‘Death means nothing to a beast with nine lives!
Seven Deaths in the Cat’s Eyes is a 1973 Italian-French-West German giallo-horror film directed by Antonio Margheriti (Web of the Spider; Castle of Blood; The Virgin of Nuremberg) from a screenplay co-written with Giovanni Simonelli (A Cat in the Brain; Bloody Psycho; The Crimes of the Black Cat).
The film’s score by Riz Ortolani uses musical cue’s from previous Margheriti films such as The Virgin of Nuremberg, and Castle of Blood.
A British Blu-ray release by 88 Films is scheduled for 26 December 2016.
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Main cast:
Jane Birkin, Hiram Keller, Françoise Christophe, Venantino Venantini (City of the Living Dead), Doris Kunstmann, Anton Diffring (Mark of the Devil; Circus of Horrors).
Opening plot:
Scotland: A man is murdered with a razor by an unknown killer. The killer drags the man’s body into a dimly lit dungeon and is followed by a ginger cat.
Dragonstone Castle, Scotland: Corringa (Jane Birkin) returns to spend summer with her mother. A gorilla is seen watching the carriage from an upper window.
Corringa is reunited with her mother, Lady Alicia (Dana Ghia), and her aunt, Lady Mary MacGrieff (Francoise Christophe). Other castle residents include Dr. Franz (Anton Diffring), a priest (Venantino Venatini), the French teacher Suzanna (Doris Kunstmann), and her mad cousin, the son and heir of Lady Mary, Lord James MacGrieff (Hiram Keller). After a dinner party, Lady Alicia is suffocated with a pillow while the ginger cat watches…
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Review:
This gothic giallo begins frenetically with a pre-credits murder, after which rats devour the corpse-all the while viewed by the overweight titular moggy. This unsubtle opening sets the tone for what becomes almost a black comedy in which every character either a blathering eccentric or stark raving mad (its no surprise that writer Simonelli and director Margheriti’s previous stab at the genre, The Young the evil and the Savage, was also full of humor).
To top it all, there is the splendidly absurd notion that lunatic Lord James would keep a live ex-circus Gorilla caged up in his quarters, which allows for some vintage monkeying about behind wall panels by the real killer. References to chimeras and vampires and even “a new theory by someone called Freud” are thrown into the pot but go nowhere.
The casting of Euro-Pop chantress Jane Birkin and Gallic songster Serge Gainsbourg adds novelty value to the proceedings but little else. The entertainingly overblown package is suitably complemented by Ortolani’s recycled bombastic orchestral arrangements.
Adrian J Smith, Horrorpedia
Other reviews:
” …at far too many moments the narrative seems to run out of steam and meander lifelessly from one scene to the next. Fortunately this slovenly progress is offset by some beautifully composed shots and a tense soundtrack by Riz Ortolani. Seven Deaths in the Cat’s Eye doesn’t pull any punches with its violence and there are number of well mounted set pieces, but this energy is only fleetingly glimpsed.” The Celluloid Highway
The thick atmosphere of the spooky castle couldn’t be cut with a knife, and definitely contributes to the weird success of this almost schizophrenic film. One moment it’s a supernatural tale of family curses, the next the threat is a human one and the suspects numerous. Margheriti delivers a number of memorable moments… Casey Scott, DVD Drive-In
” …an opulent treat. Effective as both a black comedy, one where the laughs are both subtle and unobtrusive; and a sumptuous gothic melodrama-come-giallo.” Justin Kerswell, Hysteria Lives
Cast and characters:
- Jane Birkin as Corringa
- Hiram Keller as Lord James MacGrieff
- Françoise Christophe as Lady Mary MacGrieff
- Venantino Venantini as Padre Robertson
- Doris Kunstmann as Suzanne
- Anton Diffring as Dr. Franz
- Dana Ghia as Lady Alicia
- Serge Gainsbourg as a Police Inspector
- Konrad Georg as Campbell
- Alan Collins as Angus
Bianca Doria as Janet Campbell
Filming locations:
Incir De Paolis, Rome, Lazio, Italy
Castello Massimo, Arsoli, Roma, Italy
The film has also been released as (Italian:) La morte negli occhi del gatto, (French:) Les Diablesses, (Germany:) Sieben Tote in den Augen der Katze and Cat’s Murdering Eye.
