The Cat Creature is a usual horror movie, mixing an Egyptian mummy, Bast, vampirism …. and of course, murders.
The Cat Creature (1973) starring David Hedison, Meredith Baxter, Stuart Whitman
Frank Lucas: [speaking into a tape recorder microphone] You know that mummy case you said arrived just before he died! You never looked inside, did you? Well there’s something in there! I want to get a full description on tape right away for the insurance company! It’s a mummy with a gold amulet around it’s neck, with the face of a cat, and emeralds for eyes! You wouldn’t believe it unless you saw it with your own eyes!
And that strange amulet is what starts the horror. He removes it — large chain and all — as he’s describing it. And next, the mummy’s gone. Then he’s murdered, starting the police investigation. And the killing spree.
Everyone who has anything to do with the amulet is murdered. Seemingly, by a black cat. And even more strangely, it seems to lap up nearly all of the victims’ blood.
Cast of characters
- Meredith Baxter (Family Ties) … Rena Carter. Young woman who walks into Hester’s bookstore the day after Sherry’s death, and gets a job.
- David Hedison (The Fly) … Prof. Roger Edmonds. College professor on ancient history, but not necessarily a specialist on ancient Egypt. Lt. Marco “asks” him to assist. And his knowledge does become invaluable. And he begins falling in love with Rena as well.
- Stuart Whitman (Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines) … Police Lt. Marco. The no-nonsense police detective, investigating the thefts. And subsequently, the murders.
- Gale Sondergaard (The Cat and the Canary [1939]; The Time of their Lives) … Hester Black. The slightly spooky old women running an occult bookstore. She apparently used to fence stolen items, but that’s in the past. She says. She did refuse to take the amulet from Joe Sung.
- John Carradine (House of Dracula; The Mummy’s Ghost [1944]) … The Hotel Clerk. Working at a dilapidated hotel, he points out Joe Sung’s room number to Lt. Marco. Just as someone or something is murdering Joe.
- Renne Jarrett … Sherry Hastings. Hester’s assistant at the shop. She’s never even seen the amulet. But, she takes a stray black cat home with her one night …. And pays for her kindness with her life.
- Keye Luke (The Green Hornet Serial; Mad Love) … The Thief – Joe Sung. Apparently, the man who broke into the mansion, and stole some ancient Egyptian valuables. He tries to pawn the unusual cat faced amulet with emeralds for eyes to Hester, but fails. Shortly after the theft, he’s murdered. By a cat?
Secondary characters
- Kent Smith (Cat People) … Frank Lucas. The man inventorying the large collection left behind by a recently deceased mana. He’s quite surprised by an Egyptian mummy he finds. With a large cat head, and a very unusual amulet around its neck. Which he removes …
- Milton Parsons (Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome) … The Deputy Coroner. Slightly creepy coroner, who points out some salient things. Such as, the murderer’s a cat. And it’s apparently draining the blood of the victims …
- Peter Lorre Jr. … The Pawnbroker. Who briefly has the amulet. And dies from a stab in the back.
- John Abbott (Horror of Fang Rock) … Dr. Reinhart. The Egyptology expert that Edmonds consults. with. And he makes a very important observation about the amulet!
- Virgil Frye Virgil Frye … Donovan
- William Sims William Sims … Bert
Trivia
- The day after shooting wrapped, Gale Sondergaard was called back for some closeups. However, when she arrived on the set in makeup and costume, Charlton Heston entered and presented her with an Academy gold statuette, to replace the plaque she had won for 1936’s “Anthony Adverse“.
- To give her a more exotic look, Meredith Baxter was asked to wear green contact lenses and a red wig.