"Masters of Horror" The Black Cat (2007)

Directors:

Stuart Gordon
Stuart Ortiz

Writers:

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

TV Series:

"Masters of Horror" (2005)

Original Air Date:

19 January 2007 (Season 2, Episode 11)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Cat | Black Cat | Writer | 1840s | Alcoholism

Cast

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

Directed by
Stuart Gordon
Stuart Ortiz		(additional material)

Writing credits
Mick Garris		(creator)
Dennis Paoli		(teleplay) &
Stuart Gordon		(teleplay)
Edgar Allan Poe		(short story "The Black Cat") (as Edgar A. Poe)

Produced by
Keith Addis	....	executive producer
Morris Berger	....	executive producer
Steve Best	....	associate producer
Stephen R. Brown	....	executive producer (as Steve Brown)
Ben Browning	....	co-producer
Andrew Deane	....	executive producer
Mick Garris	....	executive producer
Adam Goldworm	....	co-producer
John W. Hyde	....	executive producer
Lisa Richardson	....	producer
Tom Rowe	....	producer
Pascal Verschooris	....	line producer

Original Music by
Rich Ragsdale		(as Richard Ragsdale)

Cinematography by
Jon Joffin		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Marshall Harvey

Casting by
Stuart Aikins
Sean Cossey
Lindsey Hayes Kroeger
David Rapaport		(as David H. Rapaport)

Production Design by
Don Macaulay

Art Direction by
Margot Ready

Set Decoration by
Ide Foyle

Costume Design by
Lyn Kelly

Makeup Department
Howard Berger	....	special effects makeup
Lyne Denomme	....	first assistant makeup
Mike Fields	....	on-set key makeup artist (as Michael Fields)
Sarah Graham	....	on-set key makeup artist
Marcy Hodel	....	first assistant hair stylist
Harrison Lorenzana	....	on-set key makeup artist
Gregory Nicotero	....	special effects makeup
Geoff Redknap	....	on-set key makeup artist (as Jeff Redknap)
Adina Shore	....	key hair stylist
Margaret Solomon	....	key makeup
Elisabeth Jolliffe	....	key makeup artist: second unit (uncredited)

Production Management
Margo Coughlin Zimmerman	....	production manager: Starz Productions (as Margo Zimmerman)
Sally Dixon	....	post-production supervisor
Sheri Mayervich	....	unit production manager
Stacey Jade Smart	....	executive in charge of production: Starz Productions
Pascal Verschooris	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alexia S. Droz	....	second assistant director (as Alexia Droz)
David Markowitz	....	first assistant director
Ania Musiatowicz	....	third assistant director
Stuart Ortiz	....	director: additional imaging
Rob Duncan	....	first assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Art Department
Andrei Andrianko	....	assistant art director
Nick Dibley	....	property master (as Nicholas Dibley)
Dylan Dowd	....	lead greens person
Jim Geddes	....	construction coordinator
John McIntosh	....	greens
Jake Miller	....	assistant property master
Nathalie Morin	....	assistant set decorator (as Natalie Morin)
Zbibgniew Scheller	....	construction foreman (as Zbish Scheller)
John Wilcox	....	paint coordinator
Izabela Domachowski	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Les Ford	....	computer graphics designer (uncredited)
Rowena O'Connor	....	assistant on-set props (uncredited)
Scott Riddell	....	second assistant props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Anke Bakker	....	sound supervisor
Brian Campbell	....	dialogue editor
Jay Cheetham	....	background sound editor
Kelly Cole	....	re-recording mixer
Jacqueline Cristianini	....	dialogue/adr supervisor
Hugo DeLaCerda	....	re-recording mixer
Kris Fenske	....	sound designer
Devan Kraushar	....	sound effects editor
Jason Mauza	....	foley editor
Laurie Melhus	....	audio post-production coordinator
Glen Noseworthy	....	adr mixer
Iain Pattison	....	re-recording mixer
Sebastian Salm	....	sound mixer
Shane Shemko	....	foley artist
Colin Smith	....	boom operator
Cam Wagner	....	foley artist
Matthew Wilson	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Jaremy Aiello	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Randy Ball	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Jack Bricker	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Rob Derry	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Terri Fluker	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Derek Heselton	....	best boy special effects
Steve Katz	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group (as Steven Katz)
Lynette Roy	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Wayne Szybunka	....	special effects coordinator
Veronica Torres	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
John Wheaton	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Mike Hyrman	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Lino Stavole	....	special effects technician: mold department (uncredited)
Chris Sturges	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Attila Vaski	....	lead/fab/asst (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Christopher Ahrens	....	cg artist
Matt Belbin	....	digital effects editor (as Matthew Belbin)
Sébastien Bergeron	....	digital effects supervisor
Michael Goddard	....	cg artist (as Mike Goddard)
Gael Hollard	....	digital compositor
Annabelle Kent	....	digital compositor
Adam Marisett	....	cg artist
Stephen Paschke	....	cg artist
Lisa K. Sepp	....	visual effects producer (as Lisa Sepp-Wilson)
Julie Sweetin	....	cg artist (as Julie Bergman)
Lee Wilson	....	visual effects supervisor
Jayson Castro	....	visual effects production assistant (uncredited)

