Music and Cats / Book of Abstracts - Catalog - Page 37
Abstracts
Panel 3: Film, Games and Gear
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Sadhbh
13:40 – 13:55
Scales and Arpeggios
Perspectives on Cats and Music in Animation
Charlotte Doesburg and Riitta-Liisa Valijärvi / University of Oxford,
University College London, Uppsala University
This talk explores the topic of cats and music in
cinematic fiction. Our research questions are: Why
are cats associated with music in animation and
live action? Is there something inherently musical
about cats and what do they symbolize? Our case
studies include The Aristocats (1970), the Siamese
cats from The Lady and the Tramp (1955), Gay
Purr-ee (1962), Une vie de chat (2010), Puss in Boots
(2011), Cats (2019 film), Flow (2024). We analyze
the data set using multimodal analysis comprising
of an examination of the music, vocals, movement,
and lyrics. Theoretically, we rely on the notions of
musicality (Mundy 2018, Jan 2022) and othering
(Said 1977). The first part of the analysis focuses
on the sounds and rhythm of these fictional cats.
We find that due to their vocalizations, nocturnal
lifestyle, and movement cats are especially well
suited to be associated with music in various ways.
This association is facilitated by the fact that we
live with cats and understand their meows, purrs,
and chirps. The socio-cultural part of our
analysis shows that fictional cats can serve as
stand-ins for the human Other, less privileged
groups. This problematic representation is not
only reflected in the visuals but through
musical stereotypes. When we try to blend the
human and the animal Other (in this case the
cat), it may lead to an uneasy experience, the
uncanny valley, as shown by the response to
the filmatization of Andrew Lloyd Webber
musical Cats. The Oscar-winning film Flow, on
the other hand, relies on instrumental music
rather than dialogue or lyrics to convey action
and emotion and to advance the plot, in
addition to the visuals. Here, the animal Other
has clear agency, and the film brings us closer
to nature and animals through following the
journey of a black cat.
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