Oddtober 2024: Catsploitation Zine, Part Three – The Black Cat edition

Clio will be so glad when Oddtober is over.

Told you I would revisit Catsploitation if I could. After discussing the first Catsploitation during ‘Zine September, I was eager to get my hands on more of these ‘zines for Oddtober but was worried I wouldn’t get them in time. Bast smiled upon me, and here it is, a look at Catsploitation Zine Part 3: The Black Cat Edition. Catsploitation Zine as a whole discusses fans of cinematic horror and their cats. This edition features fan reviews of horror films that feature black cats from 1934 to 1998, fan art and stories of the black cats owned by people who participated in the ‘zine in some manner. One of them is ‘zine creator Matthew Ragsdale’s memorial to one of his beloved cats, Mady.

‘Zines like this are difficult to discuss in depth because it more or less does what it says it is going to do. There are thirteen short film discussions with film-specific illustrations from fan submissions, and all of the reviews are helpful but succinct. Ragsdale found an interesting and diverse list of films to review for this ‘zine. I haven’t seen most of the films on his list, even though I am culturally aware of most them. This ‘zine will serve as a lovely playbill should I ever want to have a butt-numb-athon and spend a couple of days watching movies back to back.

I don’t want to spoil all of the films discussed, but I will mention a couple of them just to give an idea of the contents. Here’s a snippet from a discussion of The Black Cat (1934), which I am kind of ashamed to admit I have never seen:

Necrophilia, Satanism, drugs, a chess game of doom, torture, a black mass with human sacrifice, and a man being skinned the fuck alive. 1934’s pre-code The Black Cat is like a giant terror scenario onion that gets peeled back… sending us into a nightmare carnival of shadows with two mortal enemies locked in a game of death… and it’s marvelous.

This one is an early horror film two-for, starring both Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. I really am surprised I’ve never seen this film.

At the other end of the spectrum is Kuroneko (1968), a movie wholly new to me:

Kuroneko (1968) directed by Kaneto Shindo is best approached less as a horror movie and more as a dark folk tale. There is the horror of inhumanity, but it’s not a frantic fear fest. Kuroneko is eerie. It’s a slow burn. Some may call it boring but it’s more of a tense journey into deals with the devil and revenge for atrocity against women.

Another film on the list is a title that whenever I see it, I always think that I need to stream it but I never get around to it. Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972) is probably worth seeing for the title alone, but it sounds interesting beyond that:

Vice is a wicked delight; a slice of Italian Gothic dripping with atmosphere, psychological torment, and conniving characters practically begging for their comeuppance. Martino (and co-writers Ernesto Gastaldi and Sauro Scavolini) transposes the mood of a Mario Bava period piece into present day, and captures the insidious, um, vice of his characters. The Poe-Like mood is definitely there, even if the adaptation is loose.

But because I am one of those cat ladies that JD Vance is so worried about, my favorite part of this ‘zine is the section with pictures of people posing with their own black cats and telling stories about them. And it’s not just because it gives me a sort of perverse permission to share my own cat pics here. I just like seeing people expressing affection for their pets. The world is awful and it’s always nice to be reminded that there are so many kind people who adore animals.

Here at Chez OTC, we have two solid black cats, a tuxedo, a tortie, and a calico, and because the editor of the ‘zine included his tortie in the pics at the back because it’s his ‘zine and he can, I’ll share my own non-black cats because this is my site and I can.

He also goes by Booberry Cat, but you have to say it just like this in a high-pitched voice: “Booberry booberry booberry cat!”

This is Boo Radley. He’s named after the psychologically shattered character from To Kill a Mockingbird. He was raised with a golden retriever, and I took him on when my mother became terminally ill. He’s a big, skinny, shaggy wolf-cat and always seeks out a lap to sit in even though he finds it impossible to sit still. He’s our awkward, handsome boy.

 

Not even kidding. Clio is tired of Oddtober and my shit in general.

