The movie opens with a nude woman dying on screen. Detectives Dave Walsh and Ed White try to find her murderer. It seems she was involved in the beatnik scene which leads to LOTS of "humorous" encounters with various characters as the bodies pile up. Also Walsh gets involved with anthropologist Janet Lynd who's investigating beatniks for a paper. It all leads to an ending where the killer is revealed to be no one we even met! Originally this was pretty dull. So scenes with a totally different cast were added. The murders (all off screen) were added and are pretty gruesome. There are flashes of sex and nudity and there's also a black cat whose brainwaves are affected by the killer who changes genders. Seriously. It's so ridiculous and over the top it's fun to watch out. However it's a bad movie with terrible acting and a stupid plot. For bad movie lovers only.
6 Reviews
Indie crime thrills
Leofwine_draca1 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
THE FAT BLACK PUSSYCAT is a cheap indie drama from the early 1960s, shot in black and white on a clearly limited budget. The title has nothing to do with the film, which is about a dedicated detective on the trail of a psycho killer with a penchant for high heels. The film seems to have been made to shine a light on Beatnik culture but other efforts such as the British movie BEAT GIRL or even A BUCKET OF BLOOD were much more successful at doing so. It's very tame these days, and amusing to see Hector Elizondo when he was still an unknown, but given this genre the standards could have been a lot worse.
Beatnick Cat.
morrison-dylan-fan10 October 2014
Warning: Spoilers
With having had a fun time with the 1966 adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe's The Black Cat on DVD company Something Weird's,I was a bit disappointed to find out that The Fat Black Pussycat was not a follow-up to the title,but decided,that since I had seen the first title on the disc,that I would find out how fat this kitty really is.
The plot:
Discovering the body of Beat-poet groupie Edie Eichorn,detective Dave Walsh decides to enter the 'Beatnik' sub-culture.Initially getting hit with nothing but dead-stares,Walsh runs into Janet Lynd,who agrees to be Walsh's guide to the Beatnik scene,as the Beatnik Killer starts to make his own beat.
View on the film:
Being chopped & cut to pieces by producer Michael A. Ripps,the films bonkers plot is surprisingly pretty easy to follow,with Ripps adding a number of stylish,Giallio-style killings,which along with the rough on location filming,help to give the title a wonderful grubby mood.
Despite not featuring in the ending at all, Frank Jamus gives a memorable performance in the title,thanks to being unbelievably wooden,as Jamus shows Walsh's reaction to barley change,no matter how many bodies the killer piles up,as Walsh goes in search of the greedy pussycat.
The plot:
Discovering the body of Beat-poet groupie Edie Eichorn,detective Dave Walsh decides to enter the 'Beatnik' sub-culture.Initially getting hit with nothing but dead-stares,Walsh runs into Janet Lynd,who agrees to be Walsh's guide to the Beatnik scene,as the Beatnik Killer starts to make his own beat.
View on the film:
Being chopped & cut to pieces by producer Michael A. Ripps,the films bonkers plot is surprisingly pretty easy to follow,with Ripps adding a number of stylish,Giallio-style killings,which along with the rough on location filming,help to give the title a wonderful grubby mood.
Despite not featuring in the ending at all, Frank Jamus gives a memorable performance in the title,thanks to being unbelievably wooden,as Jamus shows Walsh's reaction to barley change,no matter how many bodies the killer piles up,as Walsh goes in search of the greedy pussycat.
Some crazy cat is killing people in Greenwich Village, man
Woodyanders6 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
A pair of detectives track down an unhinged schizophrenic psycho killer of women in Greenwich Village. Said killer has some kind of psychic link with a black cat who's often seen at the scene of the crime.
This oddball exploitation crime noir's key asset is the flavorsome evocation of the swingin' 60's Greenwich Village beatnik milieu that comes complete with several foxy uninhibited ladies, a few wild parties, bad poetry, even worse paintings, and, naturally, a bunch of funny and colorful, if extremely pretentious posturing hipsters. Moreover, the murders are appropriately stark and brutal. The right-on groovy jazz score and crisp black and white cinematography are both up to par as well. Dr. John has a nifty sizable supporting role as a murder witness. However, the pace drags at times and the two detective protagonists are a couple of hopelessly dull straight-arrow stiffs. Those flaws aside, this flick is still worth a watch, daddy-o.
This oddball exploitation crime noir's key asset is the flavorsome evocation of the swingin' 60's Greenwich Village beatnik milieu that comes complete with several foxy uninhibited ladies, a few wild parties, bad poetry, even worse paintings, and, naturally, a bunch of funny and colorful, if extremely pretentious posturing hipsters. Moreover, the murders are appropriately stark and brutal. The right-on groovy jazz score and crisp black and white cinematography are both up to par as well. Dr. John has a nifty sizable supporting role as a murder witness. However, the pace drags at times and the two detective protagonists are a couple of hopelessly dull straight-arrow stiffs. Those flaws aside, this flick is still worth a watch, daddy-o.
Could have been better
IMOvies4 October 2003
FAT BLACK PUSSYCAT, THE (1963) *1/2 (D: Harold Lea) A killer on the loose flick that is not as god as it could have been because of different endings and other edits. The leading lady is very attractive and I enjoyed the Sixties Greenwich Village scenes more than anything else. After spending much time getting involved with the hero detective, his fate in this new ending proves unsatisfactory before the climax.
"Some Of My Best Friends Are Existentialists!"...
azathothpwiggins5 May 2021
FAT BLACK PUSSYCAT opens with a naked woman crawling down an alley. She's the latest victim of a maniac on the loose. The police are on the case (including Hugh "Wavy Gravy" Romney!), which mostly involves the local beatnik scene.
Ultra-straight cop, Dave Walsh (Frank Jamus) is introduced to some very interesting characters. In spite of Walsh's presence the murders continue unabated, accompanied by awesome music!
This is a very entertaining, giallo-like film. Just check out the heavy-breathing, black-gloved killer! The cops are played as fairly clueless, and the pretentious beatniks are hilarious!
EXTRA POINTS FOR: The "shock" finale!
P. S.- There's also the titular feline running around. The bell on the kitty's collar will haunt your dreams with its incessant tinkling! Beware!...
Ultra-straight cop, Dave Walsh (Frank Jamus) is introduced to some very interesting characters. In spite of Walsh's presence the murders continue unabated, accompanied by awesome music!
This is a very entertaining, giallo-like film. Just check out the heavy-breathing, black-gloved killer! The cops are played as fairly clueless, and the pretentious beatniks are hilarious!
EXTRA POINTS FOR: The "shock" finale!
P. S.- There's also the titular feline running around. The bell on the kitty's collar will haunt your dreams with its incessant tinkling! Beware!...
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
