Catwalk: Tales from the Cat Show Circuit

It was a pretty boring documentary. I thought it would show a whole lot of different cats but instead it followed the adventures of two rivals who own cats that compete against each other in cat competitions. The lady with the turkish angora cat was so salty.

This documentary could've easily been mocking of its cat-showing subjects but thankfully mostly wasn't. There are times when I wondered if the people in the camera lens couldn't have used more help in their makeup, hair and wardrobe. For the most part the cats looked to be better groomed and cared for than their handlers. As a documentary I guess it's par for the course but there was a sadness to the way these people looked in the locations and lighting that was available which seemed at odds to the lively tale of cat competition that was shaping up, and to the bit of heartwarming friendship between the competitors which seemed to have taken place off screen.

Yes there is a central narrative to this documentary (who will win? Turkish Angora Bobby or Red Persian Oh La La?) and several offshoot ones of the two main competitors and then also some other ones (the possibily transvestite competitor and the morbidly obese cat breeder and the two once married judges). The central narrative and the off shoots had lots of potential but sometimes felt stretched thin and then sometimes felt like not delved into deeply enough. I did want to hear more about some of the people once I met them, like the judges who used ambiguous phrasing about their marriage status. Slightly disappointed not to hear more about them.

This is a curious documentary with some sparks of rich material that didn't feel mined enough. It is also lacking in real visual eye candy. There was a lot of opportunity to really showcase these cats with better and more varied angles and lighting and the camera work was just about basic. There definitely could've been more information about the different types of breeds too. This is more of a documentary about the cat handlers than the cats, and while I've noted the people running the show are interesting or have potential to be interesting (I liked the cheerful but cutthroat language exchanged between the two first and second place competitors), I do have a preference for cats. A missed opportunity not to have beautiful images or beautiful camera work in a topic about the showcasing of beauty.

I think the tone of the documentary was right but the visuals could've been kinder to the subjects and more attentive to the beautiful cats and I also thought there could've been a better overall balance about the stories told. However I would still say this documentary is slightly worthwhile to watch because there is dimension to the people behind the scenes even if it wasn't fully exploited. 6/10.

Although this documentary is not the best technically made film, the subject is incredible. The rivalry between Bobby and Lala is palpable throughout the entire film. I learned so much about Cat Shows from this documentary. Watch for a good fun time.

Seriously, if you're a cat person, or just a fan of documentaries that cover niche subjects, give this film a try.

I went in skeptical, I'll freely admit it. The movie could have had a tone that looked down on its subjects or presented these people as little more than oddballs. Instead, with a sense of humor and also warmth, presented its subjects -- both human and feline -- in an engaging and dynamic way. Though it has two competitors at its center, the film also includes interviews with other members of the cat show circuit, and they really add some joy to the film.

From the married judges, to the breeders, to the owners of these pampered pets, this documentary was a joy for me to watch and I hope it will be for you too.

I honestly had never even thought about this sort of world.

Now, I'm super stoked that the World Championship is about to hit my hometown.

Amazing.

Beautiful and heartfelt.