CAT OF THE DAY 002: DELIRIA (aka STAGEFRIGHT) (1987)

Michele Soavi was assistant director on several of Dario Argento films in the 1980s. He made his directing debut with this arty Italian slasher movie set almost entirely in a locked theatre. The man in the bird mask is a homicidal maniac who has murdered the director and all but one of the actors who have been rehearsing a play. Right now, surrounded by corpses, he’s taking a break, relaxing in an armchair with a cat in his lap. As you do.

The large, round object to the left of the screengrab is a key, in big close-up. It’s stuck in the floorboards of the stage. The sole surviving actress is under the stage, trying to get hold of the key so she can escape from the theatre.

But as she tries to get hold of the key, the movement attracts the attention of the cat, who jumps off the murderer’s lap and pads over to investigate…