The Cat Returns

Masterful Wit
The Cat Returns / B0006J28BOMiyazaki movies, in my experience, tend either to be very serious and thoughtful (Nausicaa and Princess Mononoke) or somewhat sleepy and whimsical (Porco Rosso and Kiki’s Delivery Service), but “The Cat Returns” manages to superbly combine a serious message (knowing oneself) with wonderful wit, charm, and fast-paced laughs.When an unlucky young girl selflessly saves a small cat from being run over in the streets, her life takes a decided turn for the worse as all the cats in the city start “repaying” her for her efforts with gifts of mice, catnip, and an offer of marriage to the cat prince that the cats just won’t let her turn down. When she turns to the head of the local “Cat Bureau”, a small group of helpful misfits, for aid, the elegant Baron (voiced beautifully by Cary Elwes in the English version) reminds her to, above all else, know herself, and then she can never truly go wrong.”The Cat Returns” stands out among the many “trust yourself” movies in two important respects. First, it is a masterful piece of work, not another cash in on this all too common theme, and the comedic elements in particular stand out. The insane Cat King (voice by Tim Curry) missteps frequently and amusingly – and always without shame or guilt, even when his golf practice knocks out his own guards, rather than the fleeing party of misfits he is aiming for. All the cats are superbly rendered, with the “Fat Cat” Mufa in particular adding a wonderful comic element. Beyond the comedy, I was deeply impressed with the dialogue, pacing, and direction of the script – this film truly showcases why Miyazaki is such a respected figure in his field.The second unique feature of this “trust yourself” theme is that the movie actually takes its own advice seriously in a way that most movies will not. Once our heroine truly learns to know herself, trust her instincts, and become her own person (not dependent upon others to ‘complete’ her), she never wavers from that, not even when it would be tempting to abandon the premise at the last moment for a sugary, stereotypical “happy” ending. I am also deeply pleased with the character of her mother – it’s so nice and refreshing to have a parent figure in movies that isn’t stupid, cruel, or otherwise loathsome in order to further the plot.I would recommend “The Cat Returns” to anyone, young or old, but especially to cat lovers and quilters! This movie provides English closed captions for the hearing impaired.~ Ana Mardoll

Unique and charming!
Underlying this charming little film is a young girl’s coming-of-age story. Helmed by Ghibli animator Hiroyuki Morita (and yes Miyazaki is also involved in it as the executive producer), the story centers around Haru (voiced by Anne Hathaway), a young teenager who feels like she is a misfit at her school, with only one really good friend. There’s not much backstory as to why Haru does not fit in with her peers, but before long, Haru finds herself embroiled in some peculiar goings-on – she rescues a cat from being run over by a truck and to her amazement, the cat thanks her verbally! That same night, Haru is visited by the King of Cats and his entourage, and is informed that she will make a good daughter-in-law for his son, the Prince of Cats.Reeling from this encounter, Haru discovers to her horror that the cats mean business when she arrives in school to find some bizarre ‘gifts’ – hundreds of wrapped presents containing live mice! Haru then hears a voice that asks her to find The Cat Bureau, and makes her way to a store (with the aid of an overlarge white cat named Muta) where she meets an elegant and charming cat named Baron von Gikkengen (Cary Elwes). The rest of the story focuses on the Baron’s attempts to rescue Haru after she is kidnapped by the King of Cat’s henchmen and kept prisoner in the Cat Kingdom.I loved the underlying theme which addresses self-esteem and trying to find one’s ‘voice’, universal themes which many adolescents struggle with. My five-and-a-half year old daughter might not have appreciated nor understood this theme, but she loved the rich visuals (plus it helps that both of us adore cats!). It is a story that can be appreciated by both young and older viewers on different levels. There is some violence involving battle scenes between the Baron, Haru, Muta and the King’s cats, but these scenes are not gory or bloody. In my opinion, this animated feature is suitable for ages 5 and up, depending on the maturity level of the child. “The Cat Returns” is charming with an engaging plot and interesting characters. I plan to watch Whisper of the Heart which I understand features the Baron in it.

La película llegó a tiempo y en buen estado. Esta es la última película de Studio Ghibli que me faltaba, es una buena continuación. Viene con subtítulos solo en inglés.

La última obra que me faltaba de Ghibli, obra de arte como todo lo que hacen, hay que tener este dvd con los demás sin dudarlo.