Unless Henri stops flogging his book (as he does in this new video) as well as Friskies cat food, I will post on him no more. This video, in which Henri pretends existential angst while, of course, mentioning his book at the same time decrying the profiteering of his owner, is an exercise in hypocrisy. He also touts his film awards.
Only slightly redeemed by the sight of Henri wearing a necktie at 1:04, this film is dreadful. Henri’s owner, Will Braden, doesn’t realize there’s such a thing as overkill. Two “thumbs” down.
I will not be buying Henri’s book.
Wazza matter? Cat got your credit card?
I don’t really see anything to get too riled up about here. The concept of Henri is cute but not weighty or important in any way. Why not capitalize on the interest now? It’s likely to be a flash in the pan. Besides, it’s not like Henri has a website (blog) named after his book where the references to same are frequent!
Will Braden is not the keeper of Henri (that’s some woman and her family); he’s just the producer/film maker. It remains to be seen who dreams up all this stuff and farms out Henri’s talents.
FWIW, I think Braden makes the videos & has set up the website &c., but the cat belongs to somebody else & is only playing Henri on screen.
So, even Henri has some human’ s agenda…
I watched this earlier. The voice doesn’t sound original.
You’re right, this is dreadful. There are two slight glimpses of the old Henri, but the peculiar charm of his ennui doesn’t make a happy bedfellow with a rotten book deal that looks to be a slick cannibalization of the videos. It’s like turning David Lynch’s beautiful, haunting and very individualistic film “The Elephant Man” into a glittery Las Vegas musical. I was ready to spit on Will Baden flashing the “existential musings” coffeetable cat book while cynically having Henri express moral distress.
I thought Henri was properly appalled. I still give him a thumbs up.
And I may buy the book.
Wouldn’t that be betraying Henri?
Oui.
betraying henri? are you being serious?
If he’s got a book, of course he’s trying to sell it.
Another example can be seen in the right-hand sidebar of this very website.
I’m not a big follower of Henri, or cat videos in general, but I thought the book plugging was done in an amusingly meta way. Has xkcd ever featured xkcd merchandise in a strip? I have no idea, but I wouldn’t think any less of it if it had!
I don’t quite understand what is going on here. Henri is a cat, and I doubt has the mental capacity to be legitimately philosophical, and we probably don’t have the technology to read his mind telepathically. So I’m guessing these movies are actually fictional depictions of a cat amusingly juxtaposed with the sorts of things the film maker thinks a cat would think if it were existential. With that being said, the owner is probably not some existential frenchman that has taken some vow of poverty on account of the meaninglessness of life, and is probably just some guy on the internet who just found a way to make money off of some videos that were popular.
I don’t think one can “sell out” if they haven’t actually “bought in” in the first place. It’s like being angry at the actor that plays superman for cheating on his taxes when he should be an emblem of virtue. He’s not REALLY superman.
I bet you’re a blast a parties 🙂
Right, Jonathan. Sadly, some people just don’t appreciate parody.
I could not bring myself to watch the Friskies commercials, but I don’t think a book of Henri’s ruminations on life would be untoward or hypocritical. But if you want an actually philosophical cat, see Peyton.
“I hated hated hated this clip”
“Unless Henri stops flogging his book”
Er, you do realise Henri is a fictional character? So it’s more that you’re upset, it seems, about Will Braden flogging his book.
Which raises the question, why isn’t he allowed to flog his book through his own YouTube channel and website, but JAC is allowed to do so on his own website (e.g. regular mentions in posts about the evidence for evolution, and a permanent menu item in the top right corner)? I don’t see the great difference.
I think you’re taking this a wee bit too serious :|. It’s just some internet cat fun.
You do realize that this is largely tongue in cheek, right? You don’t need to correct my behavior. For crying out loud, do you really think that I think Henri’s lucubrations are emanating from him?
The funniest aspect about Henri is Will Braden’s butchered French. I would buy Braden’s Intro to French.
Now, that is amusing! I think I agree with you.
I love the film, especially the way Will Braden turns his character “Henri” back on himself (Will Braden) in an ironic twist on self-deprecating humor. It is promoting the book, yes, but in a very creative and humorous way that maintains his artistic integrity. I don’t begrudge Mr. Braden any of the money he makes from his creative work because he deserves it and he is very generous in giving some of it to animal welfare organizations. Most importantly, I hope that being able to support himself through the Henri work will ensure that he will continue to delight and enlighten his readers and viewers.