The Cat Creature is a 1973 American supernatural horror film made for television and directed by Curtis Harrington (Ruby; The Dead Don’t Die; The Killing Kind; Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?; Night Tide; et al) from a screenplay by Robert Bloch, based on a story by producer Douglas S. Cramer and Wilford Lloyd Baumes. The TV movie stars Meredith Baxter, David Hedison and Gale Sondergaard.
Composer Leonard Rosenman also provided scores for RoboCop 2; Prophecy; The Car; The Possessed and Race with the Devil.
Plot:
Frank Lucas, a licensed appraiser, goes to the home of a dead client to complete an inventory on a collection of ancient artefacts. He discovers a sarcophagus in the basement that holds a mummy wearing a gold amulet bearing a cat’s head with emerald eyes. However, he is killed by a feline creature.
A petty thief steals the amulet and tries to pawn it at The Sorcerer’s Shop, but the proprietress Hester Black throws him out.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Marco is investigating the murder of Frank Lucas with the expert advice of Roger Edmonds, an archaeology professor. The theft of the amulet sets off a chain of murders…
Reviews:
“At a brisk 75 minutes it’s over quite promptly, leaving me, at least, wanting more, from the plaster Egyptian ‘artifacts’ to the autumnal palette. Harrington ensures every frame is a-drip with classic horror fan / 70s childhood manna…” Acidemic
“Cat Creature is a heady Curtis Harrington combination of high-gloss production values and spinechilling terror […] Screenwriter Robert Bloch intended this film as an affectionate throwback to the stylized horror films of old. Cat Creature is the sort of film that removes the “potboiler” stigma from the made-for-TV form.” All Movie
” …has some things going for it, including a reasonably good cast and a fairly interesting plot devised by writer Robert Bloch (of Psycho fame), which draws many parallels between mummies and vampires.” The Bloody Pit of Horror
“The Cat Creature is a relatively classy (albeit low-budget) affair until a high-camp climactic twist knocks it straight into the gonzosphere. Laughable ending notwithstanding, the film has enough going for it to warrant horror aficionados’ attention.” Ideological Content Analysis
“Harrington’s direction is ploddingly dull and fails to find anything in the way of atmosphere. Everything that happens is thuddingly obvious and is killed by a loud and overemphatic canned score. The script is a pedestrian detective story plot that schematically turns by the numbers and arrives at a desultory ending that barely lifts the show.” Moria
“The Cat Creature is a by-the-numbers TV-movie, but it’s also extremely cosy, perfect for a lazy morning. The wonderful cast is inspired – especially Gale Sondergaard, the talented and colourful actress who became a victim for the McCarthy-fascism, who also got a little comeback here…” Ninja Dixon
“Who better to direct The Cat Creature with its homage to the past than Curtis Harrington? A fine old school director if there ever was one, Harrington clearly understood his source and had respect for the Val Lewton movies of the ’40s […] Cat is a hard to find film that is worth seeking out.” The Terror Trap
“It does not apologize or wink at any of the more out there touches. Namely that Bloch’s Ancient Egyptian mythos is invented whole cloth; did you know the Tarot and Zodiac are just modern-day descendants of it? Well, you do now! A very fun […] 75 minutes.” This Was Television
For the trailer, full movie free online on YouTube, cast and characters and more info please visit page 2
