On DVD: The Black Cat

Directed By Stuart Gordon

Starring Jeffrey Combs

Season two of Masters of Horror wasn't stellar and that's being kind.  I do think the series has legs if the creative team behind it will take some more risks, but at the end of this season it was definitely a step down from season one.  With that said there were some stand out episodes in the season and this episode is one of those.

The Movie

Stuart Gordon has focused a big portion of his career on making and remaking the stories of H.P. Lovecraft including the cult classic Re-Animator and his season one entry in Masters of Horror.  This time around he brings in one of his old gang, Jeffrey Combs, to star in a film adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat.

In this period piece "Poe" (Combs) is battling a drinking problem and as a writer is suffering from writer's block.  At the same time his wife/cousin Virginia is very sick suffering from a nasty bought of tuberculosis.  Poe calls the doctor when Virginia begins coughing up blood.  The doctor tells Poe that he won't come to treat Virginia anymore unless Poe begins paying his bills.  On top of all of this Virginia's black cat Pluto is becoming extremely annoying.  Poe decides that he will fight through his writer's block and write another of his short stories to sell and get his bills paid.

While Poe tries to write he also finds himself doing battle with Pluto who seems to be reeking havoc in the house killing the fish and the pet bird.  Poe's drunken rage seesaws back and forth between reality and foggy illusion so much that by the end we can't discern what's true and what's not.  Not only is this one of the best directed and acted entries in the Masters of Horror series it's also one of the most unique scripts.  Rather than just retell the story Gordon and his writing partner decide to cleverly combine the classic story with elements of Edgar Allan Poe's real life. 

Gordon makes the best of his limited budget keeping the sets and lighting condensed and claustrophobic, using his limited budget to create a story element.  AS Poe gets drunk and slings himself around that small cabin I could literally feel his anger and frustration.  There's a real retro feel to this film, it reminds me in parts of some 60's Euro period horror films (minus the exploitation elements) and that's a good thing.  At the end of the episode I was really surprised at just how good it was, this one's highly recommended.

9/10

The Video

This transfer is indicative of all of the Masters of Horror releases.  Flesh tones and color in general look great but the image overall is just a little soft.  There are also some mild compression issues and just a little grain.  In other words, it looks like a television series transfer.  It's not phenomenal but it's good enough.

7.5/10

The Audio

There's a standard Dolby 2.0 mix and a Dolby Digital 5.1 offering.  Of course if you have the equipment the 5.1 mix is the way to go.  Dialogue, score, and sound effects are crisp clean and well mixed.  With the surround mix there are some instances of directional speaker use that do a great job of adding tension.  For a television series release this is a solid mix.

8/10

Packaging and Bonus Features

As with previous Masters of Horror releases the single disc comes in a standard amaray case inside a slipcover.  The artwork is eye catching but at first glance it doesn't appear to be a period film which might be important for some fans.

First up for bonus features is a feature commentary with Stuart Gordon and Jeffrey Combs.  These two have known each other for many years and it shows in this casual conversational pleasant discussion.  They hit the important topics such as special effects, casting, and locations and sets.  If you like the film you'll enjoy hearing these guys discuss it.  The commentary does what it should, it enhances the experience of viewing the film.

"The Tell Tail Cat: The Making of The Black Cat" is an above average making of featurette.  The short documentary features interviews with the cast and crew.  There's some good information to be found between back slapping.

"Bringing Down the Axe" is a featurette focusing on the special effects of the film with a focus on the mix of practical effects and CGI.  There are interviews with the masters at KNB sharing their experiences working on the film.

Other than the above listed features there's a brief featurette about Stuart Gordon, a still gallery, and the script on DVD-ROM.  I've complained that the season two discs don't have as much bonus content as those from season one and I continue to lodge that complaint.  At least what we do get here is all good stuff.

7/10

The Black Cat is easily the best episode of season two and one of the best of the entire season so again it's highly recommended.

Overall (Not an Average) 8/10

The Movie 9/10

The Video 7.5/10

The Audio 8/10

The Packaging and Bonus Features 7/10

Overall (Not an Average) 8/10

-Stephen Lackey