Cat's Eye (1985)*

Let’s just be honest, many of the films from the 80s perhaps aren’t as good or substantial as we once felt as kids or teenagers. However, regardless of how less-than-remarkable they might be, there’s a value that rises above perhaps the quality in writing or special effects. For instance, I feel every time I watch Cat’s Eye (a movie anthology based on Stephen King works), it diminishes a little less and less in terms of its overall excellence as a horror omnibus to me. That will never change what it means to me as a film of special stature due to its relevance in nostalgia and presence over and over in my childhood. I think why the film has diminished with each viewing rests almost solely on the final story. The little creature about the size of a fist wanting to harm a little girl (Drew Barrymore; her iconic image as a child has continued to give films in the 80s memorable posters and will provide future memes to further draw audiences to Firestarter, ET, and Cat’s Eye) while a cat comes to her rescue. I liked the idea of this sinister independent corporation that “insists” you quit smoking “or else” (as James Woods soon learns) and a wager which forces a young man (Robert Hayes; Airplane (1980)), who had been sleeping with a nasty fat cat’s wife (wanting to leave the city with her), to ever-so-delicately move across the narrow ledge of a high rise as he is harassed and tormented by his nemesis (and pigeons). These two stories were a lot of fun to read and don’t stray too much in the film. The third tale is so different in tone and transplants the film to suburbia after the first two were quite urban flavored, with a supernatural bent that just felt jarring and clashed with how grounded in reality (a scary reality where men are willing to use violence to see that their results are successful) Cat’s Eye (1985) had been up until that point. Still, it is every bit the lazy Saturday afternoon 80s movie I find myself on occasion watching and never tiring of. That’s nostalgia for you.