review

CRIMES OF THE BLACK CAT
Shirley Corrigan Crimes of the Black Cat

Sergio Pastore's 1972 giallo, CRIMES OF THE BLACK CAT, is a curious film. At times, it feels stifled and lifeless. At other times, it's one of the most exciting gialli around. It's most certainly not original. All of the plot elements and characteristics are lifted from other gialli - the fashion house setting of BLOOD AND BLACK LACE, the blind amateur detective from THE CAT O'NINE TAILS, the final explanation from... well, I won't give that away - but it carries itself better than most other gialli and manages moments of genuine tension. If it weren't for the fact that it all but collapses under the weight of it's ludicrous final reveal, CRIMES OF THE BLACK CAT would certainly enter the ranks of DEEP RED and YOUR VICE IS A LOCKED ROOM AND ONLY I HAVE THE KEY as one of the best gialli ever made.


Anthony Steffen Crimes of the Black Cat

Peter Oliver is a blind composer. He arranges to meet his girlfriend, an employee at a posh fashion house, for a drink. Their relationship isn't going so well. She doesn't show up, leaving him a note instead. But while Peter is sitting at the bar he overhears two people talking. The word "blackmail" keeps coming up. One of the two people get up and leave. Peter notices the sound of her strange walk and calls the waiter over. He describes the woman to Peter as "unsteady on her feet" and "wearing a white cape". Peter inquires about the other person but they are long gone. Later that night, Peter's now ex-girlfriend, Paola dies in a dressing room at the fashion house, seemingly of a heart attack. She is found with scratches on her face and a yellow shawl wrapped around her. The first person on the scene, a pretty blonde named Margot recalls seeing a basket in the room when she first entered. It's gone by the time the cops get there. Jansen, the Inspector in charge of the case, soon discovers photographs of Paola, naked in bed with Victor, the lover of fashion house owner Francoise. A blackmail scheme is revealed, Paola wanted money to keep their affair quiet. But Victor claims that he is innocent. Soon, the man who took the compromising photographs is found dead and more of Francoise's employees are being threatened. Peter becomes fixated on finding the person responsible for Paola's death and sets out with Margot and his helper, Burton, to solve the mystery.


The original Italian title SETTE SCIALLI DI SETA GIALLA translates roughly into SEVEN SHAWLS OF YELLOW SILK. That would have been a much better title for the US release. As it stands CRIMES OF THE BLACK CAT makes this film sound more like a crime caper than a thriller. It also gives away a little bit too much about the killer's modus operandi. The killer in the film has a very unique method of knocking off his - or her? - victims. You won't find another like it and the execution of these particular murder scenes - there are other, more standard murders, too - is incredibly memorable. The stalking scenes, a staple of the giallo, are also incredibly effective and suspenseful, as are the final scenes featuring a perilous journey through a construction site for our blind hero and a ruthless, graphic, and nauseating PSYCHO-esque shower murder.


Sergio Pastore's Crimes of the Black Cat

Another real pleasure comes from watching the cast. This is one amazing cast with some great films on their resume. Just take a look:


Anthony Steffen: DEATH IN HAITI, THE NIGHT EVELYN CAME OUT OF THE GRAVE.


Giacomo Rossi-Stuart: KILL, BABY... KILL!, VICE WEARS BLACK HOSE, DEATH SMILES ON A MURDERER, THE PASSION OF EVELYN, MACABRE and THE NIGHT EVELYN CAME OUT OF THE GRAVE.


Umberto Raho: SECRETS OF A CALL GIRL, WOMEN IN CELL BLOCK 7, SUMMERTIME KILLER, THE NIGHT EVELYN CAME OUT OF THE GRAVE, BARON BLOOD, THE ASSASSIN OF ROME, THE FLOWER WITH THE DEADLY STING, THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE and THE CAT O'NINE TAILS.


Sylvia Koscina: LISA AND THE DEVIL, PENETRATION and JUSTINE.


and Shirley Corrigan: SECRETS OF A CALL GIRL, CAMPUS PUSSYCATS and THE DEVIL'S NIGHTMARE.


If that doesn't appeal to you - or if you're struggling to place any of those names - you're most definitely not an Italian genre fan.


Crimes of the Black Cat giallo

Another major blow to CRIMES OF THE BLACK CAT doesn't even have anything to do with the film itself. The only version currently available on Region 1 DVD is absolutely terrible. The picture is from an obvious VHS master and the audio is terribly muffled. The night scenes are so dark it's hard to make out a single detail - take a look at the screen shots and you can see just how terrible it looks. That's a damn shame because CRIMES OF THE BLACK CAT really deserves better. Those interested in seeing the film should look elsewhere. There are hundreds of better transfers floating out there.


Bad transfer or not, CRIMES OF THE BLACK CAT is still highly recommended.


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