CATS AND DOGS: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE
US, 2010, 82 minutes, Colour.
Chris O’ Donnell.
Voices of: James Marsden, Nick Nolte, Christina Applegate, Katt Williams, Better Midler, Neil Patrick Harris, Sean Hayes, Wallace Shawn, Roger Moore, Joe Pantoliano, Michael Clarke Duncan.
Directed by Brad Peyton.
The first Cats and Dogs (2001) was an amusing variation on the talking animals’ movies – but this time they have used familiar espionage and action conventions and have provided some entertaining spoofs. With Mr Tinkles, voiced by Sean Hayes, the original was something of a sharp parody.
This one intends much the same. Not that the kiddies for whom the film is intended are going to get the wordplay on Pussy Galore (after all, the movie of Goldfinger was 47 years ago!) nor recognise the amusing style of these credits aping Maurice Binder’s credits for all those James Bond films. And, it would have to be a precocious infant movie buff who would enjoy the joke of Roger Moore playing a cat whose name is Lazenby.
Actually, the conspiracy theory behind the plot here is not particularly startling. The scorned Kitty Galore (voiced by an over-the-top Bette Midler) wants to control the world by making dogs go so berserk that they upset their owners who get rid of them and the cats take over and Kitty becomes a feline Blofeld.
Meantime, Diggs (voiced by James Marsden) is a police dog, heroic but lacking in judgment, prone to on the job disasters. Despite the pleas of his owner (Chris O’ Donnell), Diggs is pensioned off but recruited by the international dog squad where dogs combat evil instead of being taken to the pound. This time, the boss, Butch (now voiced by a humorously gruff Nick Nolte), recruits Diggs to bring down Kitty Galore. There are dogs (Neil Patrick Harris), an ally cat (Christina Applegate) and a garrulous homing pigeon (Katt Williams) amongst the agents.
What follows is investigation, canine mayhem, feline malice, and ultimate success.
Diggs is reunited with his master, but is called again by Butch because Mr Tinkles, imitating Blofeld and laughing like Dr Evil, is offering a potential sequel.
1. The popularity of the original film? The same style for the sequel? Cats and dogs and espionage?
2. The live action, the blending of the sequences with the animals, animatronics, the animals speaking? The casting for the voices? Realism, humour? The musical score?
3. The focus on Diggs, his master? The police work, the siege, the bomb, the explosion? Diggs in disgrace? The police putting him off? His reluctant owner letting him go? His return at the end and rehabilitation?
4. The dog squad, Butch in charge, his gruff voice? The assistants? The variety of personalities of the different dogs? The voice of Seamus the pigeon? Catherine, the cat, her working with the dogs? Mr Tinkles at the end – and Sean Hayes’ comedy? The comedy with Roger Moore as the cat, called Lazenby?
5. The situation, Kitty Galore, the play with the character from Goldfinger? Her treatment by the humans, skinned, her wanting revenge? World domination? The new Blofeld? Her plan concerning the dogs, the owners getting rid of the dogs, the ascendencies of the cats, her taking over? Her maniacal laugh? Seeing her in action, control of the dogs, her plan, fulfilment? The confrontation with Diggs, her defeat?
6. Diggs as hero, working with the team, the special confrontation with Kitty Galore, the fight, his success?
7. The cats and their collaboration with the dogs? Catherine and her role? Lazenby? The other dogs and their activities? Their skills?
8. The parody of the James Bond films, the opening with Kitty Galore in disguise as a dog? The credits and the Maurice Binder credits for the Bond films? The song? The parallels with Blofeld and other villains?
9. The achievement of Diggs, the dangers, the rescue, the other dogs? His going back to his master? The message coming through – and the secret passage under the house?
10. Audience enjoyment of this kind of film – for the children’s audience? For adults?
