Cat’s Eye
1985
Directed by: Lewis Teague
Cast: Drew Barrymore, James Woods, Robert Hays
Reviewed by Brian M. Sammons
Stephen King and movies banking on his name are back in vogue after the surprise smash success of It. Sure, The Dark Tower was a surprise flop, but let’s focus on the positive and pretend that movie never happened. If they go ahead and try a Dark Tower TV show, you know they’re going to try to forget it. But with It, Netflix’s Gerald’s Game, the TV show based on Mr. King’s Mr. Mercedes, The TV show of The Mist (no, no, I said we’re going to focus on the positive), and the upcoming second Netflix’s original based on a King novella, 1922. So it’s no real surprise that companies are going through the back catalog to release, or re-release, anything King. Such is the case with Umbrella Entertainment’s new Blu-ray of Stephen King’s Cat’s Eye. So put your cigarette out, make sure your balance is good, and whatever you do, don’t put the cat out, and let’s get to it.
Cat’s Eye is a three-story anthology, two from pre-existing Stephen King short stories and one new tail…er, tale done just for this. The first segment is about a man (James Woods) desperate to quit smoking and the crazy lengths the company he hires to help are willing to go to make sure he quits. This might be my favorite of the three as James Woods is just great as the manic nicotine addict. The second one is about a bet gone wrong where a man Robert (Airplane) Hays is forced to walk along the narrow ledge of a penthouse apartment. If he does it he gets cash, the woman he loves, and his life. If he fails, he falls and… The last story is the only one that makes any sense out of the anthology’s title. In it a brave cat does battle with a goblin/troll this that’s trying to steal a little girl’s (Drew Barrymore) breath while she sleeps. The practical effects utilized here to make the troll appear small fun are really fun, as is the look of the little breath thief. None of the shorts are bad, per se, but they are a bit uneven in quality as parts of this collection. Two of the tales are almost dark crime dramas, while the third goes off to a weird fantasy land, complete with a stinker of a little goblin.
Let’s get to the extras and goodies on this new Blu-ray from the good people at Umbrella Entertainment. There is an interview with actor Robert Hayes, and with Teresa Ann Miller, the woman who trained the titular feline. A theatrical trailer is also found on this disc. So not a load of extras, but neither is it bare bones, either.
Cat’s Eye is not the best movie based on Stephen King’s work, but it’s a lot of fun and so very 80s. Those are two things I can never get enough of, so yes I do recommend this movie and this is a great Blu-ray version of it. So have some fun and get it.
