THE UNCANNY
UK/Canada, 1977, 89 minutes, Colour.
Ray Milland, Peter Cushing, Joan Greenwood, Susan Penhaligon, Alexandra Stewart, Rene Girard, Samantha Eggar, Donald Pleasance, Roland Culver, John Vernon.
Directed by Denis Heroux.
The Uncanny is a Canadian venture, with collaboration from the United Kingdom. Dennis Heroux had produced and directed quite a number of successful films during the 1970s. This time he attempts to creat something of the atmosphere of the British horror films, including those from Hammer Studios.
The focus is on cats – and the realisation that cats can be the embodiment of evil. This has been a popular topic for many films including such classics as The Cat People.
Peter Cushing is an author, who discovers the secret about cats, their supernatural activities and their power and control over human beings. Ray Milland plays a publisher who listens to the stories – in the hope that they will be published.
What follows are three separate stories, one in Victorian England, another set in Canada, a third set in the Hollywood of the 1930s. They are of moderate entertainment. Nothing particularly startling or new.
The film has a cast that combines English talent with Canadian, the English being represented by such stalwarts as Joan Greenwood, Roland Culver, Susan Penhaligon, Donald Pleasance, Samantha Eggar. The Canadians include Alexandra Stewart and John Vernon.
A film of the 70s – which still provides light horror entertainment.
1. The title, audience's expectations? The enjoyment of horror films? The horror, violence? The eerie fable aspects of moralising horror stories?
2. The effect of the omnibus style? The selection of short stories? The impact of each, the overall effect? The framework of the story about cats and the blending of the stories within this framework? Credible, plausible?
3. The technical side of the film: Canadian British co-production? Canadian locations? The international stars and their styles and impact?
4. Audience response to cats, as pets, as animals to be feared? Feline, clawing, eyes? The significance of the initial two poems and the themes? The final poem? Cats as traditional symbols of evil and power, the fascination of evil?
5. The importance of the visuals in presenting the cats? In terms of menace horror? How imaginatively? The emotions and control of the cats? Close-ups, angles etc?
6. How interesting was the theft? Wilbur and his publishing the book? His presence with the publisher? The atmosphere? Peter Cushing and Ray Milland as credible horror practitioners? The irony of the cat controlling the publisher at the end after Wilbur's violent death? What was the audience left with as regards the cats?
7. The Edwardian atmosphere of the first story? The attention to detail for plausibility and credibility? Miss Macklin and the tyrant spinster? The satire on her money? The greed of the nephew? The presence of the maid, her going off in a huff, her watching, the relationship with the nephew? Her memories? The irony of her being trapped, the murder of Miss Macklin? The growing horror as she survived in the room? Her going out and discovering the death of Miss Macklin? The violence of her own death?
8. The nephew and the police enquiry, the nephew's death? The moral of the cats protecting their mistress? The repayment for greed? The transition to the second story and the modern setting, the family? The wealthy arrogance of the parents? The treatment of their daughter? Her arrogance and her asking to be killed?
9. Lucy as pathetic, the orphan? Her love for her cat? The gradual intervention of the magic? The ironic situation? who was to blame?
10. The special effects, Angela, the huge cat, the gruesome irony? The moral fable?
ll. The humour of the Hollywood spoof? Hollywood in the 30's and the filming of horror films? The star and his arrogance, the death of his wife, the brainless starlet? The humour of Hollywood directors and producers? Sets? The ineffectual starlet and her acting and the irony of her death?
12. What is the value of this kind of horror film? The presenting of the ugly, the humorous, the bizarre? entertainment value, message?
