Oh good! You found us.
We're an on-demand movie theater where you can discover hand-picked films from festivals and collections around
the world. We make it easy for you to find films you'll love, no matter what your interests are.
Toward the end of their marriage, filmmakers Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid collaborated on the remarkable short THE PRIVATE LIVE OF A CAT. As the film’s furry protagonists, identified only as “She” and “He,” gave birth to a litter of kittens (a process recorded in the film in full though without sound), Deren and Hammid captured their sly, sidelong glances, their cuddles and licks, their resourcefulness and their casual, curious mannerisms. The filmmakers both adored cats and their admiration and affection for the creatures is evident here; their feline subjects occupy nearly every frame of the film, which was shot over the course of four weeks. The filmmakers themselves never appear in this piece; the world they created is inhabited by the animals alone. Here, Deren and Hammid exist only in the objects in their apartment; in the film’s sparse intertitles; in the appearance of the occasional saucer of milk; and in the presence of the camera. “One of the finest films that has ever been made,” said filmmaker Stan Brakhage of PRIVATE LIFE, a work that’s a character study, a work of cinematic anthropology, a narrative, a documentary, part drama and, perhaps above all, a romance. - Livia Bloom
This presentation of THE PRIVATE LIFE OF A CAT includes an original score composed by Beth Custer and performed by the Beth Custer Ensemble.
GENRES
Related Films
-
At Land
AT LAND begins at sea. In the film’s stunning opening sequence, a woman (played by filmmaker Maya Deren) emerges on shore, climbs up a pile of driftwood... and finds herself in the middle of a formal banquet. She then moves from lush, verdant jungles to seaweed-strewn beaches, stealing chess pieces from other characters....Start your free trial to watch
-
Meditation on Violence
Haunting Chinese flute and Haitian drums accompany a graceful, elegant dance performance by Chao-Li Chi in Maya Deren’s MEDITATION ON VIOLENCE. The film was released following the publication of her book, “An Anagram of Ideas on Art, Form and Film” (1947), and her winning the Grand Prix Internationale for...Start your free trial to watch
-
Meshes of the Afternoon
One of the most important films in the history of American avant-garde cinema, Maya Deren’s MESHES OF THE AFTERNOON is captivating and dream-like, filled with tinges of psychodrama, murder mystery, and film noir. In a seemingly ordinary Los Angeles home, the film’s protagonist, played by the filmmaker...Start your free trial to watch
-
Ritual in Transfigured Time
Elusive and enigmatic, RITUAL IN TRANSFIGURED TIME begins with its director, the avant-garde pioneer filmmaker Maya Deren, winding a seemingly endless skein of yarn. She is joined by a young woman (the Trinidadian dancer Rita Christiani, one of Deren’s closest friends) who is then led away from their...Start your free trial to watch
Reviews
(see the best reviews)Join the conversation. Log in or subscribe to write a review!
This wonderful 1944 doc treats its subjects with such empathy and bonhomie that viewers can't help but share the filmmaker's affection for She and He as they nuzzle, lick, and playfully bat each other around or lounge about in a suspended state of bohemian lassitude. Nature runs its course, of course, and in the second act He is sent in exile to the living room while She, oblivious to the penetrating gaze of the camera, gives birth to a litter of rollicking kittens. It’s a love story for the ages.
Did Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid invent the cat video? Very possibly! Completely delightful in every way. Deren, intensely interested in the experiences of women (no matter what the species!), puts the focus on She and her journey into motherhood. But He is definitely not left out, and indeed has much to contribute to the kittens' introduction to the world. The score by the Beth Custer Ensemble is perfect. A beautiful slice of life.
Cat lovers will delight in this B&W silent movie (made in 1944 by Alexander Hammid) which captures the birth, early life and education of a litter of kittens living in a cozy urban apartment... Meanwhile, film buffs will appreciate the way in which this short film demonstrates the narrative-building techniques of framing and composition, POV, and selective editing. A strong slice-of-life narrative is created, complete with adorable kittens and proud parents -- the filmmakers keep a documentarian's distance, so while we see the little fuzzballs learning to chase tails and climb furniture, we are denied seeing them curl up into a human's lap. Just as well: the kitties are plenty captivating on their own, as is this whimsical gem of short-subject filmmaking. (JS)
This little piece of heaven is a must watch~ Especially for cat lovers and anyone interested in film making~ Charming and heart warming.
Cat fanatics will love this heart-warming true life film made in 1944. Worth the watch!
Wow this was so sweet. I've never seen cats in their natural environment quite like that I'm grateful I got a sneak peak! Great cinematography...definitely paralleled that 'cats taking on human qualities' theme that has enveloped our subculture. Also, good timing. Well planned. Thanks!
a close knit clan of the feline variety. the circle completes the life cycle in a few shorts months. clean, direct, personal, and private explored. nice project.
Delightful! Though the male (tom) cat is often not so attentave to the kittens.
It was very sweet, and the music wss great in the background.
Maya Deren, always a favorite of mine, scored with this beautiful tale (tail).
A sweet, witty and endearing look at cat romantic and family life. Great black & white footage coupled with the perfect WWII-era hipster jazz score.
How beautiful! I enjoyed the soundtrack of my own thoughts as the film hearkend memories of my own children.
A Cat Lovers Delight! Wonderful film... as warm and fuzzy as its stars!!
With Renoir's Une partie de campagne 1936 one of the masterpieces of "Idyllic Cinema".
I loved it... I was a little off-put by the shakey camera work in the beginning; but it stopped being shakey, early on and I was able to really enjoy the film.
An amazing film - really captures the familial aspect of cats - with great depth and MAGIC!
Cute romance scene. Loved the shot of His first glimpse of the babies. Nice use of camera angles in the door scene, the home search and on the scratching post. More than once we caught ourselves seeing the "humanness" of their emotions.
FYI, this movie get 656x better if you add your own soundtrack... May I suggest some atmospheric doom to lighten the mood?
The subject was interesting. The filmmaking was fantastic. Music would have been a nice addition. Worth watching.