Cat's EyeImagine how cats see us through their slitted eyes. Cat's Eye is an anthology film tied together by the journey of a cat who comes to the rescue of a young girl named Amanda (Drew Barrymore)--who later names him "General"--after seeing a vision of her reflected in storefront windows and television commercials. He crosses paths with Dick Morrison (James Woods), a recovering smoking addict enduring an unrelenting treatment, as well as Johnny Norris (Robert Hays), a former tennis instructor forced to play a sadistic wager for the woman he loves, before finally uniting with Amanda to defend her from a vicious little goblin looking to steal her breath.
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Cat's Eye was written by Stephen King, and the first two parts of the film are adapted from short stories written by him. The film has more than a few tongue-in-cheek references to the author's body of work, including adaptations like Cujo, Christine, and The Dead Zone. Each episode would not be out of place in a television series like "Amazing Stories" or "Tales from the Crypt", and the General only factors significantly into the plot in the final act. The first story--"Quitters, Inc."--begins in New York City; Dick is dropped off by a former addict and colleague at the office of Quitters, Inc., which is emblazoned with a giant "Q" made to resemble a "no smoking" sign...and with their ominous slogan of "The Final Solution". Dick should have acted quicker than he does when he sees a current client on the verge of a breakdown at the sight of Dick preparing to light up in the waiting room, and when his equally distraught wife is brought out. Unfortunately, Dick is too slow to escape the uncompromising grasp of the program's director, a burly man named Vinny Donatti (Alan King), who deters relapses through constant surveillance and extreme consequences. He makes the conditions clear to Dick by showing him--and General--a taste of what his metal-lined, electroshock-wired room can do, playing classic pop songs to unnerve his clients. Donatti's methods of ensuring compliance come from the program's late founder's mafia ties, citing "techniques learned in the family business". Although the program was originally set up as a tax break, it seems to have turned into a real passion for Donatti...or at least an excuse for him to stretch his mafioso muscles on victims like Dick. The ubiquitous presence of Donatti's scouts ramps up Dick's paranoia, making him a nervous wreck. Donatti's effectiveness is because he makes threats on Dick's family; when Dick tells his wife, Cindy (Mary D'Arcy), that he's quitting for her and their daughter (Barrymore), the true meaning of what he says is lost on her. "Quitters, Inc." is the most compelling of the three stories; the tension of whether Dick can get away with sneaking a cigarette--be it in the middle of the night in his den or when stuck in traffic--always has him looking over his shoulder. These lead to anxiety-ridden fantasies, like when he's at a party, surrounded by smokers, and he pictures Donatti in an Elvis-like jumpsuit striding down the stairs, singing a cover of The Police's "Every Breath You Take" (deliberately highlighting the chorus of "I'll be watching you").
General ends up in Atlantic City after stowing away on a ship, where he is "saved" by an unsavory gambler named Cressner (Kenneth McMillan) at the beginning of the second act dubbed "The Ledge". Cressner has an ax to grind with Norris, since the younger man has been having an affair with his wife. He and his associates are unlikable people, willing to bet on something as morbid as to whether General will get run over by a car. Cressner kidnaps Norris and plants heroin in his Mustang, setting the stage for his twisted "wager". Cressner claims that if Norris can circumvent the ledge surrounding his penthouse apartment, he will give him "the money and the girl", and let him off scot-free. Norris can't really refuse, and Cressner exploits this, tormenting him on the ledge by honking a bicycle horn and spraying him with a fire hose before he can recover. Even the pigeons on the ledge seem to be out to get Norris, pecking at his ankles as he navigates the narrow surface. Cressner savors his cuckold's revenge, yet stacks the proverbial deck in his favor, because--as it turns out--he is a poor loser. Norris's ordeal is toe-curlingly tense, with vertigo-inducing shots of the street below, dozens of stories below him. Once General realizes that his erstwhile savior is a crooked monster, he catches a train to North Carolina where he befriends Amanda. Her mother sees General as just another stray who could be a danger to her daughter--or at least her daughter's pet parakeet--and forces the cat to stay outside. Amanda complains to her father about her nightmares, in which a monster emerges from her wall and creeps around her room. When the hideous little imp in a jester's cap finally does show his noseless face, he slinks up onto Amanda's duvet and tries to steal her breath--just as her father teased cats of doing. General leaps to the rescue through the open window, taking a miniature dagger in the shoulder for his troubles. The heroic cat stymies the imp's attempts to kill Amanda, but ends up getting blamed for the monster's appetite for caged birds. Sent to the shelter after the attack, General breaks out mere moments before his untimely end, and races back--with his usual disdain for traffic--to confront the monster under the bed in an animated showdown. The final fight between feline and gremlin involves everything from a glass jar of marbles, a record player--which General miraculously know how to speed up at Amanda's pleading--and even a box fan. The final act of Cat's Eye--titled "General"--is the most different of the batch, with a fantasy-oriented flavor that contrasts with the grittier stories that preceded it, and justifies General as the "connective tissue" between these tales.
