The opening of Stephen King’s anthology Cat’s Eye features overt references to both Christine and Cujo. These types of in-jokes can seem self-indulgent, particularly as King penned the screenplay himself, but in this instance, it works. It’s almost as if he’s winking at the audience whilst saying, “This is just a bit of fun, don’t take it too seriously.” That’s just the right mindset to have going in.
King adapted two of his short stories for Cat’s Eye. The final story he created specifically for the film. What connects the three stories is a cat, which features heavily in the final tale (see what we did there… tale… cat’s tail… suit yourself)
Quitter’s Inc. kicks off proceedings. James Woods is determined to quit smoking. What he discovers is that the Quitters Inc. method may be successful, but it’s brutal. The penalties for taking a sneaky drag of a fag include torture and mutilation. We can’t see Slimmer’s World adopting such hardcore incentives. Although this segment stars James Woods some might find it uneasy viewing considering the actor’s forthright political views. However, as A History of Violence Oscar-winning screenplay writer Josh Olsen says, “Hate the jerk, love the work”. It’s hard to deny that Woods was an exceptional actor. He plays a man desperately wanting to break is nicotine habit with total conviction. His craving for a smoke had us wanting a cigarette, and we don’t even smoke.
The Ledge star Robert Hayes is probably best not viewed if you fear heights. He plays a character that is forced to walk the narrowest of ledges around the perimeter of a building. Let that be a warning to you if you happen to be having an affair with the wife of a sadistic gambler (Kenneth McMillan). A pigeon with a penchant for ankles is just one of the high-rise problems he encounters.
Drew Barrymore stars in the final segment. During the night she hears sounds coming from inside her bedroom wall. Convinced it is a monster her parents dismiss her concerns as childish nonsense. Then the cat arrives and proves to be an unlikely protector of the girl.
The extras, although somewhat slight, are interesting. Director Lewis Teague is interviewed and considering his body of work, he is a criminally underrated director. He jokingly says that he got the Cat’s Eye job as he had made Alligator and Cujo so working with a cat would be easy.
He also provides the audio commentary and it’s here that you learn just what a talented director Teague is. The final story particularly is a feat of visual trickery. Forced perspective and oversized sets were used long before CGI, to absolute perfection. Teague also elaborates on his collaboration with the troll’s maker Carlo Rambaldi, who gave the world E.T.
Johnny Norris on the Edge: Robert Hays Remembers Cat’s Eye is just what it sounds like. Hays talks about his experience making the film. The ledge onset was still a good thirty feet off the studio floor. Some of his fearful expressions wasn’t just acting. He also briefly talks about his role as Ted Striker in Airplane!
“Like Herding Cats”: A Conversation with Animal Trainer Teresa Ann Miller. An extra that is more interesting than it sounds. Not only did she and her father provide the cats for Cat’s Eye, but the dog and pigeons too. Knowing that a pigeon can be trained to peck ankles is a revelation.
Finally, there’s the Cat’s Eye original theatrical trailer.
Considering Cat’s Eye was released in 1985, like a fine wine, it holds up remarkably well. The practical effects are simply stunning, especially in the final segment. All the performances are great and Alan Silvestri’s electronic score is evocative and emotive. Lewis Teague’s catalogue deserves to be reappraised. He’s not a showy director, he likes the audience to be immersed in the film and his directing style reflects that. Yet Cat’s Eye is brimming with understated artistry that is a joy to watch.
Cat’s Eye is out now on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD.
