Rent The Black Cat (1981)

3.1 of 5 from 68 ratings
1h 28min
Rent The Black Cat (aka Gatto Nero) Online DVD & Blu-ray Rental
  • General info
  • Available formats
Synopsis:
When a young couple goes missing in a sleepy English village, Scotland Yard Inspector Gorley (David Warbeck) is brought in to assist on the case. But what starts off as routine investigation turns into a murder inquiry when the couple are found dead in mysterious circumstances.
Actors:
, , , , , , , ,
Directors:
Producers:
Giulio Sbarigia
Writers:
Edgar Allan Poe, Lucio Fulci, Biagio Proietti
Aka:
Gatto Nero
Studio:
Shameless
Genres:
Classics, Horror
Countries:
Italy
BBFC:
Release Date:
31/12/2007
Run Time:
88 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 1.0
Subtitles:
None
DVD Regions:
Region 0 (All)
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 1.78:1 / 16:9
Colour:
Colour
BBFC:
Release Date:
04/04/2016
Run Time:
91 minutes
Languages:
English DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 Mono, Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 Mono
Subtitles:
English, English Hard of Hearing
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 2.35:1
Colour:
Colour
BLU-RAY Regions:
B
Bonus:
  • Brand new audio commentary by filmmaker and Fangoria editor Chris Alexander
  • From Poe into Fulci: The Spirit of Perverseness-film historian Stephen Thrower on Fulci's Poe-tinged classic
  • In the Paw-Prints of The Black Cat - a look at the original Black Cat locations
  • Frightened Dagmar - a brand new career interview with actress Dagmar Lassander
  • At Home with David Warbeck - an archive interview with the Black Cat star
  • Original Theatrical Trailer

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Reviews (1) of The Black Cat

Feline Fulci terror. - The Black Cat review by NP

Spoiler Alert
01/08/2019

I am not always a fan of the colourful, bright-red-blood-splashed world of director Lucio Fulci (or his fellow director of such films, Mario Bava) although it would be wrong of me to under-estimate how influential their projects have often been. Such extravagantly lit productions often rob the story of a sense of reality and, while they may be spectacular to look at, I can't always believe in them.

And so to 'The Black Cat'. Loosely based on the Edgar Allan Poe story, this production could be seen as an exercise in restraint - and it all comes together beautifully. Police Inspector Gorley is soberly played by David Warbeck as a kind of Roger Moore/Ian McCulloch hybrid. Mimsy Farmer is Jill Trevers, initially a bit too sensible for a horror run-around starring an aggressive feline. Both actors play things very much as real, which gives what could be an occasionally ludicrous story a sense of gravitas, leaving Patrick Magee to really go to town with the character of mad old Professor Robert Miles, who has a kind of connection with the titular mouser: the question is, who is pulling the strings?

I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this adaption. Fulci gives many scenes a looming, poetic quality without ever drifting into gaudy unreality. Various cats-eye views work well and the beautiful sleek feline(s) used here behave very well and genuinely have an unsettling edge (I say this as a cat lover). The enhanced sound of growling that accompanies the cat's every appearance also lets us know the creature is not to be messed with. All this, with various twists and turns and occasional shocking bouts of brief gore (with bright red blood of course), insures there is never an excuse to look away. Highly recommended, my score for this is 8 out of 10.

1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.

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