Why do cats get such a bad rep in film?
Why do cats get such a bad rep? They are usually the villains in most films. They are sneaky , selfish, vain and ambitious. They are also usually associated with being sexy, and sneaky. So what's the deal?
Cats historically were venerated in egyptian times. They were the caretakers of the dead. So, somewhere along the way they have become kind of misunderstood. I guess cats personalities transfer to evil in film mainly because they are terribly independent. Cats don't need anyone. They can basically survive on their own. They always give the idea that they are there because they are doing YOU a favour. ( As I write this my cat proves the point by ceremoniously trying to sit on my keyboard). Cats don't have owners, they give their time when they feel like it.
Dogs on the other hand , are loyal and dependent. It's interesting that cats are usually seen as female and dogs seen as males....considering the characteristics it does seem a tad chavenistic.
Cats are sleek animals with interesting characteristics. They are also , well kinda slutty. I think bunnies are perhaps the only other creature that overpopulates as much. ( Considering that I have five kittens in my house right now plus two cats I can bear witness to that) Which might be the reason that one of the words for cats have a sexual connotation. ( Fill in the gaps people )
Women are usually the ones associated with having cats. It is also a common fear for women to become " crazy cat lady" ( a term I still shudder with fear when mentioned) when alluding to women who are single with loads of cats. ( Somehow crazy dog lady doesn't have the same ring to it...)
Let's see a couple of good examples of cats in film :
Catwoman and Batman Returns
She's a liar, a thief, and a shady superheroe, but she can kick Batman's butt. Michelle Pffeifer did a superb job in doing the cat justice.
The pink panther
Not really a cat but again sort of sneaky and shady
The Cat in the Hat
A cat wreaks havock in a respectable neighborhood. Hmm.
Garfield
Probably one of the most famous cats out there. Lazy, selfish and smart.
Cats and Dogs
Ah, cats are evil aliens set out to control humans, and dogs are the only ones that can fight back.
So why the bad rap? Well, i personally think that cats are a bit too human for many tastes, and perhaps a more pratical reason is they aren't that easy to train on film. Cats are really likeable and hopefully one day we shall come to understand them better.
