the black cat (cinema history class)

Session: Pass the Poe -- Hold the Price, week 4
Movie: The Black Cat (1966)
Directed by Harold Hoffman
As always, there may be spoilers here. And the trailer may be NSFW and/or NSFL

Plot:
A deranged writer is more interested in petting his cat than his wife. When the cat spurns him he kills it, unleashing its thirst for kitty vengeance. Hilarity ensues.

Teeing Up:
Keith let us know that this was an odd adaptation of Poe. Set in modern day Texas, it has been criticized as not being true to the original. But, Keith assured us, it actually is faithful. And writer/director Harold Hoffman was a bit off his rocker.

Reaction:
Keith was right. This was faithful to the Poe classic. At least, as faithful to Poe as you can get while including surf music and car chases.

Snark aside, this went over great. Personally, I loved it. "The Black Cat" is my favorite Poe story (not that I'm an expert on the man's work), and this one actually managed to fit in all the essential elements. I was really wondering how they'd work in that whole brick 'em up in the wall angle, but they managed.

For a film this disturbing, there was remarkably little gore. And that worked to its benefit. When there was blood, it really got you.

Of course, to make a full length feature out of a short story like "The Black Cat," you have to add material, and Hoffman did a nice job, adding cars, monkeys and rock and roll. And a backstory of creepy familial dynamics.

This was the best of Keith's class, as we saw a rare gem that I wouldn't have even heard about otherwise. It was, by far, the best night of this session.

The ratings:

• Joe: 9.9
• Dave: 9
• Sean 3 (on a scale of 1 - 4)
• Scott: 9.5
• Ethan: 9
• Me: 9.7

The Black Cat fails the Bechdel Test.

Extras:
Our warmup this week was a 1971 short interpretation of The Tell-Tale Heart. It was pretty good, though nowhere near in league with the feature. What was truly odd was the fact that it was purposely given the feel of a film from the 19-teens, except for the protagonist, who was dressed in 1971 contemporary clothing and hairstyle. He kind of looked like an extra from a gay porn movie, which made a stark contrast with the Scrooge-looking victim. Lucky for my loyal reader, its available on Youtube: