Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Three short stories linked by a stray cat that roams from one tale to the next, in this creepy triptych that begins as Dick tries to quit smoking by any means necessary. Next, we meet Johnny, an adulterous man who's forced by his lover's husband onto a building's hazardous ledge. Finally, Amanda is threatened by an evil gnome who throws suspicion on the family cat.
Cat's Eye is a solid Stephen King anthology horror film from the mid-80s. The three-story structure linked by a wandering cat is a charming conceit, though the segments vary noticeably in quality — the ledge-walking segment with Robert Hays is the most tense and inventive, while the smoking-cessation opener with James Woods delivers dark comedy. The troll-in-the-wall finale is campy fun but feels slight. Acting is serviceable with some notable performances from Woods and Drew Barrymore, but nothing exceptional. Cinematography is competent mid-80s genre filmmaking without much visual distinction. The anthology format was well-worn even then, but King's voice gives it modest novelty. The ending wraps the cat framing device satisfactorily if not memorably.