DVD Review: The Black Cat (1981)

Probably the least heralded movie from Lucio Fulci's "gothic period", The Black Cat isn't a classic but will interest fans of Italian horror.  Edgar Allan Poe's much-adapted short story inspires only the climax, but the bulk of the film is impressively claustrophobic, played in twitchy close-ups between the frightful feline and its master, Professor Robert Miles (Patrick Magee).  Miles is a paranormal researcher, who uses his demonic familiar to gorily slaughter those he feels have wronged him.  Nosy American photographer, Jill Travers (Mimsy Farmer) stumbles onto these mysterious deaths in a quaint English village and teams up with Scotland Yard's Inspector Gorley (genre icon David Warbeck) to bring the culprit to justice.  But is Miles in control, or the cat? 

The film strives for ambiguity, but winds up just confusing.  After the cat lures Gorley into a horrific accident, Miles screams: "No!  I didn't want that!"  Then he looks disappointed when Gorley turns up alive.  Fulci allegedly cranked this one out with little passion involved.  It's a less inspired reworking of Poe than Dario Argento managed with Two Evil Eyes (1989), but there is plenty to savour.  Mimsy Farmer attacked by rubber bats; a foggy village with superstitious locals straight out of Hammer films; a mix of occult lore, super-science and metaphysical chatter; and a victim who cowers while the cat opens a locked door. 

Fading sex kitten Dagmar Lassander (seen to better effect in The Frightened Woman (1969) also due for release from Shameless DVD) plays Miles' ex-lover, whose face melts gruesomely while she burns to death.  Poor, perpetually abused beauty Daniela Doria takes her top off and dies foaming at the mouth (yet it's oddly touching the way she reaches out to hold her lover's hand). 

Performances are all over the shop.  Magee glowers mercilessly, while Warbeck is less strident than usual (though he grapples memorably with the killer kitty).  Fulci regular Al Cliver (real name: Pier Luigi Conti) plays a Cockney copper in rural England, but biggest offender is Mimsy Farmer as icy, aloof heroine difficult to warm to.  The Black Cat treads the line between Fulci's excellent, early gialli and the tedious, over-rated zombie flicks he's best known for.  He conjures one delirious set-piece where supernatural forces storm Jill's bedroom and his recurrent eyeball fetish provides some striking close-ups.  Moreover Fulci's prowling POV shots create a dreamy atmosphere, aided by Pino Donaggio's surprisingly lyrical score.  Plus it's hard to resist any movie where a cat magically disappears and reappears at will.