by Mark Murton
Directed by: Walter Salles
Synopsis: In this adaptation of Kerouac’s classic 1957 novel, Sal Paradise (Sam Riley) is shaken by the death of his father and so, feeling his writing career has stalled, he takes to the road hoping for inspiration. Joining up with recent new acquaintances, the charismatic and fearless Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund) and his free-spirited young wife, Marylou (Kristen Stewart), they travel across the American south-west together, striving to break the bounds of conformity and seek the unknown, which ultimately inspires Sal to write a novel about his life on the road with Dean.
Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): During a stop-off in Louisiana to see Old Bull Lee (Viggo Mortensen), Bull is keen to show them his Orgone Accumulator. He extols its virtues as they approach the device (which looks like nothing so much as a ramshackle outhouse!), explaining “Folks get cancer because they run out of Orgone.” Bull pulls open the door to enter and lifts out a surprised looking longhair bicolor tabby cat, declaring, “Hey, look at that. See how big he got?” The cat actor is licking his or her lips, probably having been eating something while waiting inside the enclosure.
Bull proffers the cat towards them stating, “See that, not an inch of cancer.”
He then tosses the cat to Dean who thankfully catches the kitty safely.
Final Mewsings: Cats would rather be on the road than in an outhouse!
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