I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Convincing an audience that a cuddly, furry ginger cat is any kind of arbiter of doom was never going to be easy, but 'Seven Deaths' makes a good, er, stab at it.Jane Birkin plays Corringa, who we first see returning to her family home: a splendid, Gothic castle in the highlands of Scotland. Here, she is reunited with her neurotic mother, salacious uncle, and petulant cousin. And a wandering orangutan.Serge Gainsberg, 41, and Birkin, 23 collaborated in 1969 on the controversial hit single 'Je t'aime... moi non plus' (originally written for and sung with Brigitte Bardot). Here, Serge briefly plays the Police Inspector; it is strange to see him dubbed with a think Scottish accent. For an Italian film set in a small Scottish village, however, results could have been far less convincing. This leads me to continue my belief that as a genre, giallo films are consistently well made. Having said that, this is somewhat less satisfying than others I have seen.The ape seems merely a reference to Edgar Allen Poe, as is the idea of a cat somehow orchestrating/influencing dark events. Both animal-related concepts pretty much disappear some way into the story anyway.The ending is also reliant on the unmasked villain gloating and explaining the plot, and his part in it, which is something these kind of films don't often feel the need to resort to.

A nice Italian Gothic semi-giallo in which it is remarkable to see French singer Serge Gainsbourg play a Scottish speaking (dubbed) police-inspector. The next remarkable role is of course played by the beautiful Jane Birkin - well, not the role itself so much, but Birkin is. Hard to miss also (in a negative way) is that man in the monkey suit... who thought up that one?Very pleasant camera-work (although some parts were a bit too dark), a highly effective soundtrack (Ortolani) and a beautiful setting in and around a Scottish castle (+ adjacent graveyard) make this a thoroughly enjoyable feat. But, as often is the case with many Italian films like these, the story is quite far fetched, and that gorilla did not help.But, given the fact that there is also some naughtiness and gore to be enjoyed, my rating must at least be on the plus side.

Antonio Margheriti, director of the enjoyably cheesy cult horror Cannibal Apocalypse, helms this Gothic-flavoured giallo starring gap-toothed 70s icon Jane Birkin (as well as her massive-conked French lover of the day, Serge Gainsbourg).Unfortunately, despite the inclusion of such treats as a tasty bi-sexual French teacher and a terribly unrealistic killer orangutan, Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye ends up a dreary mess which is a struggle to endure.Pretty schoolgirl Corringa (Birkin) returns to her family's Scottish estate after many years away, only to discover that a maniac is murdering her relatives one by one. Using the whole array of 'spooky old house' tricks (hidden doorways, dark corridors, creepy graveyards, candlelit cobweb covered rooms), Margheriti cobbles together a confusing tale which at times promises supernatural goings-on, but ends up with a lame cop-out ending that is unimaginative in the extreme.'And where exactly does the cat fit in to all of this?', I hear you ask. Well, a rather pudgy moggy witnesses each murder thus justifying Margheriti's rather cool sounding title.'Gory, stylish fun' claims the DVD cover; 'Boring pile of dung' says I.

The first fifty minutes of Margheriti's giallo holds together well. The last act, unfortunately, is all over the place and stylistically restless. Although Margheriti's penchant for zooming stretches one's patience at times, the dream-like quality of the film is enhanced more than hindered by this technical fetish for most of the story's telling. The opening murder, which occurs off-screen, uses sound and action happening just outside the frame to build atmosphere and suspense. A gorgeous young woman (Jane Birken) arrives at the mansion of her relatives and is soon wondering who the murderer of various family members and associates is. A gorilla, who seems out of place in these surroundings, is one of several red herrings Margheriti throws at us before the real killer is revealed. A strange, ginger cat, who is able to claw its way out of locked crypts, oversees each murder and may be an accomplice of sorts. A slutty woman with lesbian tendencies, a "crazy" son who suffers from loneliness, and a doctor who'd rather screw than cure the sick, comprise this film's potent character mix. Riz Ortolani produces another excellent score and cinematographer Carlo Carlini creates some striking visuals. The final revelation of the killer's identity, unfortunately, comes after a ten minute dip in the care factor. Still, this is pretty entertaining trash.