"monster cats" movie ...?

IA · August 27, 2021, 02:26:37 PM

Hey guys,

for some time I tried to find a movie that scared the s**t out of me as a 10 year old kid. Not sure why this is so important to me, but maybe someone can help. ^^ I must have seen it in the late 90s on TV and the german title was something like "monster cats". But it's possible, that the original title would be something completely different.
I couldn't find any media on the internet that would fit, so I can only describe my childhood impressions.

It was definitely supposed to be a horror movie and as a kid I was horrified. I would predict that by now I'd rather find this movie trash. XD ... like good trash, hopefully.

The so called monster cats where sort of human like in size and hat cat like faces and claws, but I think they where walking upright.

I remember a scene, where there was some kind of ditch and a human arm or hand was lying in there, indicating that something brutal had happend.

In another scene, and I think that's the last one I remember, a person was in some kind of underground passage, probably a garage and one of the monster cats appeared and attacked them. The persons face and/or chest where ripped open by the cats claws and then they where killed.

From the looks I would date the movie to mid/late 80s to maximum mid 90s.

Thanks! :)

RCMerchant · August 27, 2021, 04:00:34 PM

Maybe SLEEPWALKERS (1992)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105428/?ref_=kw_li_tt

IA · August 28, 2021, 05:11:07 AM

Thanks. I'm almost certain tho, that this is not it. I don't remember it being this comedic. xD Also the cat monsters didn't have a human form, I think and they looked cheaper. Overall the movie felt way more b-movie-ish.

RCMerchant · August 28, 2021, 08:27:20 AM

CAT PEOPLE (1982)?

http://youtu.be/VKMFlipKWs8

RCMerchant · August 28, 2021, 08:35:17 AM

The underground part sounds like AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981)

http://youtu.be/_ss0nT5DGHw

Allhallowsday · August 28, 2021, 09:10:33 AM

Quote from: RCMerchant on August 28, 2021, 08:35:17 AM
The underground part sounds like AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981)...

I thought that too, but there's only one monster in that movie.

IA · August 28, 2021, 10:02:49 AM

haha, thanks

don't think they fit either.
they both seem to be too high class for what I remember. it's a shame I remember so little tho.

the place where that underground scene happened was way smaller, darker and not as public as this. it was more like a basement or subterranean garage.
I remember something in that scene that has to to with either chicken wire or metal bars. Maybe the person that got attacked, was trying to hide behind it.

I don't remember multiple cats, but the german title suggests that there were.

the general mood I would more compare to Alligator (1980).

Allhallowsday · August 28, 2021, 01:50:21 PM

AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON ain't no great high brow job... wasn't there a movie based on a STEPHEN KING story ... GRAVEYARD SHIFT? 'cept they were RATS... I think... and it's not C.H.U.D.?

The movie sounds Italian...like a Giallo...

IA · August 28, 2021, 03:14:42 PM

Quote from: Allhallowsday on August 28, 2021, 01:50:21 PM
AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON ain't no great high brow job... wasn't there a movie based on a STEPHEN KING story ... GRAVEYARD SHIFT? 'cept they were RATS... I think... and it's not C.H.U.D.?

The movie sounds Italian...like a Giallo...

I tried to investigate more from your hints but still had no success. Can't believe this is so difficult.

The description of Giallo sounds good. There were brutal murders and I guess they were investigated in some way. I'm still almost certain that it's not an italian movie. The reason is the first scene I mentioned: I can barely remember the surroundings where the arm/hand was lying but I'm almost sure it would've been some bigger city in the USA. Think there it was lying in a ditch with a sewage pipe next to it or so.

The most remarkable feature tho that would make me instantly recognize the film, is the monstercats face: I remember it looking it kinda cheap and with swollen cheeks, almost like a helloween mask, yet still creepy enough.

Allhallowsday · August 28, 2021, 05:09:30 PM

Try looking for an image of the face you remember.

Alex · August 29, 2021, 02:10:40 AM

If it wasn't for the cats, I'd have suggested An American Werewolf in Paris.

IA · August 29, 2021, 12:42:35 PM

Quote from: Allhallowsday on August 28, 2021, 05:09:30 PM
Try looking for an image of the face you remember.

I did that pretty much. Any suggestions where to search except the usual search engines?

Quote from: Alex on August 29, 2021, 02:10:40 AM
If it wasn't for the cats, I'd have suggested An American Werewolf in Paris.

I would've remembered a cheap CG-wolf. :D also I clearly remember the cats face being rather flat.

RCMerchant · August 29, 2021, 01:56:51 PM

I don't know...?

Maybe NIGHT OF A THOUSAND CATS ? But of course there are no cat people in that movie.
I'll keep looking!

IA · August 30, 2021, 04:17:06 PM

Thanks! :) To date I could solve pretty much every puzzle of my childhood, but this is tough. Is it possible, that a film just not made it to the internet? I tried different search engines today and scrolled the picture search all the way to the bottom. ^^

IA · September 07, 2021, 02:45:51 PM

oh my god ... I actually found it. I think I searched for something like werecat on IMDB, but somehow I cannot reproduce the result.
however, an english version of the film is on YT:
could not post the link, just type in "Mutator 1989" and you'll find it.

The scene with the human arm is right at the beginning around 6:55. the other one comes later. I'm surprised, the cat monster looks a lot different than what I remember.
Apparently the movie is pretty bad. xD Yet, I still want to watch it entirely to see if I can remember anything else.