by Linda Kay
English Title: Four Flies on Grey Velvet
Directed by: Dario Argento
This review contains a severe Kitty Carnage Warning!
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: Musician Roberto (Michael Brandon) is set up to accidentally kill a man and the person who witnesses the act proceeds to stalk and torment him.
Kitty Cameo: Roberto owns an adorable gray and white longhair cat who lays their head down to sleep during a panning shot. The strange movement of the cat suddenly wanting a nap can be explained when one realizes the film has been reversed.
The cat is sitting beside Roberto the next day as his girlfriend Nina’s maid (Marisa Fabbri) finishes up.
Next the cat is outside the window of the home looking confused about the strange giallo proceedings.
The stalker keeps breaking into Roberto’s apartment and making their presence known. The cat tries to offer a warning by hissing.
Unfortunately the kitty’s arched back and hissing does not protect him or her from becoming a victim as the cat disappears after one of these intrusions. However in the next scene one of the people involved comments about “that disgusting business with the cat.”
Kitty Carnage Warning and Faux Cat! We finally learn what the man meant when Roberto opens a cabinet to find the dead (and thankfully clearly very fake) mummified body of the cat wrapped in plastic.
Final Mewsings: Cats should really stay away from giallo films!
Many thanks to Mark Murton for letting us know about the cat in this film.
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