I know most of you who read this will know Fulci as a master of splatter and incoherent story lines(eg Manhattan Baby),but heres a movie which rivals stuff put out by AIP, Amicus and even Hammer.
The Black Cat(Gatto Nero,1980) is a retelling of Edgar Allen Poe's dark Gothic tale, but Fulci only uses Poe's work as a frame for his own twisted tale. Robert Miles can control the mind of his black cat, and uses his power to exact revenge upon his enemies. A photographer who works for the local police begins to notice cat like scratches on the murder victims. She pays a visit to Robert Miles, and the cat is present, making her even more suspicious of the felines involvement. The cat doesn't like this, and begins imposing its will over its owner....This movie is incredibly Gothic and the camera work is probably some of the most beautiful seen since Dario Argento's heyday. Unfortunately, there is very little eye trauma or gore for that matter but i feel this film doesn't need it, as its more of a tension builder. Needless to say, if you haven't seen any of Fulcis work, don't start off with this one, as it won't prepare you for the shocks of his other movies. But this is a superb piece of Gothic horror. The film also stars the late David Warbeck, who many of you will know from The Beyond.I would urge any fan of Euro horror to track this one down,as it is a complete departure from Fulcis early work, and probably one of the last great movies he made. The atmosphere and tension are cranked up to eleven.
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