‘Cat’s Eye’ at 40: Exploring Lewis Teague’s Other Stephen King Creature Feature [The Losers’ Club Podcast]

Two things were hot in 1980s horror: formulaic slashers and Stephen King. The mega success of Brian De Palma’s Carrie in 1976 followed by Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 masterpiece The Shining, turned the unpolished Maine writer into a household name and left studios clamoring to secure rights to his next terrifying tale. By 1985, the trend was in full swing with multiple adaptations filling theaters and more rushing their way into production. After the success of his 1983 adaptation of Cujo, director Lewis Teague took inspiration from another household pet with the 1985 film Cat’s Eye. This anthology film sees King adapt two of his own stories from the 1978 collection Night Shift while penning an original story to tie them together. Starring the Firestarter herself, Drew Barrymore, the film is an 80s curio filled with maniacal mobsters, mythical creatures, and an intrepid cat determined to save the day.

In the latest episode of Bloody FM’s The Losers’ Club podcast, co-hosts Jenn Adams, Rachel Reeves, and Dan Pfleegor revisit this charming anthology film and its place near the peak of the 80s King trend. From rocky financing and narrative changes to mixed reactions from critics and fans, they’ll follow the General on a long walk through this delightful oddity in King’s cinematic cannon. Which of the film’s three chapters are their favorites and do any feel slightly out of place? Did Alan Silvestri use this score to work out motifs later heard in Back to the Future? How did Teague capture such strong performances from his feline actors and do we need Barrymore to appear in every vignette? From paranoid ex-smokers and reckless gamblers to a tiny monster trying to steal a child’s breath, the Losers explore this delightful anthology and perhaps the best easter egg sequence ever committed to film.

Stream the episode below and stay tuned for more King chaos in the weeks to come – including a much-needed news episode. For further adventures, join the Club over long days and pleasant nights via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. You can also unlock hundreds of hours of content in The Barrens (Patreon).

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