Why So Blu?

The Cat (Blu-ray Review)

This Cat Blu-ray review takes a look at one of the coolest crime thrillers to come out of 1980s Germany. Directed by Dominik Graf, this slick little heist film blends moody atmosphere, tight suspense, and sharp performances in a way that still feels fresh. Radiance Films gives The Cat a proper Blu-ray debut with a new HD restoration, English subtitles, and a nice batch of extras that dig into its legacy. If you’re into slow-burn tension, stylish criminals, and old-school analog grit, this one’s definitely worth checking out.

 

Film

Dominik Graf’s The Cat wastes no time throwing you into the action. Two masked men storm a bank, demanding a multi-million-mark ransom and holding several employees hostage. While the police scramble to negotiate and plan a rescue, there’s someone watching from a distance — calm, calculating, and one step ahead. That setup sounds familiar, but the way Graf builds suspense feels anything but routine. The Cat is all about control — both the kind the characters try to hold onto, and the kind the director keeps tight on his audience.

The Cat Blu-ray Review has to highlight how tight this movie is. Every move feels deliberate. It’s got this confident, stylish rhythm, where the tension simmers just under the surface. Graf specializes in crime dramas, and this might be his best. The camera lingers just long enough to make you uneasy, the score pulses in and out, and the performances are quietly electric. There’s a seductive coolness to it, but it never turns into a cartoon. This is lean, sharp storytelling that stays locked in.

Going in, I thought it might feel like Roger Avary’s Killing Zoe (1994) or something in that wheelhouse. But The Cat came years earlier, and it’s clear this one isn’t taking cues from Avary, Tarantino, or ‘90s American crime films. This is its own thing — steeped in European tension, cold precision, and psychological unease. It’s gritty but not messy, stylish without being flashy. Graf isn’t aiming for chaos — he’s all about control, and the film is more focused on the people pulling the strings than any big, noisy payoff.

Honestly, I hadn’t even heard of The Cat before this Blu-ray came out. And that’s kind of the point — it’s one of those films that’s somehow slipped through the cracks. Watching it now, you’d think it had a bigger reputation. It won Best Direction at the German Film Awards for a reason. It’s mature, calculated, and patient in a way that feels totally different from most heist movies. It doesn’t lean on big shootouts or flashy camera tricks. It’s cerebral, but still thrilling.

Video

NOTE: Stills are provided for promotional use only and are not from the Blu-ray

Encoding: MPEG-4 AVC

Resolution: 1080p

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Region: A, B

HDR: N/A

Layers: BD-50

Clarity and Detail: The image is sharp and filmic, with a healthy layer of grain that feels natural to the late ’80s aesthetic. Facial textures, clothing fibers, and street-level detail come through well without looking overly scrubbed or digitally altered.

Depth: There’s a solid sense of depth throughout, especially in the more confined interiors and scenes where characters are framed against glass, cityscapes, or multi-layered staging. Nothing feels flat, and movement flows smoothly.

Black Levels: Blacks are deep and mostly stable, with only a hint of crush in some of the darker scenes. Night sequences and shadowy interiors retain detail without becoming muddy or washed out.

Color: Colors are cool and muted by design — this isn’t a flashy film — but they’re consistent and natural. Skin tones, blues, and urban grays look balanced, and the occasional splash of neon signage or police lights pops nicely against the otherwise grounded palette.

Flesh Tones: Flesh tones are accurate and not overly warm or cold. Characters look appropriately lit, and there’s no waxiness or over-processing in close-ups.

Noise and Artifacts: There’s no major noise or digital artifacting to report. Film grain is intact and even. No signs of edge enhancement or DNR. It looks like Radiance respected the film’s original texture and tone.

Audio

Audio Format(s): German LPCM 2.0, German DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Subtitles: English

Dynamics: The 5.1 mix brings some decent punch, especially during scenes with gunfire or police sirens. While not quite demo material, there’s enough separation and range to keep things immersive without overdoing it.

Height: N/A

Low Frequency Extension: LFE hits when it needs to — explosions and bass-heavy moments have a little rumble, but nothing that’s going to shake the walls. It adds weight without overwhelming the track.

Surround Sound: The DTS-HD 5.1 track is the better option here, with more spatial movement and ambient detail. Rear channels get some subtle use during crowd scenes and tense standoffs, but it’s still mostly front-driven. The 2.0 track sounds fine but feels a little flatter in comparison.

Dialogue: German dialogue comes through clearly in both mixes. No syncing issues or distortion. One or two moments — like the armored car explosion — get slightly muffled, but it doesn’t affect comprehension.

Extras

Radiance Films really went all out with the bonus content on The Cat Blu-ray. You get a fresh HD transfer supervised by Dominik Graf himself, plus a full hour-long interview with the director that digs into his approach to crime cinema. There are also two solid interviews with screenwriter Christoph Fromm and producer Georg Feil, each running just over 30 minutes, along with a select-scene commentary from Graf for more behind-the-scenes perspective. The disc includes a new English subtitle translation, the original trailer, and some classy packaging touches—like a reversible sleeve with new artwork and a limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Brandon Streussnig. All of this comes in a Scanavo case with an OBI strip, limited to just 3,000 copies.

 

LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

 

• High-Definition digital transfer newly graded by Radiance Films and overseen by director Dominik Graf
• Interview with Dominik Graf (2024, 62 mins)
• Interview with screenwriter Christoph Fromm (2024, 31 mins)
• Interview with producer Georg Feil (2024, 31 mins)
• Select-scene commentary by Dominik Graf (2024)
• Trailer
• New English subtitle translation
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
• Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Brandon Streussnig
• Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

Summary

Radiance Films delivers big with this release. The Cat is a smart, stylish, and totally gripping crime story that deserves way more attention. Whether you’re into heist films, gritty ’80s thrillers, or just discovering Dominik Graf’s work, this is a perfect starting point. The Cat Blu-ray Review makes one thing clear: this isn’t just a cool import — it’s a cult classic in the making.

 

The Cat is available on Blu-ray!

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