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Comedy Cult Classic

Lucio Fulci confronts his own nightmares as fiction and reality bleed together in this meta-horror oddity.

A CAT IN THE BRAIN

Hitchcock invented the thriller… Fulci perfected it!

1990 · 1h 33m · R · Comedy / Fantasy / Horror · IMDB TMDB

A horror film director is stalked by a mad psychiatrist/serial killer bent on killing people to model the killings after the director's gory death scenes from his movies.

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Vault Note

When Fulci says he’s losing his mind, you’d better believe him—he wrote the script.

Programmer's Pick

A Cat in the Brain lets Lucio Fulci play himself—literally losing his mind amid a parade of gore, hallucinations, and cinematic self-parody. If you like your horror laced with black comedy and reality-bending meta-mischief, Fulci’s fever dream delivers both brains and blood by the bucket.

— SassyFlix Programmer
Quick Answer
What is A Cat in the Brain about?

A Cat in the Brain is a 1990 Italian comedy, fantasy, and horror film directed by Lucio Fulci about a horror filmmaker haunted by his own gruesome creations, manipulated by a psychiatrist who uses him as a pawn for real-life murders.

Details & Specs
Director
Lucio Fulci
Writers
Lucio Fulci, Giovanni Simonelli, Antonio Tentori
Release
1990
Runtime
1h 33m
Country
Italy
Language
Italian
Also Known As
Cat in the Brain, Nightmare Concert, Un gatto nel cervello (I volti del terrore), O Concerto Nocturno

Synopsis

The master of Italian horror, Lucio Fulci, stars as... Lucio Fulci, a filmmaker with a reputation for gruesome horror films. His body of work has started to plague his mental state, and he is haunted by the grotesque set-pieces his mind has conjured up during his career. His psychiatrist, Egon Schwarz, uses a hypnotised Fulci as an avatar to carry out his own disturbed fantasies, in hopes of ruining the master’s reputation once and for all.

Why Cult

Meta-Horror Madness

Lucio Fulci stars as a version of himself, blurring the line between director and character in a bizarre, self-referential spiral.

Psychiatrist Puppetmaster

The villain isn’t just a killer—it’s Fulci’s own psychiatrist, who hypnotizes him and orchestrates murder sprees inspired by Fulci's films.

Splatter and Satire

Expect over-the-top gore, blood splatter, and a sly wink at the excesses of Italian horror, all wrapped in a darkly comic package.

Fulci Unleashed

See the Italian horror maestro not just direct, but star, write, and send up his own legacy with morbid glee.

Questions from the Vault

What is A Cat in the Brain about? +

A Cat in the Brain follows a horror film director, played by Lucio Fulci himself, as he is tormented by visions inspired by his movies, while his psychiatrist manipulates him into becoming an unwitting accomplice to grisly murders.

When was A Cat in the Brain released? +

A Cat in the Brain was released in 1990.

Who directed A Cat in the Brain? +

A Cat in the Brain was directed by Lucio Fulci.

How long is A Cat in the Brain? +

A Cat in the Brain runs for 93 minutes.

What genre is A Cat in the Brain? +

A Cat in the Brain is a comedy, fantasy, and horror film.

Where can I watch A Cat in the Brain? +

A Cat in the Brain is available to stream on SassyFlix.

Themes & Keywords

Female Nudity Murder Psychotronic Film Female Topless Nudity Female Full Frontal Nudity Violence Blood Sex Scene Gore Grindhouse Film Cigarette Smoking Slasher Prostitute Serial Killer Husband Wife Relationship Shower