Search - Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye on DVD

A "hammer"-esque Italian Giallo

Lunar Strain | United States | 08/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Seven Deaths in a Cat's Eye is not your typical giallo. Though the title is reminicent of many other giallo's made in the 70's by incorporating an "animal" in the title, it is a little different. We do not have a gloved killer dressed in black going around and violent slashing people. It is instead a murder mystery that surrounds a group of family members in an old castle that start getting killed off one by one by a mysterious killer. Because it stray's from the formula a bit Seven Deaths in a Cat's Eye might disappoint people who live and breath by Dario Argento's films.



Just because it strays from the formula a bit and has little gore doesn't make it a giallo? Hell no! That's like saying Psycho isn't a horror film because it doesn't show gore or have a masked undead killer. Giallo simply means "murder mystery" and that is exactly what this film is. Just because it doesn't copy Argento frame by frame does not make it a giallo. I actually commend Antonio Margheriti for trying something different. Along with his stylish directing, he also injected the film with a thick atmosphere VERY reminisent of old Hammer films. Very gothic in feeling. Like those films, the movie doesn't move at a 100 mph but lets the mystery and atmosphere take you along. Unless you are a young, small minded viewer whose attention can only be kept by today's modern fast adn flashy editing then you should have no problem with this film.



Is Seven Deaths in a Cat's Eye a terrific film? No. But it is a good film that really deserves to be viewed. The atmosphere is thick, the directing is great....just don't expect an Argento giallo and you will find Seven Deaths to your liking."

Enjoyable Gothic Giallo

J. B. Hoyos | Chesapeake, VA | 07/03/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Gothic horror and Italian gialli are my favorite sub-genres. Naturally, I was excited to discover "Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye" - an Italian giallo that is set at a crumbling, turn-of-the-century Scottish castle that is replete with secret passageways, dungeons, mausoleums, fog enshrouded landscapes, and night creatures such as bats and rats. This film is directed by famous Antonio Margheriti who directed the giallo "Naked You Die," which was co-written by Mario Bava. A great musical score is provided by Riz Ortolani who also provided the score for Lucio Fulci's "Perversion Story."



Beautiful Corringa (Jane Birken of "Blow-Up") is expelled from her convent school; she returns to her ancestral home, a crumbling castle owned by her Aunt Mary who is in financial straits. One by one, Corringa's strange relatives and associates are murdered by means of suffocation, throat slashing, and bludgeoning. Most everyone is a suspect until they are found dead. The ending is shocking. I never guessed who the killer was. This is a very enjoyable whodunit from Margheriti. It is highly recommended for fans of Italian gialli and gothic horror.

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