The Black Cat (1994)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1993
Running Times: 18 mins
Length: 1,820 ft
Format: colour     35mm
Ratio:
Sound: Dolby Stereo

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Black Cat Films
Executive Producer: Leslie Jones
Producer: Sarah Carr
Associate Producers: Rob Green, Clive Perrott
Production Manager: Sarah Lane

SCRIPT
Script: Rob Green, Clive Perrott
Short Story: Edgar Allan Poe

DIRECTION
Director: Rob Green
1st Assistant Director: Steven Moore

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Simon Margetts
Camera Operator: Peter Field
Clapper Loaders: Simone Horrocks, Jason Olive
Focus Puller: Roberta Jaffe
Gaffers: Mathew Crowder, Stefan Lissner, Andy Bell
Lighting Assistants: Julian Horner, Mark "Sparky" Simmons
Grips: Phil Aylward, Andy Johnson
Stills: Jivern Marvaha
Colour Timer: Mike Stainer
Developed and Processed At: Rank Film Laboratories
Labs Contact: David Trezise

EDITING
Editor: Kristina Hetherington
Assistant Editors: Mark Simmons, Tristan Mullane
Trainee Editor: Victoria Pitkethly
Rushes Editor: Paul Rogers

MUSIC
Music: Russell Currie
Music Performed By: The Orra Chamber Orchestra and Chorus
Conductor: Russell Currie
Recording Engineer: David Dusman
Assistant Engineer: Kevin Hodge
Music Mixers: David Dusman, Russell Currie
Music Editor: Patrick Long

SOUND
Sound Recordist: Les Darby
Boom Operators: Kate Mapes, Paul O'Leary
Re-Recording Mixer: Michael A. Carter
Dubbing Editor: Colin Miller
Sound Transfer: Nick Pocock
Re-Recorded At: The Kresge Recording Studios in the University of Rochester, New York, USA

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Make Up: Patti Harrison
Wardrobe: Sally Parker

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Paul Mann at PHM
Cell: Malcolm Wooldridge, Martin Egan, Kola Calfos

VISUAL EFFECTS
Animation: Clive Dawson
Optical Consultant: Neil Mockler

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Tricia Stephenson
Art Director: Richard Campling
Prop Maker: Ruth Van Lowen
Scenic Artist: Chris Evans
Art Department: Michelle Anslow, Lynn Bird, Robert Worley, Johnny Campling
Graphic Designer: Janice Mordue

OTHER CREW
Continuity: Suzanna Binding
Production Assistant: Kate Dain
Production Runner: Alex Apthorpe
Publicity: Andrew Donovan
Catering: Caroline Scarmella, Brian the Magician

LOCATIONS
Locations: Camden Town, London, England, UK

CAST
Clive Perrott (the prisoner)
David Kincaid (the inquisitor)
Alison Morrow (the wife)
Ralph Perrott, Nick Devaney, Neil Mockler, James McCusker, Mark Webb, Robby Locke, Tony Ellinas, Brian the Magician (policemen / crowd)

PLOT SUMMARY

A prisoner on the eve of his execution, tells a priest the story of how he came to accidentally kill his wife. He believes that he was driven insane by the presence of her possibly diabolical pet, a sinister black cat...

CAPSULE REVIEW

A brave and wholly compelling attempt to at last do justice to Poe's immortal classic. Virtually a one man show by Perrott, who appears in every one of the film's 18 short minutes, dominating the imposing sets with his wonderful portrayal of a broken man, tormented by his own madness and guilt. Special effects are kept to a bare minimum, but the film reaches its emotional climax with the brief but terrifying appearance of the titular beast, an almost subliminal snatch of animation that brings the demonic creature to life. The Black Cat was an auspicious start for Green, who subsequently went on to create the flawed but interesting The Bunker (2001).

UK
Theatrical Distributor: Columbia TriStar
DVD Distributor: Salvation (FMDV3118 (as an extras on The Bunker (2001) disc))

UK
Rating: 15

1993
August
Day Unknown: UK - shooting begins
Day Unknown: UK - shooting ends

1995
December
31: UK - television broadcast

MAGAZINES

Eyepiece vol.14 no.4 (August / September 1993) p.8 (UK)
production notes

Screen International no.957 (13 May 1994) p.4 (UK)
illustrated note

Sight and Sound vol.4 no.12 (December 1994) p.57 (UK)
illustrated credits, synopsis, review (by Kim Newman)

OTHER SOURCES

Eurofest '94 Programme
credits

short story into film; cat; prisoners; priests; confessions