Due occhi diabolici (1990)

Directors:

Dario Argento
George A. Romero

Writers:

Dario Argento (segment)
Franco Ferrini (segment)

Release Date:

25 October 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

When I Wake You...You'll Be Dead.

Plot:

Two horror tales based on short stories by Edgar Allan Poe directed by two famous horror directors, George A. Romero and Dario Argento.

Plot Keywords:

Cat | Black Cat | Alcoholic | Photographer | Hypnosis

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Adrienne Barbeau	...	Jessica Valdemar (segment "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar")
Ramy Zada	...	Dr. Robert Hoffman (segment "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar")
Bingo O'Malley	...	Ernest Valdemar (segment "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar")
Jeff Howell	...	Policeman (segment "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar")
E.G. Marshall	...	Steven Pike (segment "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar")
Harvey Keitel	...	Roderick Usher (segment "The Black Cat")
Madeleine Potter	...	Annabel (segment "The Black Cat")
John Amos	...	Det. Legrand (segment "The Black Cat")
Sally Kirkland	...	Eleonora ("The Black Cat")
Kim Hunter	...	Mrs. Pym (segment "The Black Cat")
Holter Graham	...	Christian (segment "The Black Cat") (as Holter Ford Graham)
Martin Balsam	...	Mr. Pym (segment "The Black Cat")
Chuck Aber	...	Mr. Pratt (segment "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar")
Jonathan Adams	...	Hammer (segment "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar")
Tom Atkins	...	Det. Grogan (segment "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar")

Also Known As:

Edgar Allan Poe (USA) (working title)
Two Evil Eyes (USA)

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

Italy | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Italy:VM14 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Australia:R | France:-16 | Germany:18 | Norway:18 (video premiere) | UK:18 | USA:R | Spain:18 | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | Argentina:18 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

ADC Films

Trivia:

Dario Argento originally wanted the film to be a collaboration between four directors: himself, George A. Romero, John Carpenter and Wes Craven. Carpenter and Craven pulled out, so Argento and Romero decided to tackle the project as a two-part story, each directing his own segment separately.

Quotes:

Policeman: We found blood in the freezer down in the cellar.
Det. Grogan: Christ! Rich people... Sick stuff always turns out to be rich people.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Savini's EFX (2003) (V)

Romero fumbles, but Argento scores

Two Evil Eyes threatened to be another disappointment from Dario Argento, especially since the first half of this modernised Edgar Allen Poe double-header, The Facts in the Case of Mr Valdemar, directed by George A. Romero, felt like a competent but uninspired network TV compilation episode. So it's a real surprise just how much dark fun Argento has with The Black Cat, playfully riffing both on Poe's other short stories and classic movies (there's even a subtle Psycho moment where Martin Balsam's nosey neighbour finds himself at the foot of another staircase looking for another missing woman) as Harvey Keitel's crime photographer - first seen photographing the aftermath of a Pit and the Pendulum incident - finds his life going to Hell when he gets rid of the girlfriend's cat. It's not prime Argento, but compared to his stale going-through-the-motions later efforts like Phantom of the Opera, The Card Player and Phenomena, it'll remind you why you liked him in the first place.