Cathy’s Curse (1977)

Movie Info

Nope…nothing wrong with me or my nasty doll

George Gimble (Alan Scarfe), his wife Vivian (Beverly Murray), and their daughter Cathy (Randi Allen) have just moved into George’s family home.  When Cathy begins acting strange, no one suspects that the tragic death of George’s sister years before could be the cause or that the horror is growing.  With Vivian barely holding on to her own sanity and no one believing her fears about Cathy, the Gimble Family and anyone who crosses the spirit could pay the price.

Directed by Eddy Matalon, Cathy’s Curse is a Canadian horror B-Movie.  The film was released in Canada in 1977 but wasn’t released in the United States until 1980.  It received largely negative reviews but has gained a cult following over the years.

Cathy’s Curse feels like one of those terrible B-Movies that would run overnight on small, independent TV stations.  Despite not being incredibly gory, I imagine that the movie would run completely hacked-up for air and would become even more illogical.  Cathy’s Curse is by no means a good movie, but it is one of those schlocky movies that is fun to watch in its insanity.

Yes…even if he wasn’t swayed by alcohol and the possessed child, he looks completely trustworthy to leave your child with

The story is all over the place.  It starts with the death of Cathy’s aunt and her hateful grandfather.  Then I guess the doll is possessed is what we’re supposed to believe and that the doll leads to Cathy’s possession (though it also implies there is just a ghost since bad stuff starts happening before Cathy finds the doll).  The ghost/demon/spirit’s powers also are rather undefined.  They are corruptive, can cause hallucinations (maybe), and blow things up.  Cathy’s Curse is like The Exorcist on steroids with none of the redeeming qualities.

The acting is quite so-so.  Whenever you have a movie focused around a kid, you have to hope for a good kid actor…and Randi Allen really isn’t that compelling.  Fortunately, the script just calls for her to hold a doll and have a blank stare (sometimes with an “evil kid” smile).  She’s not supported by a strong cast.  Alan Scarfe is the pretty crappy father who constantly leaves his child and mentally ill wife to work on a building, and Beverly Murray is the postpartum depression mother who has slipped into insanity after the death of a child.  Cathy meanwhile is left with a creepy old caretaker played by Roy Witham and a nanny she doesn’t even really know played by Dorothy Davis…is Cathy possessed or just taken care of by the worst adults?

Great burn make-up…maybe they should have applied some of it to your neck

The movie is poorly put together.  The make-up and effects are awful.  Bad editing causes some effects to literally jump because make-up must be applied for the next shot.  The movie lacks any real scares as a result…if the movie had gone all out gore, it might have been at least a bit more successful at earning a video-nasty title.

Cathy’s Curse is fun in the so-bad-it-is-good type category.  It is quick, harmless, and envelops all cliché horror movie possession aspects.  Don’t go into the movie hoping for a tense, ’70s thriller type of movie with a gritty look…you’ll be sorely disappointed.  If you approach Cathy’s Curse as more of a comedy, you might have more fun.