Cat’s Eye, the 1985 anthology film based on the work of horror masterStephen King, is now streaming on Tubi. Fans of thePet SemataryandCarrieauthor are now able to stream one of the most underrated 1980s horror anthologies, and atruly underseen movie based on King’s work.Cat’s Eyeis now streaming for free on Tubi, as long as viewers stick around for the occasional ads.
Cat’s Eyeis one of King’s best adaptations. Unfortunately, it often gets overlooked when compared toCreepshow, another King anthology directed by George A. Romero. However, the stories inCat’s Eyeare more diverse in terms of genre, the direction by Lewis Teague is better than Romero’s (Teague had previously directedCujo, so he wasn’t a stranger to the King-verse), and the performances are compelling. The visual effects of the film also stand out, and still look great to this day.
10 Stephen King Movies That Would be Better as a Modern Miniseries
Stephen King’s movie adaptations are classics of their own. But have you ever wondered which would work better as a miniseries? Let’s take a look.
Cat’s Eyeconsists of three stories. Two of them, “The Ledge” and “Quitters, Inc.” are based on short stories featured in the collectionNight Shift. “General,” which works as the frame story because it features the cat that makes an appearance in all the stories, was written specifically for the film. King made sure to write the segment thinking of Drew Barrymore as the main star. This was producer Dino De Laurentiis' request, as he was fascinated by the young actor’s work onFirestarter, the adaptation of King’s novel from one year prior toCat’s Eye. Per the film’s official plot synopsis:
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.
The film had a modest performance at the box office, grossing $13 million from a $7 million production budget. The reception by critics was decent, andtoday it sits at 68% on Rotten Tomatoes.
‘Cat’s Eye’ Is One of Stephen King’s Few Attempts at Screenwriting
Despite being a very prolific author – especially today – Stephen King hasn’t written many screenplays throughout his career. He wroteStorm of the Century,which he has called one of his best adaptations, directly for the small screen. 1989’sPet Sematarywas based on King’s screenplay, and remains the most prominent film adaptedbythe author. King also penned screenplays for Mick Garris' adaptations ofThe StandandThe Shining.
A few of his screenplays stand out, and among them isCat’s Eye, his second official screenwriting credit after he wrote 1982’sCreepshow. Although it was one of his early attempts to translate his work to the big screen,Cat’s Eyeremains one of his best works. Opinions vary, of course, as everyone has their own favorite story in the anthology. And while “The Ledge” and “General” are thrilling in their own way,“Quitters, Inc.“is one of those eerie stories that manages to stay with the viewer because of its down-to-earth implications. It also stars James Woods in one of his best performances.
Source:Tubi
