Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Cats Don't Dance Blu-ray Movie Review

Sunset Boulevard Jr.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III September 26, 2023

WB's short-lived "Warner Bros. Feature Animation" division released six films in less than a decade, but only one of them -- 1996's massively (and some might say inexplicably) popular Space Jam -- made a profit. The other five fell short of expectations, from 1999's unjustifiably ignored The Iron Giant to 2001's Osmosis Jones. But none imploded quite as spectacularly as 1997's Cats Don't Dance, an animated musical directed by Mark Dindal (best known for The Emperor's New Groove) that barely grossed 10% of its $32M budget. I wasn't exactly part of the target audience for this film back then, but I don't even recall even seeing an ad, trailer, or review even once that year.

That box-office failure actually accounts for at least part of the film's appeal more than 25 years later: we all love a good underdog story, after all, and that fittingly even ties into its throwback narrative. Our story takes us back to an alternate 1939 where humans co-exist with talking animals, and one such beast is Danny (voiced by Scott Bakula, including the singing): he's a wide-eyed song-and-dance cat en route from Kokomo, Indiana to Hollywood with little more than unwavering optimism and big dreams of stardom. Danny finds an agent in Farley Wink (Frank Welker) and is reminded that animals are second-class citizens in the movie business, but luckily lands a small role in the upcoming biblical epic Lil' Ark Angel starring spoiled Shirley Temple stand-in Darla Dimple (Ashley Peldon). His mere presence on the set almost makes Darla recoil in disgust, setting up her movie-long feud with Danny and his small group of semi-supportive friends. The one he's most concerned for is lovely Sawyer (Jasmine Guy), Farley's feline secretary who's annoyed by his cheerfulness... but she just might end up falling for the only other cat in the movie.

The subject matter and vibe of Cats Don't Dance almost doom it to cult status; even with better marketing, this film probably wouldn't have been a box-office smash. It's clearly aimed at the younger crowd, yet name-checks actors like Clark Gable and W.C. Fields -- not exactly words you'd hear on the playground in 1977, let alone 1997. (Its script also captures the essence of Golden Age Hollywood... but again, this was probably a few decades too late to sell that as a family movie.) A few fundamental issues also keep it from scoring higher: its main romance barely registers, the songs are fairly hit-or-miss, and it's running on fumes before the credits roll after 69 minutes; not a good sign for a film with no less than ten credited writers for the story and screenplay. (It also ends with a lazy montage where our animal pals star in future WB classics like Casablanca and, um, Batman & Robin, which hadn't been released yet.)

So what helps to save Cats Don't Dance despite its flaws, besides for that underdog appeal? Its expressive animation, which uses a digital ink-and-paint process similar to other WB Feature Animation releases of the era like The Iron Giant, sure goes a long way. Movements and facial expressions are well-done and this helps sell some of its notorious villains, not to mention slapstick gags and clever touches like character color levels increasing when their interests are piqued. Some of the song-and-dance numbers, even when lacking musically, are more impressive for their choreography; this is partially due to uncredited consultant Gene Kelly in what would be his final film contribution. He unfortunately died more than a year before the film's theatrical release, but at least gets a dedication in the end credits.

The film's turbulent production history is well-documented, from its 1993 beginnings as a live-action/animated hybrid starring Michael Jackson (whose script kinda-sorta led to Space Jam) to its budget woes; money was extremely tight in the home stretch, so a few temp vocal tracks -- like director Mark Dindal himself as Darla's gigantic butler Max -- were left in the final product. This end result, while clearly not an undiscovered masterpiece in my book, earns points for its can-do attitude and is actually a bit more well-known than you'd think these days. (The main reason is that Cats Don't Dance was a staple on Cartoon Network during the 2000s, where it built a cult following of kids strung out on Kool-Aid Bursts and Waffle Crisp.) Adding to its legacy is this unexpected Blu-ray from Warner Archive, which supports the film with another great A/V restoration and a few choice extras that provide a bit of pre-show entertainment.

Cats Don't Dance Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Unsurprisingly, Warner Archive's 1080p transfer of Cats Don't Dance is an absolute stunner that runs circles around previous home video editions and finally presents the film in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Sourced from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, it yields respectable fine detail, flawless color reproduction (seen during the film's most vivid scenes such as the nightmarish reprise of "Big and Loud", as well as its clever treatment of character colors relative to their moods as mentioned above), and an overall smooth and stable appearance that's about as close to a theatrical presentation as possible on this format. Brief shots and individual elements occasionally veer soft, which is a byproduct of its digital ink-and-paint process and absolutely not a flaw of the transfer. It's as rock-solid as you'd expect for a boutique label with Warner Archive's track record, perfectly encoded on a dual-layered disc and undoubtedly the best this film will look on home video for quite some time. If you're a fan, buy it without question.

Cats Don't Dance Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Also impressive is the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix, which likewise finally presents Cats Don't Dance in its correct format and with lossless encoding to boot. This is a surprisingly active mix at times; sure, most of the frequent musical numbers -- some of the previously mentioned "nightmarish" variety -- enjoy a big presence and wide dynamic range, but even some of its quieter scenes sound great too. Crisp dialogue and well-placed discrete effects round out the sonic highlights and, given the film's relatively young age, there's no signs of damage to report either.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only.

Cats Don't Dance Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with attractive vintage poster artwork and no inserts. On-board extras are limited to mostly pre-show entertainment but there's some good stuff to dig through here.

• Looney Tunes Shorts - Four vintage cartoons -- three of which are new to Blu-ray, as far as I can tell -- with a distinct showbiz theme to help set the mood. Sadly there's no sign of Pullet Surprise, a new-for-1997 Foghorn Leghorn short that played before Cats Don't Dance in theaters, but these just might be better.

• Daffy Duck in Hollywood (8:02) - We're appropriately going all the way back to 1938 for this one, a great Tex Avery short starring everybody's favorite duck causing trouble on a film set.
• What's Up, Doc? (7:13) - This 1950 Robert McKimson short finds Bugs Bunny (celebrating his 10th birthday that year) relaxing poolside as he recounts his life story and rise to fame.
• Show Biz Bugs (7:00) - A 1957 short also found on Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 2.
• Curtain Razor (7:13) - Directed by Friz Freleng, this 1949 short stars Porky Pig as a talent agent who discovers "the act of the century", a feat that can only be done once. (Spoiler alert: it's more or less the same gag used eight years later in Show Biz Bugs, which trades in a fox for Daffy Duck.)

• Theatrical Trailer (1:51) - This vintage promotional piece can also be seen here.

• Song Selection - Instant access to all 12 of the film's main musical numbers.

• Main Title
• Danny's Arrival Song
• Little Boat on the Sea
• Mammoth in B Flat
• Animal Jam Session
• Big and Loud
• Big and Loud (Reprise)
• The Flood
• Tell Me Lies
• Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
• Our Time Has Come
• I Do Believe

Cats Don't Dance Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Cats Don't Dance is a throwback animated musical that audiences ignored back in 1997... which isn't that surprising, given the subject matter. But it has its moments as well as outstanding animation and the very best of intentions, not to mention a cult following thanks to TV broadcasts in the 2000s. It shares a few similarities with the recently-released Gay Purr-ee, and that applies to Warner Archive's Blu-ray treatment as well: the A/V restoration is excellent as usual, and its bonus features include a handful of thoughtfully-curated Looney Tunes shorts that help set the proper mood. This one's likewise recommended to established fans only, as newcomers should try before they buy.