Feline Reincarnate

From the collection of

East Anglian Film Archive at the University of East Anglia

The East Anglian Film Archive, the UK's first regional film archive, offers a unique record of the East of England's social and cultural history. As part of the University of East Anglia, we continue to lead moving image heritage research and inspire audience participation through community projects and events. Our collections represent a broad range of amateur and professional creativity, from 1896 to the present day.

Feline Reincarnate

East Anglian Film Archive at the University of East Anglia
1976-01-01
Sound
10m

Driven to distraction a young man murders another, however the dead victim's feline reincarnation wants revenge!

A pilot episode intended to be produced for TV screening, this is the third film in the 'Other Realms' series. The 'Other Realms' episodes are tales of strange happenings where the bizarre becomes commonplace, melding atmospheric soundtracks, a mix of live-action and stop-motion animation, and sophisticated editing techniques. Filmmaker and animator Jon Coley was just 17 years of age when he directed, edited, animated, and starred in this production.

Coley's short fiction films take inspiration from the work of fantasy animation pioneer Ray Harryhausen. Coley had a very early introduction to work of Ray Harryhausen, when aged 3, he saw a TV excerpt from 'The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms'. Aged 13, on a wet Saturday afternoon, Coley went to see 'One Million Years B.C. (1966). From then on he was hooked. In later years, after eventually tracking down his hero, Coley and Harryhausen became great friends, and the two would showcase work to each other.

Amateur Auteurs

Ever dreamed of shooting your own movie? These pre-digital cine-enthusiasts did - with all the passion and devotion of the true auteur.

These low- (or no-) budget creations reach beyond simple point-and-shoot, back-garden efforts towards something more ambitious and skilful, revealing their authors' passion for film and their often astonishing ingenuity with limited resources. No desktop editing software or digital special effects for these amateur auteurs. The films include fiction and documentary, competition prizewinners and private labours of love. They may be the work of cine-clubbers or individual enthusiasts. But they all show a devotion to filmmaking that far transcends hobbyism. So look out for the delightful handmade intertitles, table-top special effects and library soundtracks which decorate many of the quirky stories, ultra-local documentaries and painstakingly composed home movies featured here.