O Amuleto Egípcio

I haven't seen this movie since I was a kid in 1973,and have looked for it for years. Recently found it on You Tube. I remember being impressed with the eeriness film and the scary visuals of the ending, even though you know who the priestess is. However, what lessens the films enjoyment for me seeing it again is the appearance of abuse of cats, with an unnecessary plot device of alley cats surrounding and eventually attacking the priestess. It appears the cats were starved to congregate around the victims and thrown onto the victims, a lot like what was done with rats in Willard. I am glad we live in more animal conscience times. 2.5 out of 4 stars

Several people, who have somehow come into contact with an amulet improperly elevated from the sarcophagus of an Egyptian mummy, are unaccountably but fatally assailed by a black cat. Not so much another CAT PEOPLE (1942) variation as a commendable addition to filmdom's mummy lore (courtesy of Robert Bloch); a cast of mostly old reliables helps add flavor to the familiar narrative. The film's leads are adequately filled with Meredith Baxter's deceptively innocent salesgirl and archaeologist David Hedison – who, naturally, fall for each other during the course of the narrative; sprucing up the rest of the 'dramatis personae' are world-weary cop Stuart Whitman, sinister proprietor of "The Sorceress" pawn shop Gale Sondergaard, solicitor Kent Smith (the male protagonist of the aforementioned Val Lewton/Jacques Tourneur classic), alcoholic thief Sen Yung and even hotel clerk(!) John Carradine (although already pushing 70 by this time). I have a handful of unwatched made-for-TV genre efforts from director Harrington and I might get to include them in this year's Halloween marathon.

This is one of those movies that you really enjoy when you watch it, but you have to say it is quite bad. Meredith Baxter is certainly a huge reason why this thing works; she takes her part so seriously. And good for her, because other actors might not shine so much in such a campy film. This is was one of those typical seventies TV movies found on ABC in the seventies. It was shot on a small budget, and it shows a little. It really is amazing that these old ABC TV movies were so effective, given their small budgets. It also stars Gale Sondergaard, Hester Black, John Carradine, and Keye Luke. But it's Meredith Baxter that is most memorable. If you like this one try "Bad Ronald."

The Cat Creature (1973)

** (out of 4)

An antique collector dies and soon afterwards a thief steals a gold amulet with the face of a cat on it. Soon several people who come in contact with it are murdered or commit suicide, which leads a detective and a college professor into the investigation. THE CAT CREAURE comes from director Curtis Harrington and writer Robert Bloch and it features an all-star cast but in the end you can't help but see this as being pretty minor. The biggest problem is the story, which has a few interesting ideas but nothing good is ever done with it. I thought the film got off to an extremely good start and the ending was good but everything in the middle was pretty much a bore. The entire investigation just seems so one note and there's never any energy behind it. Even with such a short running time the film really did drag badly in spots, which is a real shame because there are some good things here. One such thing is the alternate way of looking at the legend of a mummy and the curse that comes with it. The actual look of the mummy was good and I also thought the film did a good job with how the cats were used. I'm not going to spoil what happens at the end but it's actually a nice little twist. Another good thing is that the cast is great. We get Meredith Baxter doing a good job playing a woman who gets involved with the case and David Hedison is also good as the college professor. Gale Sondergaard (THE BLACK CAT '41), Keye Luke, Kent Smith, Stuart Whitman and Peter Lorre, Jr. are also in the cast and are fun to see. Then we have the great John Carradine in a quick minute role but he gets to act along side a prostitute midget so here's another weird one for the actor's filmmography. THE CAT CREATURE has a few bright ideas but sadly they never really materialize into anything watchable. Fans of the cast might want to check it out but others should stay clear.

This is a very silly story, but I loved seeing a very young Meredith Baxter along with gothic/horror film regulars of the 30s and 40s such as John Carradine, Peter Lorre and Gale Sondergaard. Oh, and Charlie Chan's Number One Son Keye Luke.