Adaptations ofPuss in Boots

Gustave Doré's 19th-century engraving ofle chat botté

'Puss'is a character in thefairy tale"The Master Cat, or Puss in Boots"byCharles Perrault.The tale was published in 1697 in hisHistoires ou Contes du temps passé.The tale of acathelping an impoverished master attain wealth through its trickery is known in hundreds of variants.

• Gustave Dorécreated an illustrated version (right).
• In 1797GermanwriterLudwig TieckpublishedDer gestiefelte Kater,a dramatic satire based on the Puss in Boots tale.
• In 1904 English artistLouis Waincreated an illustrated version titled "The Marvelous Story of Puss in Boots".
• The Russian composerCésar Cui(of French ancestry) composed a shortchildren's operaon this subject in 1913.Puss in Bootswas first performed inRomein 1915, and has been something of a repertory item inGermanysince at least the 1970s.
• In 1922Walt Disneycreated a black-and-white silent short of thesame name.
• Xavier Montsalvatgecomposed achildren's opera,El gato con botas,with libretto byNéstor Luján;it was first performed inBarcelonaGran Teatre del Liceuin 1947. It has been performed for children several times, in Spain, but also in Germany, Czech Republic, Australia, and New York.
• In their album of cat songs, Happy Times Records included a version ofPuss in Boots.As with their version ofThe Pied Piper of Hamelin,it is not faithful to the original fairy tale and features a cat named Puss in Boots who is the guardian of his native village. He saves the village from several invasions by using his head and is summoned by the song, "Come, boots!/Come, boots!/Come a runnin',/Puss in Boots." The man and woman who perform this story/song are the same ones who perform Happy Times's version ofThe Pied Piper,and the number ends with the words, "The whole village is proud of their magical cat!"
• A 1961Mexicanadaptation calledEl gato con botas.K. Gordon Murraydistributed it in the United States asPuss in Boots.
• Hayao Miyazakiparticipated in the 1969Toei Animationproduction ofNagagutsu wo Haita Neko(Puss 'n Boots), providing key animation, designs, storyboards, image boards, and story ideas. It was directed byKimio Yabuki,with a screenplay byHisashi Inoue,a famous Japanese playwright, and animation supervision was carried out by longtime Miyazaki collaborator and mentorYasuji Mori.Hayao Miyazakialso wrote and drew a comic version first serialized inChuunichi Shimbun Nichiyou Ban(Chuunichi Newspaper Sunday Version)to promote the film. Its main character, the cat Pero, was very popular and eventually became Toei's mascot.
• Rankin/Bass Productionsproduced a hand-drawn animated TV special in 1972 entitledPuss in Boots.
• The Master CatbyDavid Garnettis a novel first published in 1974 which gives a more detailed account of the established story from Puss getting the boots to his eating the ogre. The second part of the book tells of Puss getting caught up in palace plots and intrigues of which he ultimately becomes the victim, by his own ungrateful master no less.
• In 1985 the family television seriesFaerie Tale Theatreproduced a live-actionadaptationstarringBen Vereenas Puss andGregory Hinesas the miller's son.
• In an episode ofMonty Python's Flying Circus,a sketch set in the Police Department of the State of Venezuela is interrupted by an unexpected adaptation of Puss in Boots done in the style of a Christmas pantomime—Julia Breckis memorable in a (very short) 'trouser role'.
• An episode ofGarfield and Friendsadapted the story withGarfieldin the role of the cat, and his owner, Jon Arbuckle in the role of his owner. However, the episode is titled “Puss in High-Tops”, as instead of boots, the cat requests of pair ofHigh-Tops.This is because at the end, instead of tricking the ogre to turn into a mouse, he tricks him into turning into acockroach,which he uses the high-tops to step on him. In the end, he charges his owner for his services and gets chased by the ogre who wants revenge after turning back from a cockroach.
• Alive actiondirect-to-videofilm adaptationwas made in 1988, starringChristopher Walkenas Puss andJason Conneryas the miller's son.
• Enoki Filmsreleased a Japanese animated series calledNagagutsu wo Haita Neko no Bouken(Adventures of Puss-in-Boots) in 1992.
• PussbyEsther Friesner,inSnow White, Blood Red(edited byEllen DatlowandTerri Windling) retells the story.
• Plaza Entertainmentreleased an animated direct-to-video film calledPuss in Bootsin 1999.