Stunts
Jim Dunn	....	stunt coordinator
Dan Redford	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Sandy Cooper	....	first assistant camera
Brian Johnson	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Mike Kolafa	....	gaffer (as Michael Kolafa)
Brock Miller	....	best boy grip
Jos Oman	....	first assistant camera
David Pelletier	....	additional director of photography
Steve Sherlock	....	key grip
Jared Smith	....	best boy lighting
Peter Wilke	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Ian Gariepy	....	dolly grip (uncredited)
Aaron Haesler	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Marc Nolet	....	grip (uncredited)
Jeremy Spofford	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sandra-Ken Freeman	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Glenna Owen	....	assistant costume designer
Tyler Tone	....	set costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Nathan Atkins	....	assistant editor
Richard Cordes	....	color timer
Andrea Dixon	....	color timer
Asim Matin	....	assistant editor
Troy Sitter	....	post-production assistant
Matt Venables	....	post-production coordinator
Mike Williamson	....	editorial coordinator

Music Department
Mike Beckett	....	music editor
Sean McMahon	....	orchestrator
Jennifer Ross	....	music supervisor
Ed Shearmur	....	composer: main title music (as Edward Shearmur)
Casey Stone	....	scoring mixer
Richard Temple	....	music preparation
Sean McMahon	....	musician (uncredited)
Mark Robertson	....	orchestra contractor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Louie Hausner	....	transportation captain
John Swetlikoe	....	transportation coordinator
Duane Shearer	....	office driver (uncredited)
Jovan Vujatovic	....	picture car coordinator (uncredited)

Other crew
Christine Barrie	....	stand-in
Genessa Davis	....	assistant production coordinator
Jim Desroches	....	production coordinator (as James Desroches)
Annie Doyon	....	assistant accountant
Chris Garbasauskas	....	production assistant
Cameron Grierson	....	assistant to producer
Cameron Grierson	....	script coordinator
Richter Hartig	....	production auditor: Starz Productions (as Richter Q. Hartig)
Dave Harvey	....	assistant accountant
Tom Hoeverman	....	assistant location manager
Elissa Howarth	....	production administration manager: Starz Productions
Alison Hunter	....	script supervisor
Andrea Kaufman	....	production coordinator: Starz Productions (as Andrea M. Kaufman)
Katy Lew	....	executive administrator
Ross Redhead	....	assistant to producers
Tracey Renyard	....	location manager
Adrian Salpeter	....	producers assistant: Lisa Richardson
Stephen Tibbetts	....	stand-in (as Stephen Tibbets)
Bill Vigars	....	unit publicist
Steven Vlasak	....	operations manager
Beverly Wiens	....	production accountant
Anthony Bortolussi	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Stephanie Brown	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Nancy Heller	....	office manager: Anthem Visual Effects (uncredited)
Krista Johnston	....	clearance (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Starz Productions
• Nice Guy Productions
• Industry Entertainment

Distributors

• Cinemax (2008) (Hungary) (TV)
• Kadokawa Entertainment (2008) (Japan) (DVD)
• Premiere (2009) (Germany) (TV)
• Showtime Networks (2007) (USA) (TV)
• Splendid Film (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Starz Home Entertainment (2007) (Australia) (DVD)
• Starz Media (2007) (USA) (all media)
• Vertice Cine (2009) (Spain) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Anthem Visual Effects

Runtime:

58 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-MA | Australia:MA (2007) | Italy:VM14 | Germany:16 | Spain:18

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Starz Productions

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the police are breaking down the wall in the basement, it flexes like plywood, instead of brick

Quotes:

Edgar Allan Poe:I have little sense of the world around me. Such is my genius.

Poe/Gordon/Combs - One of the Greatest MoH Episodes!

Stuart Gordon is one of the directors who truly deserve to be called "Masters of Horror", and his second contribution to the "Masters of Horror" series is another proof for that. The director of "Re-Animator", who is best known for adapting the great H. P. Lovecraft's work in an awesome manner, decided to get into another deity of macabre literature, the all-mighty Edgar Allan Poe, for this eleventh episode of the second season, which bears the famous name of its literary model - "The Black Cat". This is, after his 1991 version of "The Pit And The Pendulum" only Gordon's second Poe-themed creation. The most brilliant Poe-adaptations are (and always will be) Roger Corman's films starring the immortal Vincent Price, and the greatest adaptation of "The Black Cat" in particular is arguably Sergio Martino's Giallo-masterpiece "Your Vice Is A Locked Room And Only I Have The Key" (1972). This is not to say that great Poe-adaptations can't still be made, and Stuart Gordon does so in a very original manner. Gordon makes the alcoholic and struggling Poe himself the protagonist of this episode, and the man is played by none other than Gordon's regular leading man, Jeffrey 'Dr. Herbert West' Combs. In Philadelphia of 1840, Edgar Allan Poe, is struggling with alcoholism, the lack of money and the illness of his wife. Eager to write poetry, but only popular for his macabre short stories, Poe is also struggling with nightmares and upcoming insanity... "The Black Cat" is doubtlessly one of the most atmospheric entries to the series. The episode is very dark and more complex than your usual MoH episode, and the performances are excellent. Especially the great Jeffrey Combs is once again brilliant in his role, I couldn't imagine anyone to fit better in the role of Poe. "The Black Cat" is another proof of how great a director Stuart Gordon is and an absolute must-see for fans of the "Masters Of Horror" series.