This article is missing information about the film's production, and broadcasting/home media releases. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page.(April 2019)
Robert Bloch tells in his autobiography how the film was originally planned as a starring vehicle for Diahann Carroll but that by the time the script was completed and approved, Miss Carroll had fulfilled her contractual obligations with the network and he had to rewrite her role. He also writes of other difficulties with the scripting. After being informed the script ran twelve minutes too long, and Bloch's laboriously editing the screenplay to make it run to time, on a viewing of the rushes it was found the film now ran twelve minutes too short. Most of the sets had already been torn down. Bloch had to work out how to put twelve minutes back into the film so it would go out over the network on the appointed date.[1]
Late one evening, Frank Lucas, a licensed appraiser, goes to the home of a deceased client to finish taking inventory of the estate, including ancient artifacts. He discovers a sarcophagus in the basement that holds a mummy wearing a solid gold amulet displaying a cat's head with emerald eyes. Once Lucas removes the amulet from the mummy's corpse, he unleashes a curse imposed thousands of years ago by a cat goddess. He is promptly attacked and clawed to death by a mysterious black feline that howls like a jackal.
Later, Joe Sung, an Oriental thief, breaks into the deceased's mansion, stealing the amulet. Later, he tries to pawn it at The Sorcerer's Shop, an establishment that specializes in occult items. But the proprietress, Hester Black, throws him out.
Meanwhile, Lt. Marco of the local police department is investigating the murder of Mr. Lucas with the expert advice of Roger Edmonds, a professor who specializes in archeology. The theft of the amulet sets off a murderous chain of events involving Black, Lt. Marco, Edmonds, Sung, a salesgirl named Rena Carter, and a homicidal black cat with glowing green eyes.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2019)
John Stanley writes of the film: "Robert Bloch supernatural teleplay with in-jokes about movie cats, but it's pallid stuff. Gale Sondergaard, one time Spider Woman, is a cat goddess claiming victims to possess a golden amulet. Kent Smith, who starred in Lewton's original classic Cat People (1942) and its sequel The Curse of the Cat People (1944), has a cameo. Curtis Harrington needed nine lives to direct David Hedison, Stuart Whitman, Keye Luke, John Carradine; Peter Lorre, Jr. turns up in one scene with a knife in his back. Has the bite of a kitten instead of a jungle marauder."[2]
Michael Weldon calls the film "an "okay attempt to recreate a Val Lewton '40s mood. Gale Sondergaard (who had only appeared in one film since 1949 because of the Communist scare blacklist) is Hester Black, a mysterious shopkeeper. John Carradine, Keye Luke, Kent Smith (Cat People) and John Abbott (The Vampire's Ghost) are all on hand to remind you of the B-movie roots."[3]
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This article is missing information about the film s production and broadcasting home media releases Please expand the article to include this information Further details may exist on the talk page April 2019 The Cat Creature is a 1973 American made for television horror film produced by Douglas S Cramer and directed by Curtis Harrington from a teleplay by Robert Bloch and starring Meredith Baxter David Hedison and Gale Sondergaard The film serves as a tribute to the low budget Val Lewton horror films of the 1940s and also features an appearance by Kent Smith who starred in Lewton s original classic Cat People 1942 and its sequel The Curse of the Cat People 1944 It originally premiered as the ABC Movie of the Week on December 11 1973 The Cat CreatureTitle cardGenreHorrorWritten byRobert Bloch teleplay Story byDouglas S CramerWilfred Lloyd BaumesRobert BlochDirected byCurtis HarringtonStarringMeredith BaxterDavid HedisonGale SondergaardMusic byLeonard RosenmanCountry of originUnited StatesOriginal languageEnglishProductionProducersDouglas S CramerRobert J Anderson associate producer Production locationLos AngelesCinematographyCharles RosherEditorStan FordRunning time74 minutesProduction companiesDouglas S Cramer CompanyScreen Gems TelevisionOriginal releaseNetworkABCReleaseDecember 11 1973 1973 12 11 Robert Bloch tells in his autobiography how the film was originally planned as a starring vehicle for Diahann Carroll but that by the time the script was completed and approved Miss Carroll had fulfilled her contractual obligations with the network and he had to rewrite her role He also writes of other difficulties with the scripting After being informed the script ran twelve minutes too long and Bloch s laboriously editing the screenplay to make it run to time on a viewing of the rushes it was found the film now ran twelve minutes too short Most of the sets had already been torn down Bloch had to work out how to put twelve minutes back into the film so it would go out over the network on the appointed date 1 Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Reception 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksPlot editLate one evening Frank Lucas a licensed appraiser goes to the home of a deceased client to finish taking inventory of the estate including ancient artifacts He discovers a sarcophagus in the basement that holds a mummy wearing a solid gold amulet displaying a cat s head with emerald eyes Once Lucas removes the amulet from the mummy s corpse he unleashes a curse imposed thousands of years ago by a cat goddess He is promptly attacked and clawed to death by a mysterious black feline that howls like a jackal Later Joe Sung an Oriental thief breaks into the deceased s mansion stealing the amulet Later he tries to pawn it at The Sorcerer s Shop an establishment that specializes in occult items But the proprietress Hester Black throws him out Meanwhile Lt Marco of the local police department is investigating the murder of Mr Lucas with the expert advice of Roger Edmonds a professor who specializes in archeology The theft of the amulet sets off a murderous chain of events involving Black Lt Marco Edmonds Sung a salesgirl named Rena Carter and a homicidal black cat with glowing green eyes Cast editMeredith Baxter as Rena Carter David Hedison as Prof Roger Edmonds Gale Sondergaard as Hester Black John Carradine as The Hotel Clerk Renne Jarrett as Sherry Hastings Keye Luke as The Thief Joe Sung Kent Smith as Frank Lucas Stuart Whitman as Lt Marco Milton Parson as The Deputy Coroner Peter Lorre Jr as The Pawnbroker John Abbott as Dr Reinhart Virgil Frye as Donovan William Sims as BertReception editThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it April 2019 John Stanley writes of the film Robert Bloch supernatural teleplay with in jokes about movie cats but it s pallid stuff Gale Sondergaard one time Spider Woman is a cat goddess claiming victims to possess a golden amulet Kent Smith who starred in Lewton s original classic Cat People 1942 and its sequel The Curse of the Cat People 1944 has a cameo Curtis Harrington needed nine lives to direct David Hedison Stuart Whitman Keye Luke John Carradine Peter Lorre Jr turns up in one scene with a knife in his back Has the bite of a kitten instead of a jungle marauder 2 Michael Weldon calls the film an okay attempt to recreate a Val Lewton 40s mood Gale Sondergaard who had only appeared in one film since 1949 because of the Communist scare blacklist is Hester Black a mysterious shopkeeper John Carradine Keye Luke Kent Smith Cat People and John Abbott The Vampire s Ghost are all on hand to remind you of the B movie roots 3 See also editList of American films of 1973 ABC Movie of the WeekReferences edit Once Around the Bloch An Unauthorized Autobiography NY Tor Books 1993 pp 360 63 Creature Features The Science Fiction Fantasy and Horror Movie Guide NY Berkley Boulevard 2000 p 82 The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film NY Ballantine Books 1989 p 109 Mad About Mystery 100 Wonderful Television Mysteries from the Seventies by Nowak Donna Marie The Cat Creature at WorldCat The ABC Movie of the Week Big Movies for the Small Screen by McKenna Michael p 141External links editThe Cat Creature at IMDb nbsp The Cat Creature at the TCM Movie Database The Cat Creature at AllMovie Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Cat Creature amp oldid 1212187497, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
