Why So Blu?

Felidae (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

Deaf Crocodile’s Felidae 4K UHD Blu-ray brings new life to a film long banned in some countries, hard to find in others, and barely whispered about outside cult animation circles. A murder mystery soaked in blood, brains, and philosophical dread, this is adult animation that doesn’t pull punches. It’s stylish, savage, and smart enough to make you forget you’re watching cats. And with Deaf Crocodile’s new 4K restoration, it finally gets the claws-out revival it deserves.

Film

If you’re expecting a cuddly cartoon about housecats, turn back now. Felidae is a brutal, brooding mystery dressed in animated fur — less Aristocats, more Se7en with whiskers. Directed by Michael Schaack and adapted from the bestselling novel by Akif Pirinçci, this isn’t a film for children. Cats are getting murdered. Brains are being tampered with. There’s a cult. And somewhere in the middle of it all, a curious feline named Francis is trying to solve the case before he ends up on the chopping block.

The film walks a tightrope between beauty and brutality. On one side: fluid, hand-drawn animation with dreamy lighting, gothic set-pieces, and an eerie romanticism. On the other: disemboweled corpses, grotesque experiments, and a nihilistic streak that would make even noir detectives flinch. It’s unnerving, yes, but also stunning in its craftsmanship — a uniquely German brew of genre elements filtered through a grim fairytale lens.

Francis, the protagonist, isn’t your typical animated hero. He’s jaded, introspective, and constantly grappling with his own guilt and purpose. As he wanders deeper into the conspiracy, the film folds in philosophical asides about science, religion, and species identity — heavy stuff, but never pretentious. The emotional impact sneaks up on you, and by the final reel, it hits like a gut punch. This is storytelling with claws.

And now that Deaf Crocodile has given it a proper 4K release, there’s no excuse to leave Felidae buried in obscurity. This is the kind of restoration that reminds you why physical media matters: a full-bodied presentation that restores the film’s grimy textures and moody atmospherics while respecting its hand-drawn origins. It’s more than a re-release — it’s a reclamation.

Video

NOTE: Stills are provided for promotional use only and are not from the 4K or HD Blu-rays.

Encoding: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Region:  A

HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10

Layers: BD-66 / BD-50

Clarity and Detail: The Felidae 4K UHD Blu-ray benefits from a brand-new 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative. The new scan from the 35mm negative is a revelation. Line work is razor-sharp without looking artificially enhanced. You can see the grain of painted backgrounds, the grit of alleyway bricks, even the subtle brushstrokes in the lighting gradients.

Depth: Backgrounds now have palpable depth. Whether Francis is prowling through a foggy street or peering into the flicker of a CRT monitor, the depth cues land beautifully.

Black Levels: Deep and stable, with no visible crush. Important for a film this shadow-heavy — it leans heavily on darkness, and this transfer handles it without flinching.

Color: Muted by design, but still rich where it counts. The HDR pass enhances the menace — blood pops, neon glows, and fire flickers just right.

Flesh Tones: N/A (cats!), but fur tones are naturalistic and varied across breeds.

Noise and Artifacts: None worth noting. No DNR, no edge enhancement, and no visible compression issues.

Audio

Audio Format(s):  German DTS-HD MA 2.0

Subtitles: English, English SDH

Dynamics: The stereo mix may be simple, but it’s powerful. Score swells and sudden bursts of violence are delivered with punch and control.

Height: N/A

Low Frequency Extension: N/A

Surround Sound: N/A

Dialogue: Clear and crisp throughout. The German voice cast hits all the right emotional notes, and nothing gets buried.

Extras

Deaf Crocodile loaded this release with new and relevant content. Director Michael Schaack is interviewed in a thoughtful sit-down moderated by Dennis Bartok. We also get separate interviews with the animation team — including Doug Bennett and Eamonn Butler — and a layout-focused segment with Armen Melkonian. A standout feature is the new commentary by Ryan Verrill (The Disc-Connected) and Dr. Will Dodson, which dives into both film history and production trivia. There’s over three hours of bonus material not including the excellent audio commentary. Fans of boutique animation will appreciate the depth of extras curated for the Felidae 4K UHD Blu-ray.

Special Features

• New 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by Craig Rogers
• New Dolby Vision HDR color grade by Tyler Fagerstrom
• New video interview with director Michael Schaack, moderated by Dennis Bartok of Deaf Crocodile
• New video interview with the key animation team including Doug Bennett, Paul Bolger, Eamonn Butler, Bernie Denk and Desmond Downes
• New video interview with layout designer Armen Melkonian
• New commentary by journalist and physical media expert Ryan Verrill (The Disc Connected) and film professor Dr. Will Dodson.

Summary

Don’t let the animated cats fool you — Felidae is more in line with Watership Down or The Plague Dogs than anything Pixar has ever dreamed up. It’s unsettling, adult, and absolutely unforgettable. This release from Deaf Crocodile is a knockout, both in presentation and preservation. If you collect boutique animation or just want something that pushes the form into darker, more experimental waters, this is essential. Plain and simple.

For more beautifully restored animated gems, be sure to check out our review of the Gwen and the Book of Sand 4K UHD Blu-ray — another standout release from Deaf Crocodile.

 

 

Felidae is available on Blu-ray!

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