The Black Cat (1981)

A professor with the psychic ability to communicate with the dead uses his powers on his pet cat in order to take vengeance upon his enemies.

Director:

Lucio Fulci

Writers:

Biagio Proietti (story), Edgar Allan Poe (story: "The Black Cat")

Stars:

Patrick Magee, Mimsy Farmer, David Warbeck

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Patrick Magee	...	Prof. Robert Miles
Mimsy Farmer	...	Jill Trevers
David Warbeck	...	Inspector Gorley
Al Cliver	...	Sgt. Wilson
Dagmar Lassander	...	Lillian Grayson
Bruno Corazzari	...	Ferguson
Geoffrey Copleston	...	Inspector Flynn
Daniela Doria	...	Maureen Grayson (as Daniela Dorio)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lucio Fulci	...	Doctor (scenes deleted)

Storyline

Robert Miles is a psychic that can communicate with the dead. He also has the ability to control the mind of his cat (who incidentally is black). He uses the cat to take vengeance upon his enemies. A photographer who happen to be working for the local constables begins to notice cat scratches on some of the accident victims that are turning up. She pays a visit to Miles (kitty just happens to be present) and conveys her suspicions of the cat's involvement in some of the local deaths. Kitty doesn't like this at all, and it's his turn to control the mind of owner Miles to take it's vengeance out.

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Plot Keywords:

cult film | grindhouse film | italian horror | cat | black cat | 

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Taglines:

When you heat this cat breathing down your neck...START PRAYING!!!

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

10 February 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Black Cat

Filming Locations:

RPA - Elios Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Italian International Film,Selenia Cinematografica

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The role of professor Myles was offered to Peter Cushing, but he refused to accept the part because of director Lucio Fulci's reputation for making gory horror-movies.

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Goofs

As Ferguson throws a rock at the black cat during his drunken encounter with the feline in an alley, he misses. The next successive shot shows the rock hitting the cat as it scurries away.

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Quotes

Maureen Grayson: The air conditioning is not working - please find the key - I'm frightened.

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Alternate Versions

The Anchor Bay release is the complete, uncut version of the film.

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Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob: City of the Living Dead (2017)

User Reviews

I dig this one!

I really don't care what anyone says; "The Black Cat" is pretty damn cool. As far as the gore goes, it's not excessive as most of Fulci's films are, but it doesn't need to be. That being said, this film is not for the faint of heart. If you watched it with your grandma or someone who has not been jaded by the blood and guts in Italian horror films, you'd see it from a different side. A dude gets impaled, a girl burns to death, rotting corpses are found in a hot boat shack, and a cat repeatedly rips the flesh off a guy's face, goring him up. I mean, it's not "New York Ripper" but it's not a slasher film. It's more like a giallo.

This film is most notable for the brilliant cinematography. The shots from the cat's point of view are awesome. And then there's the excellent acting (for a Fulci film). Mimsy Farmer is decent! And the other dude, Patrick Magee from "Clockwork Orange" isn't bad either. Better than other Fulci stuff for sure.

The fact that the acting is above par and the fact that there isn't a constant onslaught of gore has contributed to the low rating on here. The film is a good giallo-style horror movie and it oozes with old school ambiance and mood. The soundtrack is great and all in all, it's a great adaptation of the Poe story.

I recommend it to Italian horror fans who can stand to be entertained without seeing people get disemboweled.

7 out of 10, kids.