by Linda Kay
Directed by: Clark L. Paylow
This review contains a Kitty Carnage Warning!
Synopsis: Graveyard custodian Rhaegar J. Dobson (Joseph Conway) recalls a story about a medical student named Lewis B. Moffitt (George E. Mather) who hides his mortal fear of corpses and the dark, leading to a nasty turn of events during a hazing prank.
Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Dobson exits his office after briefly addressing the viewing audience and starts wandering around the graveyard repeatedly calling the name “Puma!” (Note he pronounces it Pyoo-mah.) After a few moments of this he approaches a black and white tuxedo cat sitting by a large grave marker and picks up the kitty.
Dobson carries the cat several steps, petting the animal and asking if the kitty was frightened. He suggests they go for a walk and sets Puma down.
Kitty Carnage Warning! Almost immediately the man steps right on poor Puma’s tail (for real!) and the cat yowls and scurries away. Dobson immediately apologizes (in a tone that isn’t altogether believable), “I’m sorry, Puma! I didn’t mean to step on you!” The cat races around the graveyard as Dobson once again spends several moments calling, “Puma!”
Puma has hidden beside a gravestone and understandably looks nervous.
Dobson finds Puma and reaches down to pick him up, then notices Moffitt’s name on the gravestone which starts him reminiscing about the young man’s untimely death.
Moffitt’s story plays out, ending with him entering the funeral parlor to steal a ring from a corpse on a dare. Puma creeps along the wall outside.
Hearing the cat, Moffitt opens the barred window and looks out but doesn’t see the cat under the sill. As Moffitt tries to remove the ring, Puma lets out a yowl which causes the young man to jump up, catching his clothes on the hand of the corpse and causing him to die of fright. The camera pans quickly to Puma sitting on the window sill.
Puma is then shown in close up and back in the arms of Dobson who concludes the story and the film.
Final Mewsings: Puma’s only real fear was appearing in this low budget movie.
Many thanks to Mark Murton for letting us know about the cat in this film.
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