The Black Cat (1989)

   

Directed by: Luigi Cozzi

Written by: Luigi Cozzi & Daria Nicolodi
Edgar Allen Poe (Novel)

Starring:

.... Anne Ravenna
.... Marc Ravenna
.... Nora
.... Leonard Levin
.... Sara

Release Date: Direct-to-Video: 1989 (Italy)

 

Rating:

 

An actress Anne Ravenna () is supposed to play a part of a witch in an upcoming horror flick but sees this character that starts to haunt, possess and attacking her but during these moments she's waking up realising that it's only a nightmare or is it?!

 

The film starts off entertaining with a woman going into an alleyway along with a black cat staring at her and then is about to be murdered only to find out that it's a couple of cast membrs doing a scene which is a nice story teaser to the start of a fun horror flick like we are watching at the moment.
While we continue watching there's a cute moment with
Anne Ravenna putting her baby into it's crib as well as a cute shot on this little one sleeping and a voice talking and then a nice red shot on a morgue which made me wonder as to why this was happening.
Then the group of filmmakers and cast discussing their next horror flick as it was nice to hear about them discussing other italian flicks like Suspiria as well as having an idea for a scene in which the film goes to this idea with a ghoulish witch whom is of course the witch Levana creeping out of her coffin. This all looked exciting to watch this moment unfold.
Nice shot on Anne putting something on and looking in the mirror with Levana crashing through the mirror, pinning her down as well as spitting green slime on her as this was supposed to make you jump at first but doesn't seem to do the trick. Yet this looked horror entertaining big time.
More creepy moments when Anne is at her home late at night and strange things happen out of the ordinary that involves Levana only to find out she was dreaming as well as all these moments being a brain teaser wondering if she is actually dreaming or not.
The mystrious moments pile up even more when a boy enters her home claiming to know one of the caretakers there and wanting to hold her baby and then realising he was a total stranger fearing for her baby's life when trying to go back into the room only to have the door locked which made you keep watching wondering if all will be okay.
More tisted and colourful moments with Anne in her home at night that involves Levana as well as a mysterious girl named Sara talking to her on a TV screen as this reveals some nice fantasy moments surrounding as to what's going on in the scene.
A carefully well shot and choreographed sitation after the last situation is when Anne goes into the baby's room with a dagger which makes you wonder if she will kill or not plus some nice twisted shots on Levana as well. Could this be another dream sequence???
What's even more out of the ordinary is that someone crashes their car through her home.
Nice discussions between Anne and Marc with a bitter crippled man whom is Leonard Levin when doing business on getting their project off the ground. This was carefully shot and brings your attention well as to what they're talking about.
Anne realises who took her baby and approaches a misty gothic looking colourful room with a gun and spotting someone with their back turned when she demands her child to be returned to her and boy do things look twisted when this scene unravels.
The horror really gets rolling involving Levana when she controls someone to slit her throat as this showed nice timing.
Plus good final moments with this witch looking young and beautiful behind a green lighting with her magic powers between Anne which was well focused and shot. There were alot of great action sequences throughout this scene.
Bottom line is that this is a very entertaining italian horror flick and although it doesn't scare you so easily it's still twisted and well done regardless. Like most italian horror flicks, it's very colourful with the effects and other strange moments. I'd recommend it to people who love these types of flicks.

The acting is difficult to tell as it's overdubed by other voices since this is a foreign flick but will give this a shot.... (Anne Ravenna) seemed to carry her role quite well in which she shows a nice calm behavior as well as offering a versatile attitude when the suspense piles up with her getting scared or anxious. She showed alot of great energy by the looks of it here and deserves good credit.
(Marc Ravenna) seemed to show off the nice guy next door husband type as he draws a good outgoing type of behavior as well as coming across as a wise type of person in which all of this seemed to work well on his part.
(Nora) was very slick in her part of the film as she had a sharp type of personality as well as acting perfectly lustful with a great beautiful appeal to her part which was a bonus. She also does well near the end of her performance by acting possessed or wicked.
(Leonard Levin) had one of the most effective supporting roles by playing a cripple as he for sure drew on a great grouchy and closed minded attitude as well as coming across creepy near the end of his performance.
(Sara) offers a perfect mysterious part in her role with her clear speaking as well as offering a terrific seriousness as to what she is talking about. Had the perfect appeal to what she did here and came off nicely onto the screen.

Womans stomach explodes
A woman slits her throat.
Witch is impaled by a large stake.
Body explodes.
Man's insides are revealed.

With what's great with italian composing is it's much more original than typical american classical music and so fourth as Vince Tempera does just that with icy high pitched synthesizer music as well as the odd chanting vocalising as it's good and solid. Plus there's some heavy drum beats and the odd bass guitar thumping during many of the suspenseful moments too. I give this guy alot of credit for what he did for this flick.

Lots of the songtracks are done by Bang Tango which I was never a big fan of especially their hit "Someone like you" which was overly played at times and drove me nuts.