A family gathers in a cliffside Scottish castle, only for some of them to fall victim to a killer wielding a straight razor. A feline happens to be on hand to witness each murder - hence the title - but naturally couldn't possibly say anything to anybody. Among the potential victims are Corringa (Jane Birkin), a not-so-innocent young woman, her mother, her aunt, her weirdo cousin James (Hiram Keller), and the shady Dr. Franz (Anton Diffring). Oh, and there also happens to be a former circus ape (!) on the grounds.
"Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye" is more in the style of Hammer pictures of the 1960s and 70s than the traditional Italian Giallo. It's certainly a very nice LOOKING picture, with opulent production design and impressive widescreen photography, and is given stylish guidance by prolific Italian filmmaker Antonio Margheriti. It's not as utterly trashy as some entries into the Giallo genre, preferring to go for a mostly old-style approach. It is spiced up a little bit with some sexual frankness and a few enjoyable doses of gore. But the story (Margheriti and Giovanni Simonelli scripted, based on a novel by Peter Bryan) doesn't offer anything truly interesting to the viewer. The reveal of the killers' identity may catch some people by surprise.
The cast is solid through all of it. Birkin is appealing, Keller and Diffring quite amusing, and the esteemed European actors and actresses also include Francoise Christophe, Venantino Venantini, Doris Kunstmann, Dana Ghia, Konrad Georg, Serge Gainsbourg, and Luciano Pigozzi.
Definitely atmospheric at times, with a particularly effective opening.
Six out of 10.
"Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye" is more in the style of Hammer pictures of the 1960s and 70s than the traditional Italian Giallo. It's certainly a very nice LOOKING picture, with opulent production design and impressive widescreen photography, and is given stylish guidance by prolific Italian filmmaker Antonio Margheriti. It's not as utterly trashy as some entries into the Giallo genre, preferring to go for a mostly old-style approach. It is spiced up a little bit with some sexual frankness and a few enjoyable doses of gore. But the story (Margheriti and Giovanni Simonelli scripted, based on a novel by Peter Bryan) doesn't offer anything truly interesting to the viewer. The reveal of the killers' identity may catch some people by surprise.
The cast is solid through all of it. Birkin is appealing, Keller and Diffring quite amusing, and the esteemed European actors and actresses also include Francoise Christophe, Venantino Venantini, Doris Kunstmann, Dana Ghia, Konrad Georg, Serge Gainsbourg, and Luciano Pigozzi.
Definitely atmospheric at times, with a particularly effective opening.
Six out of 10.