Black Cat (Gatto nero) (1981)

Director:

Lucio Fulci

Writers:

Lucio Fulci (screenplay)
Edgar Allan Poe (story)

Release Date:

10 February 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Flesh Ripping Felines!

Plot:

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)...

Plot Keywords:

Cat | Death | Photographer | Psychic | Village

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lucio Fulci	...	Doctor (scenes deleted)

Also Known As:

The Black Cat (International: English title) (USA)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Australia:M | France:-12 | Italy:VM14 | Norway:16 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company:

Italian International Film

Trivia:

The role of Professor Miles was intended for Donald Pleasence.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During one of the later scenes when the cat is terrorizing Jill you can see a crew member's hands holding onto the cat.

Quotes:

[Sergeant Wilson sees Jill coming out of an underground crypt]
Sergeant Wilson: Miss, let me give you some advice, don't go down there anymore.
Jill Trevers: Why not?
Sergeant Wilson: My Grandad used to tell me when I was a lad that the dead like to be left alone. They're not very hospitable.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Demonia (1990)

Surprisingly good.. my favorite Fulci so far

This was a good version of the Poe story. Not quite as bloody as Fulci's other flicks, and it didn't really need to be. It tells its tale of a man who records the dead conversing (!) while his cat commits murders convincingly, and the way they present the cat as the master over the man is very fetching. The only problem with this movie-- (shudder) the EYEBALL CAM!! Wayyyy too many close-ups of a man's eyes (pause for 3-5 seconds), then to the cat's eyes (pause another 3-5 seconds) and repeat ad nauseum.

Arrrgh!!! But if you can put up with that here and there, you'll be pleased with Fulci's best offering (in my opinion).