• Puss in Bootsappears as a character in the filmsShrek 2andShrek The Third(voiced byAntonio Banderas). The character is originally recruited as a swashbuckling professional ogre killer who is an obvious parody of Banderas'famous roleasZorro.Puss later becomes a sidekick to the ogreShrek,and in the alternative world inShrek Forever After,becauseRumpelstiltskinerased the day Shrek was born when he was made to sign a contract, Puss is seen to have retired from fencing and grown fat asFiona's pet. Aself-titled spin-off filmwas released in 2011, followed by a sequelPuss in Boots: The Last Wishin 2022.Puss in Boots,a video game based on the film, was released in October 2011. He was also the star of the 2015Netflixoriginal seriesThe Adventures of Puss in Boots.
• In thefurrycomic book,Xanadu,the main male hero, Tabbe Le Fauve, is a cat modeled on Puss in Boots with a strong influence ofErrol Flynn's typical swashbuckler character.
• ThewebcomicNo Rest for the Wickedfeatures several characters adapted from this story, Perrault (Puss), TheMarquis de Carabas,and his wife.
• HBO'sHappily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Childgave the story aPolynesianflavor.
• Angela Carteroffers an alternative, updated version of the tale in her collection of short storiesThe Bloody Chamber
• In thePokémonanime series, the character Tyson owns aMeowththat dresses up like Puss in Boots; this Meowth is his main Pokémon.
• InGainax's 2000 animeFLCL,thethird episodeis named Maru Raba (Marquis de Carabas) and deals with the young adult characters performing Puss in Boots at their school, and with one character and her interest in the idea of pretending to be something until you've become it.
• "The New Traveller's Almanac",a companion toAlan MooreandKevin O'Neill'sThe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,places Carabas Castle (formerly Ogre Castle, where "a talking feline dressed in smashing footwear" ate the Ogre and inherited his riches) inArdenneson the Belgian border, where also stood (among others) the castles ofBluebeard,the BeastandRosamund.These castles were subsequently destroyed by shellfire in 1913 duringthe Great War.
• InNeil Gaiman's novelNeverwhere,the Marquis de Carabas appears as a character and is merged with Puss.
• The novelReserved for the CatbyMercedes Lackeyis a retelling of Puss In Boots, set in herElemental Mastersseries.
• In the mangaMÄR,Puss 'n' Boots becomes a form ofBabboin the final battle against the main antagonist,Phantom.
• Puss in Boots is the fourth episode of the episode game seriesAmerican McGee's Grimm,which features the dark version of the cat missing an eye and the queen rabbit in the dark version goes from aneaster bunnytype creature to a rabbit inspired by thexenomorphalien from the aliens franchise.
• TheCaptain N: The Game Masterepisode "Once Upon a Time Machine" is based on Puss N Boots (though it mostly draws its inspiration froma video game adaptationof Toei's anime film.)
• La Véritable histoire du Chat bottéis an animated French film (2009) byJérôme Deschamps,Pascal HéroldandMacha Makeïeff.Dubbed into English asThe True History of Puss 'N Boots(2010), the voice actors includeWilliam Shatner.
• Puss in Boots appears in theFablesspin-offCinderella: From Fabletown with Love.He is one of the animal Fables who has to live onFabletown's "Farm."
• Mary Hanson Robertswrote and drew a long serial in theFurrloughanthropomorphiccomic book, about the descendants of Puss in Boots and their adventures in their world's equivalent of the France ofLouis XVIand theFrench Revolution,called "Here Comes a Candle." (The reference in the title is to thenursery rhymethat ends: "Here comes a candle to light you to bed; here comes a chopper to chop off your head." )
• Nagagutsu o Haita Neko: Sekai Isshū 80 Nichi Dai Bōken,1986 Japan-exclusive video game where the main character is Puss in Boots.
• Puss in Boots is the main character of 2019 video gamePuss in Boots: Fear Not Hooman,developed byAdana Softworks.
• “Puss In Boots: A Musical,” a 2019 audiobook musical created byEdelman and Fishmanand Khristine Hvam released by HarperAudio. It is narrated byJim Daleand features a full ensemble.
• A version of Puss in Boots is one of the main characters inNeverafter,the fifteenth season of the web seriesDimension 20.
• Studio Filmów Rysunkowychdecided to animated one of the episode in Kuba i Sruba titled as "Cichomaniak" in which Puss in Boots appeared here.

External links

• AnnotatedPuss in Bootsat surlalunefairytales.comArchived2020-02-21 at theWayback Machineincluding the tale, variants from around the world, modern interpretations and illustrations
• The Disney version ofPuss in BootsatThe Encyclopedia of Disney Animated Shorts
• Art marionettesMarionettes Puss in bootsofArmand Langlois (Wikipedia)
• "Puss In Boots"The fairy tale, lushly illustrated inThe Colorful Story Bookof 1941.
• Walter Crane'sPuss in Boots- Turn the pages and hear a reading from the 1873 edition
• Puss in BootsAudioStory
• Full text to Puss in Boots from "The Fairy Book"
• (in French)Puss in Boots, audio version