**Ugh, such a frustrating and ridiculous mess.** I
tmdb17996075
**Ugh, such a frustrating and ridiculous mess.** I am usually very "forgiving" when it comes to horror movies, to the point where I can acknowledge and value…
**Ugh, such a frustrating and ridiculous mess.**
I am usually very "forgiving" when it comes to horror movies, to the point where I can acknowledge and value the general idea and overlook the narrative flaws. If the film as a whole is fun to watch, it has a well developed atmosphere and it features a decent amount of horror elements, I'm pretty much okay with it ... but the story has to make SOME sense, at least. Well, "The Black Cat" (or any of the many other titles that this movie has) is an example of a flick that is just frustrating to sit through. Director Luigi Cozzi may not entirely be at fault, perhaps the producers forcibly squeezed things into the movie for the sole purpose of shock value... or something. I have read many times that several directors end up unhappy with the final results of their films, because they were asked to add random creatures, murders or over-the-top sequences, even if they only add confusion to the story, just to make the film more marketable. I don't know the reasons behind this mess, but this is just a really confusing and convoluted film that had no business being that way, because it could have been told in a much simpler way. Actually, the first half an hour of the film is decent and it keeps it simple, but "The Black Cat" progressively becomes more and more random, to the point where inexplicable situations just happen constantly, and eventually, you just stop even trying to make any sense out of it (at least, I know I did). I can only assume that several random sequences and shots were probably added at the last minute because it was unused footage from a different film and they didn't want to let it go to waste. It's the only reasonable explanation I can come up with.
As for the photography, the director clearly took inspiration in Dario Argento's "Suspiria" and "Inferno" (both films are referenced here), but the strident color scheme ends up being a little bit over the top. Besides the artificial color palette, the use of CGI, which is very frequent during the second half of the film, cheapens the visuals considerably and it could have been a lot better without it.
A few creative deaths and stylish sequences don't save this film from being a big pile of randomness, so, skip this, unless you just want to have a good laugh. "The Black Cat" is just a frustrating experience and a waste of time.
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★ 6 / 10
Genius, hack, or pleasantly deranged?
There are three ways to describe Luigi Cozzi's "Il Gatto Nero", and although they seem contradictory, all three are correct... one way or another!#1: Luigi…
There are three ways to describe Luigi Cozzi's "Il Gatto Nero", and although they seem contradictory, all three are correct... one way or another!#1: Luigi Cozzi is a genius and a trendsetter! Just think about it... In 1989, long before Wes Craven came up with "New Nightmare" and "Scream", Cozzi already made a so-called Meta Horror film with "Il Gatto Nero". The characters openly refer to the writings of Thomas De Quincey and - even more impressive - to the two previous entries in Dario Argento's trilogy "The Three Mothers". Nowadays, horror fans are sick and tired of meta horror (at least, I am) but in 1989 it was still very innovative. Cozzi is also a genius because he can transform a story that actually has nothing to do with black cats into a (kind of) Edgar Allan Poe adaptation, simply by inserting a few random shots of menacing black cats here and there. Last but not least, there are also a few genius splatter moments. The indisputable highlight is an exploding heart (while still inside the chest of a poor woman).#2: Luigi Cozzi is a hack. The director had a unique opportunity to complete Argento's "The Three Mothers" trilogy because Argento himself was busy with other things during this period. He received the script as a gift from Argento's ex-wife Daria Nicolodi, but he made such a mess of it that Nicolodi distanced herself, and that Dario Argento remade it again (and better) himself in 2008. Meanwhile, Cozzi's producer, Menahem Golan, had already started telling everyone that his next film would be a Poe adaptation, so Cozzi had to throw in shots of cats randomly. The script, rewritten by Cozzi, is totally unstructured and pointless.#3 Luigi Cozzi is pleasantly deranged. Perhaps this statement is the most accurate of all. You can accuse Luigi Cozzi of incompetence and amateurism, but one thing is certain... He loves the horror genre, and he adores his personal idols who write and make horror classics. "Il Gatto Nero" is full of homages and references to great directors, writers, and composers. Not only Dario Argento is honored, but also Mario Bava, John Carptenter, and Alfred Hitchock. Like in all of his films, Cozzi doesn't take himself too seriously and is visibly having fun with the grotesque storylines, the extravagant set-pieces, and the abundantly over-the-top make-up effects. His more recent film "Blood on Méliès Moon" is also one big love letter to the horror genre, and that one is even a few categories crazier.
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4.9/10
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Please get this torrent running, I can't find this movie anywhere!