“It’s not a good idea to take cats lightly.”
Danny (Eleanor Parker) is a rich woman who has emphysema, needs oxygen to sleep and uses a wheelchair much of the time. Her nephew Luke (Tim Henry) lives with her and takes care of her. Today she has an appointment at the beauty parlor. While Luke is getting Danny to put her in the car a ginger tabby gets in the car while the door is open. Once at the beauty parlor Danny is seen by Kassia Lancaster (Gayle Hunnicutt). The tabby manages to get into the beauty parlor as well. While having her hair done Danny has an attack and can’t breathe. Kassia witnesses the attack.
Kassia is well aware that Danny is rich. She hatches a plan to get some of it. Danny’s other nephew is Wylie (Michael Sarrazin). Danny is overly fond of Wylie but hasn’t seen him in years. Kassia is aware of this too. Kassia recruits Wylie in her scheme. She takes him to her salon and explains that she wants him to talk his aunt into making him her heir. Then Kassia will kill her for half of what he inherits. While this is going on Wylie hears the ginger cat. He explains to Kassia about his fear of cats and how, as a child, he was attacked by one. Suddenly the ginger cat jumps onto Wylie. Wylie throws the cat. It hits a space heater and sparks fly.
When Wylie shows up at Aunt Danny’s house he firsts runs into Luke. The reception is cool. Then Wylie goes into his aunt’s room. Danny is asleep under an oxygen tent. When Wylie looks around the room he sees cats, lots and lots of cats. In a panic he flees. He can’t go back to the house. Kassia tells him that his aunt will do anything for him and he can talk his aunt into getting rid of the cats.
Plan B is to run into Danny in the park. She admits that she has a lot of cats but they keep her company. She’s even left her estate to the cats since she hates Luke and Wylie was gone. Wylie refuses to go back to the house unless she gets rid of the cats. Danny promises she will do it today. She tells Luke to put them in the car and drop them off somewhere far away. Then she promises to immediately change her will and make Wylie her heir.
For the most part everything goes according to Kassia’s plan. Until the ginger cat comes back.
“Eye of the Cat” was released in 1969 and was directed by David Lowell Rich. It is an American horror film. There is quite a bit of creep factor here, in a lot of ways. Besides the cats being fed raw meat there is the strange sexualized relationship between Wylie and Danny as well as the weird animosity between Danny and Luke. What makes the cats creepy is the dabs of blood here and there especially on their faces. Plus their movements are done in slow motion which adds a paranormal vibe. I suppose if I was in a room full of cats moving toward me in slow motion with blood on their faces while spooky music played, I might me a little freaked out too.
The star of the film is a ginger tabby whose character is called Tullia. Tullia was played by a cat named Scarface. Scarface is owned by cat wrangler Ray Berwick. Berwick provided some fifty cats for the film and many doubles for Scarface. Each one with their own special talent like hissing, spitting, jumping, swatting or whatever was needed in case Scarface was being temperamental that day.
Tullia was nominated for a PATSY but lost to a raccoon named Rascal. The PATSY’s (Performing Animal Television Star of the Year) was originated in 1951 by Hollywood branch of the American Humane Association. The first award ever was given to Francis the talking mule. Other winners were Arnold Ziiffel, the pig from “Green Acres”, Ben the rat from “Willard”, the dog Lassie as well as Orangey and Rhubarb two cats that appeared in several films. The awards ended in 1986 due to lack of funds.
An alternate ending was filmed for the television release of the film that was less graphic than the theatrical version.
Movie
Alternate ending