Fulci on Poe

The Black Cat (1981)

When you think about Lucio Fulci doing an adaptation of an Edgar Allan Poe story, what this movie ended up being isn't surely the one you'd first think would spawn from that combination. Funny thing that this movie is one of my favourites from Lucio Fulci even though it's not even close to what he's usually known from. I mean sure it's horror and it does have some gruesome scenes, but nothing like the brutal and sadistic gorefests the man is known for. It's not even the best adaptation of Poe's story, but still it has it's own unique feel to it which I like. So it's really more in the Edgar Allan Poe side of things. The biggest thing is that Fulci is actually taking some proper time for suspension building and not just feasting on the murders. And it seems that when he can focus on something else than the gore there's a very stylish film maker underneath. This movie looks, sounds and feels quite brilliant, even so much that it's quite close to the masters of the genre, Argento and Bava. Sure it has it's flaws like the bad acting and some of the dialog is quite corny, but still the mood saves a lot from the campy side of it. Actually about the acting, the cat itself is the best actor in this one, scary as hell. Well worth watching even if you're not a fan of Fulci.
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