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The film Re-Animator made director Stuart Gordon a household name to horror genre fans across the globe, but many of his other films will ring familiar to more hard-core fans. Castle Freak, Dolls, From Beyond and my personal favorite Dagon are all small budgeted but largely appreciated entries into the horror pantheon that show Gordon has a strong cult following and could truly be called a Master of Horror. Similarly, Jeffrey Combs has made a livelihood out of appearing in low-budget and quirky roles almost solely for the entertainment of his own zealous following. Whether it is Re-Animator and its three sequels (yes, I said three sequels...this year baby!) or House On Haunted Hill, Combs brings his impeccable sense of timing, a dry-wit and trademark deadpan delivery to every project he is a part of. While The Black Cat may be a little darker than some of Combs’ comedic parts in the past, his role as horror literature’s master of the macabre still shines through with signature effectiveness. Edgar A. Poe himself wrote everything from detective mysteries to romantic odes but is best known for his short stories, of which two remain darker than the rest. “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Black Cat” both chart the descent of a man into madness and are wracked with self-loathing, sinister plots, murder and the darkest areas accessible to a human being. I believe “The Black Cat” is the more chilling of the two tales, especially with its themes of animal cruelty and the murder of a spouse. All of this of course makes Poe’s works prime material for a series that has become synonymous with pushing boundaries and catering to the darker desires of horror fans. In a stroke of creativity that borders on inspired, this episode sets Poe himself in the role of his own main character...descending into madness just as he once wrote and working in Poe’s own genuine history as the surrounding circumstances. The public’s lackluster acceptance of his work, his undying love for his young cousin who was to develop consumption and die long before her time, and Poe’s own battle with alcohol which he turned to in an attempt to face the memories of the many beloved women in his life who were taken from him. For those new to the story, The Black Cat is a tale of insanity and guilt. While slightly altered for this small screen version, the basics remain true; a man and his lovely wife share their home with a pet cat. This happy scenario is shaken by the wives sudden onslaught of tuberculosis and her husbands ensuing drunkenness. In a booze-induced stupor, the man takes out his frustrations one evening on the family pet, gouging out its eye and setting into motion a supernatural chain of events that will eventually lead to his downfall. When the cat, now seemingly and understandably out to get his drunken assailant, continually returns to torment the husband, it drives the man into a murderous rage...the cat must die at all costs! But Poe’s wife has other plans, and when she tries to come between the author and his victim, she pays the ultimate price. As is usually the case in these things, the tragic death of his wife sends Poe into a downward spiral...and when the cat returns, the last threads of sanity in our story wisp away. This episode may seem tedious to some, and indeed it is paced closely with Poe’s own storytelling style...beginning dryly and slowly, then meandering ever closer toward a bizarre and violent climax. But for those who put in the time there are frantic and frequent bursts of ultra-violence which deliver a healthy amount of disturbing gore. This is of course a welcome sight for anyone tuning in to the “MoH” series or picking the episodes up on disc, as a healthy serving of gore is one of the main reasons fans keep coming back. The other reason that this series keeps us interested is the unique variety of quality material. Tackling an institution that is as widely loved and well known as Edgar Allen Poe is never an easy task. For director Stewart Gordon, this is actually a second attempt, and given the odd Pit And The Pendulum film, I would confidently say that this was the better of the two. To pull off such a great rendition and place it within the well known life of the very man who wrote it is an awesome feat. Also an awesome addition to The Black Cat is the stunningly beautiful actress Elyse Levesque, who you should keep an eye on in the coming years...she is destined for far more than her TV appearance background would suggest. The Black Cat is amongst the best of what “Masters Of Horror” has come to represent. If you have been picking and choosing from amongst the episodes, you are going to want this one on your wish list. Of course, you can always pick up the complete season two collection when it comes out...but the features on this one are enough to warrant its solo purchase until they decide to add the bonus materials into the collections! This is one black cat you will want to cross paths with. -aaron-
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