"Masters of Horror" The Black Cat (2007)

Directors:

Stuart Gordon
Stuart Ortiz

Writers:

Mick Garris (creator)
Dennis Paoli (teleplay) ...

TV Series:

"Masters of Horror" (2005)

Original Air Date:

19 January 2007 (Season 2, Episode 11)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

The Black Cat, set in 1840 Philadelphia, has the great writer Edgar Allan Poe, struggling with alcoholism...

Plot Keywords:

Black Cat | Cat | 1840s | Alcoholism | Writer's Block

Cast

Jeffrey Combs	...	Edgar Allan Poe
Elyse Levesque	...	Virginia Poe
Aron Tager	...	George Graham
Eric Keenleyside	...	Sgt. Booker
Patrick Gallagher	...	Barman
Christopher Heyerdahl	...	Rufus Griswold
Ken Kramer	...	Doctor
Ian Alexander Martin	...	Mr. Fordham
Ryan Crocker	...	Policeman

Runtime:

58 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-MA | Australia:MA (2007) | Italy:VM14 | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Starz Productions

Outstanding Poe adaptation, made with real respect and affection for his work

"The Black Cat" has long been one of my favorite Edgar Allan Poe tales, a spectacularly gruesome and disturbing story, but also one of real psychological depth and precise prose. Upon my belated discovery that Stuart Gordon, a man responsible for some loose but still excellent Lovecraft adaptations, had directed an adaptation for the "Masters of Horror" series I rushed out to rent it, expectations skyrocketing especially after I read the plot outline, which seemed far more faithful than basically any other adaptation of the story which is commercially available and longer than a few minutes.

I was not disappointed. "The Black Cat", scripted by the director Gordon and Dennis Paoli, is a work infused with real respect and affection for Poe and his work, and does what few Poe adaptations have manged to do (if any at all): it captures the morbid, Gothic nature of the story without letting go of the ever-present psychological resonance of his stories. This effort captures the atmosphere wonderfully and makes sure to include the story's most iconic moments, captured here in all their disturbing, gory glory, but also, by making the lead character Poe himself, is a wonderful tribute to his writing and life and devoted Poe enthusiasts will surely have fun with this more or less historically accurate view of Poe and some of the events in his life (outside of the more fantastical areas of the story, of course).

Stuart Gordon doesn't seem to have really gotten the reputation he deserves after his many quality efforts in the genre, and "The Black Cat" did nothing to put me off his work. It's everything I want from a Poe adaptation and although it walks a fine line and risks becoming too snide and self-referential, it ultimately succeeds wonderfully. Jeffrey Combs is utterly superb in the lead role as well.

9/10