The Black Cat (1981 film)

The Black Cat
American poster for The Black Cat
Directed by	Lucio Fulci
Produced by	Giulio Sbarigia
Screenplay by	Lucio Fulci Biagio Proietti
Story by	Edgar Allan Poe Biagio Poietti
Based on	The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe
Starring	Patrick Magee Mimsy Farmer David Warbeck Al Cliver
Music by	Pino Donaggio
Cinematography	Sergio Salvati
Edited by	Vincenzo Tomassi
Production company	Italian International Film Selenia Cinematografica
Release date	4 April 1981
Running time	92 minutes
Country	Italy
Language	Italian English

The Black Cat (Italian release title: Black Cat: Gatto nero) is a 1981 Italian horror film directed by Lucio Fulci. It starred Patrick Magee, Mimsy Farmer, Al Cliver and David Warbeck. The film is based loosely on the story of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe, and uses the violent style that typified the director's later career, following films like Don't Torture a Duckling (1972).

Strange things are happening in a small English village starting when a man driving a car suddenly encounters a strange black cat in the back seat and through the mesmerizing stare, the cat causes the man to crash his car into a lamp post, killing him. The black cat travels back to its home, a rambling old house occupied by Robert Miles (Patrick Magee), a morbid and hostile former college professor of the supernatural who is reputed to be a medium. Professor Miles lives alone except for his equally hostile black cat, and spends his time making audio tape recordings at the tombs of the recently deceased. Meanwhile, an American tourist named Jill Travers (Mimsy Farmer), ventures into an open crypt to take photographs for her scrapbook when she discovers a small microphone on the floor of the place. Venturing out, she meets the local police constable Sergeant Wilson (Al Cliver) who tells her not to venture down the crypt again, saying that the dead like to be left alone. "They're not very hospitable," says Wilson.

Elsewhere, Maureen Grayson (Daniela Doria), a local outgoing teenager and her boyfriend, Stan, are in a rowboat on a nearby canal when they row to a boathouse and lock themselves in an airtight room so they can have sex. Maureen becomes nervous and Stan discovers that the key for the locked door has disappeared. They are trapped as the room's air begins to run out.

The following day, Lillian Gayson (Dagmar Lassander) calls the police to her daughter's disappearance and Sergeant Wilson calls a man from Scotland Yard, Inspector Gorley (David Warbeck) who rides into town on his motorcycle and immediately gets a speeding ticket from Sergeant Wilson upon arrival at the police station. Meanwhile, Jill's search for the owner of the mini-microphone leads her to Miles, who discusses with her the barriers of perception and how to escape them. He tries to hypnotize Jill, but is prevented from doing so by the black cat, which suddenly leaps and scratches him. Jill leaves in a hurry.