Italy, 1981
92m
35mm film, Technovision, Eastmancolor, 2.35:1
mono, English
An Italian horror film directed by Lucio Fulci.
Plot Summary
In a small English village, psychic researcher miles wanders through fog-enshrouded cemetaries at the dead of night talking to tombstones. American photographer Jill gets involved with a series of strange killings being investigated by a puzzled Inspector Gorley, and is the only one to recognise the strange psychic connection between Miles and his black cat, which seems to be responsible for the ghastly crimes.
Credits
Crew
Directed by: Lucio Fulci
© [not given on screen]
A Selenia Cinematografica production
Produced by: Giulio Sbarigia
Screenplay by: Biagio Proietti, Lucio Fulci
Story by: Biagio Proietti
Freely Adapted from Edgar Allan Poe's short story “The Black Cat“
Director of Photography: Sergio Salvati
Film Editor: Vincenzo Tomassi
Music Composed by: Pino Donaggio
Sound Recordist: Ugo Celani
Costumes by: Massimo Lentini
Make-up Artist: Franco di Girolamo
Hair Stylist: Maria Pia Crapanzano
Production Designer: Francesco Calabrese
Cast
Patrick Magee [Professor Robert Miles]
Mimsy Farmer [Jill Trevers]
David Warbeck [Inspector Gorley]
Al Cliver [real name: Pier Luigi Conti] [Sergeant Wilson]
Dagmar Lassander [Lillian Grayson]
Bruno Corazzari [Ferguson]
Geoffrey Copleston [Inspector Flynn]
Daniela Dorio [real name: Daniela Doria [Maureen]
Alternative Titles
The Black Cat
The Black Cat (Gatto Nero) – publicity title
Le chat noir – French title
El gato nero – Spanish title
O Gato Preto – Portugese title
Il gatto di Park Lane – working title
Il gatto ner – early title
Les griffes de la terreur – alternative French title
Musta kissa – Finnish title
Het Mysterie van de zwarte kat – Dutch title
References
Periodicals
Delirium no.4 pp.19-21 – review, credits
L'Ecran Fantastique no.21 pp.58-60 – review
European Trash Cinema no.13 pp.18-19 – review
Famous Monsters no.166 p.71 – review
Fangoria no.10 p.61 – review
Fangoria no.29 p.12 – review
Giallo Guide 1987 – review
Halls of Horror no.27 p.17 – note
Mad Movies no.21 p.39 – review
Mad Movies no.22 p.23 – review
Popular Video October 1982 – review
Video Watchdog no.33 pp.10-11 – review
We Belong Dead no.29 (Autumn 2021) pp.12-13 – illustrated article (The black laboratory of John Llewellyn Probert: The black cat o'nine tales by John Llewellyn Probert)
Books
Aurum Encyclopedia of Film: Horror by Phil Hardy (ed.) p.363 – review, credits
Beyond Terror by Stephen Thrower pp.278 – review, credits
Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movie 1991-1992 p.151 – credits, review
Horror and Science Fiction Films II by Donald C. Willis p.33 – credits
Italian Horror 1979-1984 by Jim Harper pp.46-47 – credits, review
Spaghetti Nightmares: Italian Fantasy-Horrors as Seen Through the Eyes of Their Protagonists by Luca M. Palmerini and Gaetano Mistretta p.164 – credits
