Talking About Michael Schaack’s Felidae with our guests, Deaf Crocodile’s Dennis Bartok and Craig Rogers
Join us for a fascinating conversation with Dennis Bartok and Craig Rogers, co-founders of Deaf Crocodile Films, as we explore their journey in film restoration and distribution, culminating in their latest release—the 1994 German animated noir Felidae. From their early days working together at Cinelicious Pictures to launching Deaf Crocodile during the pandemic, these passionate film preservationists have rescued nearly 70 films from obscurity thus far.
The heart of our discussion centers on Felidae, a dark animated detective story following Francis, a cat who moves to a new neighborhood only to find himself embroiled in a series of gruesome murders. The film, based on the first of Akif Pirinçci’s novel series, pushes boundaries with its mature themes, graphic violence, and surprising commentary on eugenics. We dive deep into the challenging restoration process, including the race against time to preserve the deteriorating original negative, and the fascinating history of this ambitious international animation project that featured Boy George on its soundtrack.
Beyond Felidae, Dennis and Craig share incredible stories about their other restorations, including the rediscovery of Solomon King, a lost 1974 black action film they found through its soundtrack album. They discuss their philosophy on film restoration, the challenges of securing rights to forgotten films, and their commitment to preserving cinema history while making these works accessible to modern audiences.
This episode offers a rare glimpse into the world of film restoration and distribution, highlighting how passionate individuals are working to save important pieces of cinema history. Felidae stands as a prime example of their work—a unique, challenging animated film that deserves to be rediscovered by modern audiences, and we had a wonderful time discussing it with these dedicated film preservationists.
Film Sundries
- Check out Deaf Crocodile!
- Tune in to The Official Deaf Crocodile Podcast
- Find Craig on Instagram, Bluesky, and Twitter
- Find Dennis on Instagram and IMDb
- Listen to Pete’s and Andy’s conversation about Gangs of Wasseypur Part 1 and Part 2 on The Next Reel Film Podcast
- Listen to Pete’s and Andy’s conversation about Dead Mountaineer’s Hotel on The Next Reel Film Podcast
- Listen to Pete’s and Andy’s conversation about Kin-Dza-Dza! on The Next Reel Film Podcast
- Watch our conversation on YouTube!
- Find other places to watch this at JustWatch
- Script Options
- Theatrical trailer (restoration version)
- Original Material
- Letterboxd
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