Columbia Pictures
Starring: Michael Bryant, Norman Claridge
Directed by: Freddie Francis

Cat Out of the Bag Alert!  This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: A carnival showman named Dr. Diabolo (Burgess Meredith) draws several persons into his sideshow attraction where he presents them with grim views of their futures in this horror anthology film.

Bad Kitty: The first segment is entitled Enoch and focuses on a man named Colin Williams (Michael Bryant) and how he will take advantage of his ailing Uncle to gain the man’s fortune.  After the man’s death, Colin searches the home for the treasure he is certain the old man has been hoarding.  After digging in a hidden cellar he uncovers a large box and pries it open.  A beautiful dark tortoiseshell cat emerges and runs up the stairs.

Later Colin realizes the cat is staring at him.  The cat gets inside Colin’s mind and compels him to kill because he is hungry.

Colin does the cat’s bidding but keeps trying to resist.  The cat continues to stare at him, communicating with the man and tormenting him, urging him to kill for monetary gain.

Eventually Colin ends up in jail where he tries explaining to the police sergeant (Norman Claridge) that the entity which compelled him is named Balthazar and takes the form of a cat and must have been a witch’s familiar.  The sergeant doesn’t believe him, of course, but has reason to change his mind at the end.

Final Mewsings: Sometimes it’s better not to feed the kitty.

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