Cat Cit Collection (Blu-ray) ***Preorder*** 10/13

Both beloved, surreal Hungarian animated gems CAT CITY and CATCHER: CAT CITY 2, released together in the U.S. on Blu-ray for the first time!

Cat City Collection: Cat City + Catcher: Cat City 2 is a deluxe 2-disc Blu-ray edition that brings together Béla Ternovszky’s cult Hungarian animated sci-fi classic Cat City (1986) and its long-awaited sequel Catcher: Cat City 2 (2007), presented together for the first time, with the sequel making its U.S. Blu-ray debut.

Cat City (Macskafogó, 1986, Hungary, 96 min.) is set in the year 80 AMM (“After Mickey Mouse”) on Planet X, where cats and rats have formed an alliance to eliminate mice. Mouse secret agent Nick Grabovsky (László Sinkó) takes on the criminal cat syndicate led by the sinister, metal-pawed Mr. Teufel (Miklós Benedek). The film blends spy-fi action, political satire, and musical spectacle, including a surreal sequence featuring a chorus of Mexican vampire bats living inside an ancient Mayan temple. Visually and tonally, it sits somewhere between Don Bluth-era animation such as The Secret of NIMH and the British television series Danger Mouse, and has long been considered a cult favorite throughout Eastern Europe.

Catcher: Cat City 2 (Macskafogó 2 – A sátán macskája, 2007, Hungary, 90 min.) takes place twenty years after the original film’s events. Planet X is now peacefully run by rodents, and Grabovsky has retired to operate an organic spinach farm. That peace is shattered when an African explorer discovers the last surviving tribe of cats in the jungle, who summon the ancient feline demon Moloch in an effort to reclaim dominance. The sequel reintroduces familiar characters, including the return of Mr. Teufel, and expands the mythology with increasingly surreal and large-scale imagery, culminating in a Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla-style battle between Moloch and a giant Robot Dog.

This collector’s edition includes an extensive lineup of bonus materials. Three rare Béla Ternovszky animated shorts provide additional context to his artistic output. A commentary track by film historian Samm Deighan delivers detailed critical analysis, while an additional commentary by filmmaker and animator Dorian Saisse explores the technical and creative aspects of the animation. Archival and newly produced video content includes The Director Answers: Béla Ternovszky (2023, 23 min., dir. Yvonne Kerékgyártó), Ahead Of Its Time (Megelozte a maga korát) (2020, 25 min., dir. Péter Szalay), and We Just Made It For The Fun Of It (Jókedvünkben készítettük) (2020, 30 min., dir. Péter Szalay), in which Ternovszky reflects on his work at Pannonia Studio. A newly recorded interview with Ternovszky is also included.

Additional archival context is provided through an interview with György Ráduly, Director of the National Film Institute-Film Archive. The set also features a 48-page booklet with new essays by Dan Schindel and Walter Chaw, as well as a new visual essay by film historian Evan Chester, making this release both a definitive home video presentation and a substantial archival document of Hungarian animation history.

Bonus Materials

• 3 rare Béla Ternovszky animated shorts.
• Interview with György Ráduly, Director of the National Film Institute-Film Archive.
• Commentary track by film historian Samm Deighan
• 'The Director Answers: Béla Ternovsky' - 2023, 23 min. Dir. Yvonne Kerékgyártó – interview with Béla Ternovszky
• “Ahead Of Its Time (Megelőzte a maga korát)” – 2020, 25 min. Dir. Péter Szalay. Fascinating video essay on the creative genesis of CAT CITY
• “We Just Made It For The Fun Of It (Jókedvünkben készítettük)” – 2020, 30 min. Dir. Péter Szalay. Béla Ternovszky discusses his career at Pannonia Studio
• New video interview with director Béla Ternovszky
• 48-page booklet featuring new essays by film critics Dan Schindel and Walter Chaw
• New audio commentary by filmmaker & animator Dorian Saisse
• New visual essay by film historian Evan Chester