Introduction

For an explanation of the concept of 61 Days of Halloween, as well as a list of previously featured films, please go here.

Seven Deaths in a Cat’s Eye (1973)

Seven Death in a Cat’s Eye takes a slightly offbeat approach to the whodunit aspect of the story. As I have celebrated, and complained about when the opposite is true, the title is not only eye-catching but literal. However, that is one of the few intriguing things about the way this story is handled.

There is one ludicrous red herring that is both poorly handled and so far out of left-field compared to the rest of the things that occur in the film that it sticks out terribly and drags the film down. However, at least this insane thing that occurs – that I’m sparing you a spoiler about – is something notable and interesting.

Perhaps the biggest issue this film has is the lulls between its deaths and characterization. It does fairly well with one supporting character, but the protagonist is the kind we get facts dropped about but don’t really get to know. This is the kind of lead that we’re supposed to root for simply because they’re the lead, and we’re really given no other impetus to give a damn about them at all.

While the approach does well to obfuscate the identity of the killer the climactic reveal and confrontation really aren’t as such. There are some decently executed kills, however, the most memorable thing about film ends up being title and the ridiculous red herring.