I had read somewhere that Dario himself didn't think highly of this film and Maltin rates it a BOMB. I was sceptical when I rented this one but in the end I was relieved that I did. It's actually quite good and it has a cohesive plot that keeps you guessing 'till the very end. There's no gore here to speak of but Argento keeps things lively from start to finish and the actors here are amazingly good (compared to many other Argento films). Check it out, it certainly doesn't deserve a BOMB rating, and also, it seems that Dario is never entirely satisfied with his old films, apperently he can't even watch them on t.v.

I had many difficulties to see this movie from Dario Argento because it was not easy to find it in my country, but when I finally saw it, it really surprised me. Like THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE this second film from the Italian Master of Horror is very impressive. Again Dario used a calculating and very complicated plot, even more than in THE BIRD... This time with more colors and a fabulous score from Ennio Morricone. A great thriller even if Dario thinks it is his most disappointing film.

Cat o' Nine Tails is generally considered second-tier Argento. In fact, Argento himself isn't too jazzed on it. But I find it to be an excellent Hitchcock-inspired suspense film. Yeah, it lacks the stylized, highly imaginative visuals of his later films, but that's not to say it lacks filmmaking verve and invention. Far from it. A must-have if you're an Argento fan, but I suspect it would have more appeal to a general audience than most of his films.

Second chapter of the so-called "Animal Trilogy" (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, The Cat O'Nine Tails, Four Flies on Grey Velvet), this film is a little miracle. The possibility that a twist of our genes could lead to madness should keep us far from hospitals for a long time...
Anchor bay Entertainment has provided us with an enriched DVD, full of extras and interesting information. The video is clean and pure, and those colors...so tremendously 70's!!! The audio section comprises three different tracks: English, Italian and French, all of them in Dolby Sorround 2.0.
The extra features are divided into an interesting interview involving director Dario Argento, writer Dardano Sacchetti and music composer Ennio Morricone, different trailers,TV and radio spots, still gallery and talent bios. Last but not least, a juicy double radio interview with James Franciscus and Karl Malden recorded at the beginning of the 70's, when THE CAT landed overseas. Great movie, great package. You won't be disappointed

Rushed into production following the unexpected worldwide success of his directorial debut THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE (L'Uccello dalle Piume di Cristallo, 1969), Dario Argento conceived THE CAT O'NINE TAILS (Il Gatto a Nove Code, 1970) as a giallo-thriller in the same vein as its forerunner, and he managed to secure the services of celebrated Hollywood actor Karl Malden (fresh from his appearance in PATTON [1969]) and rising star James Franciscus (TV's "Longstreet"). The resulting film, which the ads claimed was 'nine times more suspenseful' than its predecessor, must be considered a disappointment. In fact, it's no more than a routine potboiler, impeccably photographed and punctuated by a number of stylish set-pieces, but too plodding and aimless for general audience consumption.

Malden plays a blind ex-journalist who overhears a blackmail plot outside a genetics research laboratory and later teams up with fellow reporter Franciscus to investigate a series of murders at the lab, unwittingly placing their own loved ones at the mercy of the rampaging killer. Euro starlet Catherine Spaak (THE LIBERTINE [La Matriarca, 1969]) plays the daughter of a wealthy geneticist (Tino Carraro), initiating a romance with Franciscus which amounts to little more than unnecessary padding (incredibly, Spaak has maintained an active screen career since the mid-1960's, most recently appearing in Adriano Wajskol's JOY SCHERZI DI GIOIA [2002]). More successful as a team, Malden and Franciscus are eminently watchable in sympathetic roles, and cinematographer Enrico Menczer (THE DEAD ARE ALIVE [L'Etrusco Uccide Ancora, 1972]) uses the wide Cromoscope frame to convey the hi-tech world in which Argento's dark-hearted scenario unfolds. Highlights include an unforgettable encounter with the black-gloved assassin in a crowded railway station (brilliantly edited, as usual, by Euro-cult stalwart Franco Fraticelli), and an episode in which Malden and Franciscus break into a tomb at midnight in search of an important clue, only to find themselves in mortal peril... But despite these flashes of brilliance, the film rambles aimlessly from one scene to the next, simmering gently without ever really coming to the boil. It's no surprise that CAT failed to emulate the runaway success of CRYSTAL PLUMAGE when released in 1971.

For die-hard fans, however, Anchor Bay's code-free disc is a must. Letterboxed at 2.35:1 (enhanced for 16:9 TV's) and sporting an extremely subdued 2.0 surround track, the film - which runs 111m 33s on disc - sparkles like new. Like all scope movies on DVD, try if possible to see it on a 16:9 monitor! Extras include brief interviews with Argento (who basically dismisses the film as a lesser effort), screenwriter Dardano Sacchetti and composer Ennio Morricone, alongside contemporary publicity segments with Malden and Franciscus, and a wealth of trailers and advertising materials. Anchor Bay has also included the film's original Italian soundtrack, but the gesture is rendered meaningless by a notable lack of English captions or subtitles!

NB. Though most US ad-mats provide a 'Techniscope' credit for the film, the DVD's closing titles (derived from an Italian source print) reveal that the movie was actually photographed in Cromoscope, which is virtually identical to the Techniscope format anyway.