The Alchemist Cookbook (2016)

Starring: Fiji

Directed by: Joel Potrykus

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: This moody, tongue-in-cheek horror film finds a brilliant but troubled man named Sean (Ty Hickson) living deep in the woods as he tries to unravel the secrets of alchemy from an ancient cookbook.

Featured Feline: Sean lives with a grey cat named Kaspar. Because his work is sometimes dangerous, Sean often places Kaspar into a large wicker basket.

The Alchemist Cookbook - gray cat Kaspar in basket

Sean enjoys listening to a wide variety of music and sometimes dances with Kaspar.

The Alchemist Cookbook - Sean Ty Hickson dancing with gray cat Kaspar

At one point some of the chemicals explode, causing a noxious cloud. Sean calls for Kaspar and places a gas mask over Kaspar’s face once he finds him.

The Alchemist Cookbook - Sean Ty Hickson holding gas mask over face of gray cat Kaspar

The only visitor Sean has is Cortez (Amari Cheatom) who picks up Kaspar when he arrives.

The Alchemist Cookbook - Cortez Amari Cheatom dancing with gray cat Kaspar
The Alchemist Cookbook - Cortez Amari Cheatom dancing with gray cat Kaspar

Kaspar is sitting nearby while Sean performs a spell with a candle. Kaspar even hisses at Sean when the man gets frustrated, but allows himself to be picked up and placed in the basket again.

The Alchemist Cookbook - Sean Ty Hickson conducting spell with candle by gray cat Kaspar
The Alchemist Cookbook - Sean Ty Hickson conducting spell with candle by gray cat Kaspar
The Alchemist Cookbook - Sean Ty Hickson being hissed at by gray cat Kaspar

Kaspar is Sean’s closest companion, even when things start to get even weirder than usual.

The Alchemist Cookbook - Sean Ty Hickson at sink with gray cat Kaspar
The Alchemist Cookbook - Sean Ty Hickson at sink with gray cat Kaspar

By the end Sean is dealing with forces beyond his control and paying the price for his experimentation. He realizes Kaspar has disappeared and goes into the woods to look for him. While Kaspar does not appear again, he plays a pivotal role in the end.

The Alchemist Cookbook - Sean Ty Hickson sitting on floor covered with Christmas lights and holding gray cat Kaspar
The Alchemist Cookbook - Sean Ty Hickson sitting on floor covered with Christmas lights with gray cat Kaspar walking away
The Alchemist Cookbook - Sean Ty Hickson in bathtub with gray cat Kaspar

Kaspar was played by cat actor Fiji and the animal wranglers on the film were billed as Secret Oath, Inc.

The Alchemist Cookbook - Sean Ty Hickson at sink with gray cat Kaspar

Final Mewsings: Cats can put up with pretty much anything.

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