David Lowell Rich (1920–2001)

The selfish and self-obsessed Wylie (Michael Sarrazin) and his greedy girlfriend Kassia (Gayle Hunnicutt) set in motion a plan to rob and murder Wylie's elderly, eccentric aunt (Eleanor Parker). The only drawback is that Wylie has a morbid fear of cats and aunt Danny's mansion full of the beasts. This is a hugely engaging Hitchcock style thriller written by Joseph Stefano of "Psycho" fame. The premise is well presented and David Lowell Rich directs with a sure hand making great use of the mansion set and capturing some great external shots of San Francisco. He delivers some nicely constructed, tension-filled scenes, including a highly effective sequence where aunt Danny loses control of her wheelchair and is rolls uncontrollably down a steep and busy hillside road. The use of the cats is also highly effective - how they managed to control and wrangle so many cats is impressive in its own right. Gayle Hunnicutt is great as the calculating femme fatale, all sixties chic with a cool big hair and mini skirt look. Eleanor Parker put in a great hammy performance as the aunt, but unfortunately Michael Sarrazin lacks charisma and looks out of place against the performances from Hunnicutt and Parker. Overall "Eye of the Cat" makes for an effective and off-beat horror thriller that is thoroughly enjoyable throughout.… (meer)