Cheap The Cat o' Nine Tails (DVD) (James Franciscus, Karl Malden) (Dario Argento) Price

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Customer Reviews of The Cat o' Nine Tails

It could happen to you too...
Second chapter of the so-called "Animal Trilogy" (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, The Cat O'Nine Tails, Four Flies on Grey Velvet), this film is a little miracle. The possibility that a twist of our genes could lead to madness should keep us far from hospitals for a long time...
Anchor bay Entertainment has provided us with an enriched DVD, full of extras and interesting information. The video is clean and pure, and those colors...so tremendously 70's!!! The audio section comprises three different tracks: English, Italian and French, all of them in Dolby Sorround 2.0.
The extra features are divided into an interesting interview involving director Dario Argento, writer Dardano Sacchetti and music composer Ennio Morricone, different trailers,TV and radio spots, still gallery and talent bios. Last but not least, a juicy double radio interview with James Franciscus and Karl Malden recorded at the beginning of the 70's, when THE CAT landed overseas. Great movie, great package. You won't be disappointed

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This Cat Has Eaten Your Dogs...
A rediscovery! Despite Argento's public disavowal of his sophomore effort, CAT O'NINE TAILS is a creepy, genuinely suspenseful thriller garnished with dry wit. CAT is very different from his other works in that it is structured like a fairly conventional detective story, with much less emphasis paid to the twisted psychology of the perpetrator and the creative modus operandi of killings. Seeing this film in an absolutely breathtaking anamorphic print with a stereo soundtrack, the best presentation of an Argento film Anchor Bay has ever given, in my opinion even surpassing DEEP RED, was delightful to say the least. It features, among others, a great turn by Karl Malden, whose character begins as a sympathetic protagonist with a handicap and gradually becomes a dark avenging figure, as his emotional stress and anger at having his surrogate child kidnapped and brutalized takes over, terrific action scenes including a car chase that reveal consummate skills of Argento as an editor and a manipulator of camera, and a wonderful score by Ennio Morricone, showcasing his inimitable mix of beautiful melodies and atonal and experimental "terror" music.
DVD includes an interview with Argento, the screenwriter Dardano Sacchetti (whose chief contribution appears to be the rationale for the killer's motivation and origins of his "madness" --which by the way is both greatly timely, since it involves genes, and hilariously unscientific. I am reassured to find that Argento knew all along that the idea was a hokum) and the maestro Morricone. As with other Anchor Bay interviews of the Argento series, do not watch it if you have not already seen the movie, since it includes spoilers about the killer's identity. In addition, there are radio interviews of Malden and Franciscus, conducted during the production. Malden's interview is by far more interesting, astutely pointing out the young Italian director's skills, and discussing his methods for playing a blind character. Since I believe Malden's performance is an important aspect of the movie's success, I enjoyed his time-capsule interview quite a bit. Although indeed a more conventional film in many ways compared to his later works, CAT is by no means an anonymous assembly line product some comments (including Argento's, perhaps)may lead you to believe. You will NOT be disappointed. Beware of milk deliveries!

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Surprisingly good
I had read somewhere that Dario himself didn't think highly of this film and Maltin rates it a BOMB. I was sceptical when I rented this one but in the end I was relieved that I did. It's actually quite good and it has a cohesive plot that keeps you guessing 'till the very end. There's no gore here to speak of but Argento keeps things lively from start to finish and the actors here are amazingly good (compared to many other Argento films). Check it out, it certainly doesn't deserve a BOMB rating, and also, it seems that Dario is never entirely satisfied with his old films, apperently he can't even watch them on t.v.