Cathy's Curse

Cathy's Curse (French: Une si gentille petite fille), also released in Canada under the title Cauchemares,[2] is a 1977 supernatural horror film directed by Eddy Matalon and starring Alan Scarfe, Beverly Murray, and Randi Allen. The film follows a young girl who is possessed by the spirit of her deceased aunt. A co-production between Canada and France, it was shot on location in Westmount and Montreal, Quebec.

Cathy's Curse
Theatrical poster
Directed byEddy Matalon
Produced by
  • Nicole Boisvert
  • Eddy Matalon
Written by
  • Eddy Matalon
  • Myra Clément
  • Alain Sens-Cazenave
Starring
Music byDidier Vasseur
CinematographyJean-Jacques Tarbès
Edited by
  • Laurent Quaglio
  • Pierre Rose
  • Micheline Thouin
Production
company
Les Productions Agora
Maki Films
Distributed byCinépix Film Properties
21st Century Films
Release date
  • July 29, 1977 (1977-07-29) (Montreal)
  • November 11, 1977 (1977-11-11) (Vancouver)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryCanada
France[1]
LanguageEnglish

Though the film was critically panned upon initial release, with many deriding it as being overly derivative of other films of the period including The Exorcist and Carrie, it has since become a cult classic,[3] some calling the film "so bad it's good".[4]

Plot

In 1947, Robert Gimble flees with his young daughter, Laura, enraged to find that his wife has left with their son, George. Robert crashes their car into a snowbank, and he and Laura are burned alive in the car.

Thirty years later, George returns to his family home with his wife, Vivian, who is suffering from depression following a miscarriage, as well as the couple's eight-year-old daughter, Cathy. While exploring the home, Cathy uncovers an old doll along with a portrait of her aunt Laura in the attic. Meanwhile, Vivian becomes acquainted with the local neighbors, one of whom is a psychic medium who has a vision of Laura and her father's death while inside the home.

Cathy's behavior soon begins to change rapidly: She is cruel to the other neighborhood children, and exhibits destructive telekinetic powers. While home alone with Cathy, Mary, her nanny and housekeeper, dies after falling from a window. Cathy's violent and abusive behavior continues to alienate those around her, particularly her mother, who sinks deeper into a major depressive state. The psychic later visits the home, and finds Cathy in the attic. The psychic is confronted by a disturbing vision of herself, disfigured and burned. Later, Cathy tries to commit suicide by drowning herself in a river, but is saved by George.

George dismisses Vivian's fears that Cathy may be possessed or under the influence of supernatural forces connected to their house, dismissing the notions as delusions. One night, when George is away at work, a bedridden Vivian is left home alone with Cathy, who is watched by Paul, an elderly neighbor. Using her telekinetic powers, Cathy murders Paul, and Vivian subsequently discovers his disfigured corpse outside. Upstairs, she finds Cathy, covered in burn scars, who reveals herself to be Laura possessing Cathy's body. George, unable to contact Vivian or Paul by phone, returns to the house, where Cathy and Vivian are faced off in a confrontation. The three stare at one another, and Cathy grows tearful. Lying between them is the doll, impaled with a shard of glass.

Cast
  • Alan Scarfe as George Gimble
  • Beverly Murray as Vivian Gimble
  • Randi Allen as Cathy Gimble
  • Dorothy Davis as Mary
  • Mary Morter as Medium
  • Roy Witham as Paul
  • Bryce Allen as Amie de Cathy
  • Sonny Forbes as Inspector O'Reilly
  • Renée Girard as Mademoiselle Burton
  • Linda Koot as Laura
  • Peter MacNeill as Christopher Gimble
  • Lisa Nickelt as Amie de Cathy
  • Hubert Noël as The Doctor

Production

The film marked the first English-language feature by French director Eddy Matalon.[2] It was filmed in on location in Westmount and Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Release

The film was premiered in Montreal on July 29, 1977.[5] It was later given regional releases in Canada, opening in Vancouver, British Columbia on November 11, 1977,[6] and opened in Ottawa, Ontario the following week, November 18, 1977.[7]

Critical reception

TV Guide gave a negative review of the film, calling it a "dull Canadian Exorcist-inspired horror film .... [full of ] bloody mutilations, cheesy makeup, and inept special effects."[8]

In 2017, the film was featured on a Halloween-themed episode of Red Letter Media's Best of the Worst, together with Hack-O-Lantern and Vampire Assassin. The film received lukewarm reception for its moments of unintentional humor and unclear plot elements, with the hosts calling the film "frustrating".[9]

Home media

The film was released in April 2017 by Severin Films on Blu-ray with a restored print.[10]

References
  1. "Cathy's Curse de Eddy Matalon". UniFrance. Archived from the original on October 20, 2016.
  2. "Cathy's Curse". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  3. Roth, Dany (May 3, 2017). "Why the cure for Cathy's Curse is a new Blu-ray restoration". Syfy. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  4. "[Blu-ray Review] 'Cathy's Curse' is More Proof that Dolls are Awful". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  5. "Movie guide". Montreal Gazette. July 30, 1977. p. 36 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Cinema". Vancouver Sun. November 10, 1977. p. 122 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Taylor, Noel (November 18, 1977). "Movie Guide". p. 38 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Cathy's Curse". TV Guide. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  9. "Best of the Worst: Vampire Assassin, Hack-O-Lantern, and Cathy's Curse". Red Letter Media. October 26, 2017. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  10. Scarfe, Alan. "Cathy's Curse Blu-ray". DVD Beaver. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
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