe chipboard art box with gorgeous art, the standard case edition inside of the deluxe chipboard art box, and an extensive booklet. The standard edition comes in a clear case and also features nice artwork. For those who opt for the limited edition version over the standard edition, the limited edition is the superior option for those who want an even more deluxe edition. The limited edition is instantly an essential part of my physical media collection and a great reminder of one of the most important aspects of physical media – the physical and tangible part of holding something special in hand.

Deaf Crocodile releases include an inserted QR code card. The QR code card provides a link to additional transcribed bonus content for each release. Once you follow the QR code with your smartphone or smart device, the device will provide you with a link to more transcribed bonus content.

Audio Commentary by Dr. Will Dodson & Ryan Verrill

Interview with Director Michael Schaack (HD, 1:03:21) features the Felidae director discussing the classic animated film. Director Schaack delves into the development of the project and his role in the animated film production. The interview was conducted with Deaf Crocodile's Dennis Bartok.

Interview with Armen Melkonian (HD, 54:25) is an in-depth interview with the production designer of Felidae. Melkonian also worked on Felidae as a storyboard artist. The interview was done by Deaf Crocodile's Dennis Bartok.

30^th Anniversary Reunion of Felidae Animators (HD, 59:33) is an extensive reunion panel featuring a nice assortment of animators who worked on Felidae. The Felidae reunion panel was coordinated by Deaf Crocodile's Dennis Bartok. The animators 30^th anniversary panel includes thoughts by animators Desmond Downes, Doug Bennett, Bernie Denk, Paul Bolger, and Eamonn Butler.

Felidae 4K Standard Edition Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Felidae is a wonderful and gripping animated cult classic. The German classic is a mystery with cats and any fan of classic animation will find it a must-see gem. The filmmaking is top-notch and the sense of creative style is phenomenal.

The 4K UHD release features a stunning new 4K restoration completed by Deaf Crocodile and an extensive assortment of exclusive supplemental features. Felidae is a great film and the 4K UHD is a terrific release. Consider it a must-own for any and all animation fans with a love and appreciation for world animation. Highly recommended.