The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 2, 2021

1972’s “Fritz the Cat” was something of an experiment, with director Ralph Bakshi using inspiration from Robert Crumb’s comic creation to launch an animated experience for adult audiences, picking up an X rating for his troubles. Against all odds, the feature was a massive hit, making millions for producer Steve Krantz. Naturally, he wanted a sequel, and quickly too, but Bakshi moved on to other projects, trying to capitalize on the profitability of “Fritz the Cat.” Unwilling to take a creative risk with a follow-up, Krantz turns to Robert Taylor, a helmer who’s tasked with matching the raunchy mischief from the first picture, and that’s the extent of his job. 1974’s “The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat” is nothing more than a rehash of the original endeavor, only this time there’s a bit more money to spend on animation efforts, creating a slicker version of the Crumb character, but not a dramatically evolved one.

“Fritz the Cat” was far from perfect, perhaps barely tolerable to some viewers, but the whole production felt like it was better off enjoyed while high, squeezing the most out the weirdness Bakshi was preparing. “The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat” is directly created to be a pothead movie, even turning the cat lothario into a shiftless loser who’s more married to “Acapulco Gold” than his own wife. There’s no effort to hide the visual approach, which favors strange art and flashing lights, and the story is created to satisfy short attention spans, finding Fritz enjoying various “lives” in his clouded mind while enduring a verbal lashing from his understandably frustrated spouse.

Much like the first film, “The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat” is random, but the episodic nature is more controlled this time around, sending the frisky feline on a series of adventures while stoned out of his gourd. Once again, this puts Fritz back into contact with Nazis and crude ethnic stereotypes, and he also has his way with willing(?) partners. And, well, he’s also an astronaut, which surprisingly isn’t the weirdest part of the picture. “Fritz the Cat” tried to detail life in the 1960s, and “The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat” goes after the 1970s, though Taylor doesn’t share Bakshi’s anarchic vision, offering a more programmed return to Fritz’s world, repeating numerous scenes from the 1972 endeavor. The sequel plays things very carefully, on a simple quest to make as much money as Bakshi’s offering. Imagination isn’t prioritized here, as the feature is primarily interested in repetition, which grows tiring in a hurry.

The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Much like "Fritz the Cat," "The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat" finds a satisfying release on Blu-ray. The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation supplies bright colors, finding lively hues on clothing and psychedelic interludes. Animal fur and skin is distinct, and urban areas retain their intended ugliness, with cool blues and browns. Detail surveys animation efforts, which are noticeably slicker due to a larger budget. Signage comes through with passable clarity, along with more artful use of pictures and newspaper photos. Source is in good condition, with some light scratches.

The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix provides a clear understanding of performance choice, offering clean dialogue exchanges from all sorts of accents and attitudes. Music offers a jazzier mood, which is preserved with sharper instrumentation and volume. Sound effects explore war zones and space travel, remaining appreciable.

The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:31, HD) is included.

The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's debatable if "Fritz the Cat" had charm, but such merriment is gone from "The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat," which feels angrier and plays like a typical cash-in production. Krantz doesn't want a different movie that explores a fresh approach to animation and storytelling with this character. He wants more of the same, and that's what Taylor delivers, perhaps trusting that the core demographic for this endeavor will be too high to notice the often painful sameness of it all.