Recommended for: Fans of anthology films, Stephen King enthusiasts, and even people who just like stories about a cat as the central character. The stories in Cat's Eye vary in tone and content, ranging from absurdly cartoonish to disturbing and grotesque; like a short story collection, it offers a variety platter of entertainment.
General ends up in Atlantic City after stowing away on a ship, where he is "saved" by an unsavory gambler named Cressner (Kenneth McMillan) at the beginning of the second act dubbed "The Ledge". Cressner has an ax to grind with Norris, since the younger man has been having an affair with his wife. He and his associates are unlikable people, willing to bet on something as morbid as to whether General will get run over by a car. Cressner kidnaps Norris and plants heroin in his Mustang, setting the stage for his twisted "wager". Cressner claims that if Norris can circumvent the ledge surrounding his penthouse apartment, he will give him "the money and the girl", and let him off scot-free. Norris can't really refuse, and Cressner exploits this, tormenting him on the ledge by honking a bicycle horn and spraying him with a fire hose before he can recover. Even the pigeons on the ledge seem to be out to get Norris, pecking at his ankles as he navigates the narrow surface. Cressner savors his cuckold's revenge, yet stacks the proverbial deck in his favor, because--as it turns out--he is a poor loser. Norris's ordeal is toe-curlingly tense, with vertigo-inducing shots of the street below, dozens of stories below him. Once General realizes that his erstwhile savior is a crooked monster, he catches a train to North Carolina where he befriends Amanda. Her mother sees General as just another stray who could be a danger to her daughter--or at least her daughter's pet parakeet--and forces the cat to stay outside. Amanda complains to her father about her nightmares, in which a monster emerges from her wall and creeps around her room. When the hideous little imp in a jester's cap finally does show his noseless face, he slinks up onto Amanda's duvet and tries to steal her breath--just as her father teased cats of doing. General leaps to the rescue through the open window, taking a miniature dagger in the shoulder for his troubles. The heroic cat stymies the imp's attempts to kill Amanda, but ends up getting blamed for the monster's appetite for caged birds. Sent to the shelter after the attack, General breaks out mere moments before his untimely end, and races back--with his usual disdain for traffic--to confront the monster under the bed in an animated showdown. The final fight between feline and gremlin involves everything from a glass jar of marbles, a record player--which General miraculously know how to speed up at Amanda's pleading--and even a box fan. The final act of Cat's Eye--titled "General"--is the most different of the batch, with a fantasy-oriented flavor that contrasts with the grittier stories that preceded it, and justifies General as the "connective tissue" between these tales.
Recommended for: Fans of anthology films, Stephen King enthusiasts, and even people who just like stories about a cat as the central character. The stories in Cat's Eye vary in tone and content, ranging from absurdly cartoonish to disturbing and grotesque; like a short story collection, it offers a variety platter of entertainment.