The Cat o’ Nine Tails

In Brief: An early Dario Argento film (his second), The Cat o' Nine Tails (1971) is more mystery than outright horror — and its PG (originally GP) rating should clue you in on the fact that it doesn't really qualify as a giallo. In fact, it's closer to a German krimi than anything. But that doesn't mean it's not good or of interest as an Argento film. This — like many Italian films of the era — is one of those international productions built around an American star. In this case, we have two American stars — Karl Malden and James Franciscus. Malden plays a retired blind journalist (who creates crossword puzzles) who teams up with reporter Franciscus to solve a series of murders that are somehow connected to some secret genetic research at a pharmaceutical company. Also, for an Argento picture, it's surprisingly coherent — even if its premise is no more likely than usual. This excerpt was taken from a review by Ken Hanke originally published on August 15, 2015. The Asheville Film Society will screen The Cat o' Nine Tails on Tuesday, June 6, at 7:30 p.m. at The Grail Moviehouse, hosted by Xpress movie critic Scott Douglas.