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Julio Perez Tabernero's obscure, bloody giallo is
based on the blonde, clawed comic book catwoman of the title. Tabernero
and writer Curtis Garland present Sexy Cat as a Pop phenomenon who seems
to come to life, preying on the corrupt director and his team who are
filming the comic strip for International Atlantic Television.
It begins with colorful panels from the erotic comic-strip under the
credits. Tabernero sustains visual interest with such bizarre shots as a
skull reflected in an eyeball interspersed with graphic throat cuttings,
flayings and assorted slashings. Along the way there's a murder by
suffocation and the elaborately prolonged stalking of a sexy actress (Dianik
Zurakowska) by a coral snake. Once bitten her slow death is effectively
portrayed by a series of rack focus POV shots.
This is all investigated by cheap detective Cash (German Cobos), a cross
between Peter Falk's COLUMBO and Elliot Goulds' anachronistic PI in
Robert Altman's THE LONG GOODBYE. Cash is not really as tough as he
pretends, returning part of his retainer to the destitute client who
claims that he created the comic-strip character which was then stolen
by a notorious ITC producer (Emilio Laguna). Cash's investigation is
slowed down by his overactive libido which kicks into action every time
an approachable female throws herself in his path, which is often.
The killer turns out to fancy himself as Sexy Cat, dressing up in comic
book drag complete with blonde wig, black body stocking and razor sharp
claws. Cash discovers his identity through a clever bit of deduction and
shows up at the scene of the next crime to hear the demented philosophy
of the murderer, which involves a delusional belief that the characters
of the comic book live in a superior world which will eventually conquer
everyday reality. Ironically, it is a mundane junkyard metal crusher
which will deliver a sort of blood spattered justice.
Cobos is an engaging presence and his rumpled demeanor provides much
humor. His comic skill pretty much holds the film together while the
curvaceous Zurakowska and Gloria Osuna provide eye candy. Frequent Paul
Naschy co star Vidal Molina makes a good foil for Cobos as a hard nosed
detective.
The opening credits and the giallo style murders really do have a
comic-strip look, but the intervening dialogue sequences tend to grind
the proceedings to a halt. Mediocre cinematography and a score which
sounds like screeching, way out of tune violins doesn't help matters.
Tabernero was an actor whose named also appeared as director of an
alternate version of a Jess Franco hardcore item (LADY PORNO, 1975) and
is reputed to be the director of the painfully inept CANNIBAL TERROR,
credited to Allan Steeve.
Reviewed by Robert Monell, 2002
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