The Uncanny (1977)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Denis Héroux

Writer:

Michel Parry (writer)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Cats aren't always cute and cuddly!

Plot:

Wilbur Gray visits Frank Richards so he can get his book published. This book Gray has written are about cats...

Plot Keywords:

Cat | Story | Death | Pendulum | Witchcraft

Cast

Peter Cushing	...	Wilbur Gray
Ray Milland	...	Frank Richards
Joan Greenwood	...	Miss Malkin
Roland Culver	...	Wallace
Susan Penhaligon	...	Janet
Simon Williams	...	Michael
Alexandra Stewart	...	Mrs. Blake
Donald Pilon	...	Mr. Blake
Chloe Franks	...	Angela
Katrina Holden	...	Lucy
Renée Girard	...	Mrs. Maitland
Donald Pleasence	...	Valentine De'ath
Samantha Eggar	...	Edina Hamilton
John Vernon	...	Pomeroy
Catherine Bégin	...	Madeleine

Also Known As:

Brrr... (Canada: French title)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

Canada | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (re-rating) (1986) | UK:18 (TV rating) | UK:X (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Norway:15

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Cinévidéo

Trivia:

"The Uncanny" is the fifth Milton Subotsky film in which a character has the name "Maitland" ("Mrs. Maitland" played by Renee Girard). The others are "And Now The Screaming Starts" (1973) in which Guy Rolfe plays "Maitland;" "Tales From the Crypt" (1972) in which Ian Hendry plays "Carl Maitland;" "The Skull" (1965) which top-bills Peter Cushing as "Dr. Christopher Maitland;" and the earliest, "City of the Dead" (aka "Horror Hotel," 1960) in which Tom Naylor plays "Bill Maitland."

Quotes:

Lucy: Wellington? Wellington? Where are you Wellington?

Movie Connections:

Edited into 42nd Street Forever, Volume 3: Exploitation Explosion (2008) (V)

Cat Is the Devil in Disguise

In 1977, in Montreal, the scared writer Wilbur Gray (Peter Cushing) visits his publisher Frank Richards (Ray Milland) to disclose his new book about the evilness of cats. Wilbur tells that the felines are supernatural creatures, and that there is a saying in which the cat would be the devil in disguise. Wilbur tells three tales to illustrate his thoughts.

In 1912, in London, Miss Malkin (Joan Greenwood) is a wealthy woman that rewrites her will leaving her fortune to her cats rather than to her nephew Michael (Simon Williams). Her maid Janet (Susan Penhaligon), also mistress of Michael, steals one copy of the will from the lawyer's briefcase and tries to destroy the original copy which is kept in the safe. When Miss Malkin sees her attempt, Janet kills her and the cats revenge Miss Malkin.

In 1975, in the Province of Quebec, the orphan Lucy (Katrina Holden) comes to live with her aunt Mrs. Blake (Alexandra Stewart), her husband and her cuisine Angela (Chloe Frank) after the death of her parents in a plane crash. Lucy brings her only friend, the cat Wellington, but her mean cuisine forces her parents to get rid off Wellington. Lucy uses the witchcraft book of her mother to revenge Wellington.

In 1936, in Hollywood, the actor Valentine Death (Donald Pleasence) replaces the blade of a fake pendulum to kill his wife and also actress and give a chance to his young mistress and aspirant actress. The cat of his wife revenges her.

In spite of having great names, such as Ray Milland, Peter Cushing, Samantha Eggar and Donald Pleasence among others, the lead story of the afraid writer and his publisher is very weak and silly. With regard to the three tales, the first one is too long; the second one is far the best; and the last one is only reasonable. The soundtrack is very repetitive, monotonous and boring. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Maldição dos Gatos" ("The Curse of the Cats")