Brrr...

I only saw the second segment all the way through. I just ordered this film off the internet, so when I see the whole thing, I'll make additional comments. The second segment features an orphaned little girl sent to stay with relatives who have a girl a few years older. The little girl has a black cat. The cat gives the mother the creeps, but she doesn't have the heart to make the girl get rid of the cat after having lost her parents. The older girl starts out with minor verbal taunts, but gets progressively meaner as the story progresses and gleefully laughs as she uses a remote control toy airplane to repeatedly hit the little girl with it. The older girl's wicked laughing pitted against the hysterically frightened little girl's crying made me cringe in horror and it made me really mad. I usually don't like black cats either, but when the little girl finally uses the cat to exact revenge on the other girl, I was cheering for the cat!

The Uncanny (1977, Dir. Denis Heroux)

Wilbur Gray visits Frank Richards so he can get his book published. This book Gray has written are about cats. Cats watching everyone and controlling everything. He mentions the stories in the book are all true, and gives three examples. The first involves the murder of a cat-loving old woman who gives her entire fortune in her will to her cats. Not everyone is happy about the wills, but would have to get past the cats to get the the will. The second story is a tale of black magic between two girls and the third story is a tale of murderous revenge...by a cat.

How many horror movies do you get where cats are the murder suspect? Not many. That's why this movie could come off being simply a bit silly. It isn't very scary, with not many jumps (most of the jumps rely on cats paws appearing). Plus, it seems more comedic than frighting. But, it is still very fun to watch. There's not many films you see like this, and although it won't win any positive awards, i found it very entertaining to watch.

"Wellington? Wellington? Where are you Wellington?" - Lucy (Katrina Holden)

The horror anthology has fallen out of favour in the last few decades which is something of a shame, they could be wildly entertaining and some horror concepts (especially those which lack budget which is pretty clearly the case here) work better as short vignettes rather than full length features. They also star some great character actors who obviously come in for a days work, here we have the excellent Peter Cushing, Donald Pleasance, John Vernon and Ray Milland. It's ironic that after making this Cushing and Pleasance both went on to mega success with Star Wars and Halloween. What I don't get is why people reviewing this say that the concept is that cats are 'evil'? In every story all they try to do is either protect or avenge the wrongs suffered by their beloved human keepers? (I almost used the word 'masters' but this film establishes what we all suspected, it's actually the other way around). Plus the world secretly run by cats seems to be a pretty good place, I mean what are they going to force us all to do, give them extra helpings of cream? All dogs to be kept on leads? More belly rubs?

Not a film for ailurophobics (those afraid of cats) - this film might add to their fears because of the nature of the film. The film is about cats, cats that get revenge.

The story of Miss Malkin is quite good. BUT what I don't know is how long she was dead and Janet was hiding in the house but she was hungry to spread cat food on her bread - that tells me she must have been there for two or three days hiding. Not only was Janet hungry - so were those vengeful cats.

The orphan Lucy my favorite of the trilogy. I cannot blame Lucy for what she did to her cousin Angela. I did not like Angela at all nor did I like Mrs. Blake (Angela's mother and Lucy's aunt). And Wellington the cat was not pleased with them either.

The last tale of Valentine De'ath is quite a good comedy-horror. I love the reference to Poe in this one - that pendulum! There are quite a few cat puns too that befit the story. The cat will have your tongue in the end.

Now the parts with Peter Cushing and Ray Milland are actually the best part of the film because it's interesting what happens with the two men, the evidence and the book.

Worth watching if you like horror, cats and a good starring cast. I love those cats!

7.5/10

THE UNCANNY is another horror anthology film from Amicus studios. In the wraparound story, Wilbur (Peter Cushing) is a man with a distinct fear of cats. The three tales he tells to his friend Frank (Ray Milland) illustrate the grounds for his terror.

In LONDON 1912- The aged Miss Malkin (Joan Greenwood) decides to leave her fortune to her large number of cats. Of course, her greedy nephew and the unscrupulous maid (Simon Williams and Susan Penhaligon) have other ideas, leading to skullduggery, death, and ferocious feline intervention! This one has a nice, EC comics-style ending!

In QUEBEC PROVINCE 1975- Young Lucy (Katrina Holden Bronson) and her cat, Wellington, move in with her aunt (Alexandra Stewart) after the passing of her parents. Lucy's insufferably bratty cousin, Angela (Chloe Franks) does her best to make life miserable, not knowing that there's far more to Lucy -and Wellington!- than she or her oblivious parents could imagine. For lovers of occult creepiness and comeuppance!

In HOLLYWOOD 1936- When horror movie actor, Valentine De'ath (Donald Pleasence) loses his wife and latest co-star, Madeleine (Catherine Begin) in a tragic "accident", he suggests her stand-in, Edina Hamilton (Samantha Eggar) for the part. Of course, all is not as it appears to be, and Valentine and Edina are in for a very rude awakening, delivered by Madeleine's faithful, highly intelligent kitty. Pleasence and Eggar have a blast hamming it up for this segment! Co-stars John Vernon.

The wraparound concludes, proving all too late that Wilbur has good reason to be afraid. This is quite good, and arguably the best killer cat movie ever made!...