This is Clio. She’s a short haired, glossy black girl who has the attention span of a hummingbird and never stops purring. She is the happiest cat we have ever known. She is also a talker, constantly mewing and chirping, We adopted her with her sister Calliope.

 

 

Calliope is one of the most beautiful cats alive, fight me.

 

Calliope is a big, sturdy tortie who is quieter and probably smarter than her sister. She’s shyer but she also seeks us out when she needs attention. She went through a nickname progression, beginning with Callie, breaking off into Opie, which merged into Opus, which then became Opal, and now she’s often called “Opal Divine” after a fish and chips restaurant. She absolutely loves Paulie.

 

Puddin’ is partially blind, has no teeth, is 14 and has terminal cancer so she politely asks you to cut her some slack in regards to her rumpled fur.

This is Pretty Polly Puddin’ Pants, and she’s technically male but she was believed to be a female for so long that it seemed easier to just switch to Paulie, and mostly we call her Puddin’. She is absolutely the sweetest cat. Her nickname is Uncle Grandma because the three young cats in the house adore her because she really has strong maternal energy, and respect her because she’s a much older male. She is currently at home in hospice because she has cancer and her time is nearing. We adopted her in 2012 as an injured stray, with her sister Molly, who was also injured. Molly was solid black and died in January in 2023 from GI lymphoma.

She may look like a soft little bunny cat but she’s the cranky mothercat, even to the cats much older than she is.

This is Mirabelle, also known as Miss Belly. She’s a calico who basically despairs of us all and secretly runs the place. She does not like being held but she will crawl all over us when we are lying in bed because it’s harder to snitch her up and make her be the baby when horizontal. She, Clio and Calliope are all close. Mirabelle lived rough before we adopted her. She is very small compared to her peers, and lost all but one of her kittens once she was rescued. She’s beautiful and imperious.

Feel free to tell me about your cats, any color and breed, and if you would like your own copy of Catsploitation 3: The Black Cat Edition, you can get one here.

Catsploitation: A Zine Celebrating Horror Fans & Their Cats

It’s interesting how many of my more recent ‘zine purchases are strangely sweet. During my own ‘zine heyday back in college and shortly after, most of the ‘zines I purchased were decidedly dark. I know there were some very sweet ‘zines available during that time, but I guess I didn’t come across them or I myself was in a place mentally and socially wherein I sought out harsher fare. The ‘zines I have bought in the last ten years have strands of cuteness or charm that run through them. I have some darker ones to share this month, but I guess what I am saying is that it may be true that we mellow when we age.

Today’s offering is the amusing Catsploitation from 2017. I do not recall where I got it, but it’s published by a guy named Matt and you can contact him via catsploitation@gmail.com. Insanely, again the only place I could find to purchase it was on Etsy and it was awesome to see that there is a part two and a part three available. The first and second editions are only available in digital form, but part three, which is devoted to black cats, is still analog and I bought it as soon as I saw it.

Black cat lying on an orange and blue blanket, with a purple 'zine next to her.
Clio’s expression tells me she knows the black cat edition is on its way and I better have a salmon Churu waiting after her next photo shoot.

 

 

This ‘zine is one of those “my people” ‘zines. You pick up the ‘zine, flip through it, and realize you are among your own kind.

Catsploitation contains photos of horror lovers and their cats, next to interview questions they answered. I think the best way to illustrate what I mean is to reproduce the main questions and answer them myself.

Your top 5 favorite horror/cult movies: Near Dark, Dark Song, May, Halloween, Beyond the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (Saw franchise and Pan’s Labyrinth are close behind them)

What horror title best describes your cat(s): Clio is the most endearing, silly cat and I can’t think of a film with a horror plot that features a beautiful young woman with a five second attention span who is always ready to sit on your shoulder.

Calliope can best be described by As Above So Below because she mirrors her sister when they sit on a cat tree, occupying the space on the level directly under her. Clio on top, Calliope right underneath, in the same pose.

Pretty Polly Puddin’ Pants is easily described by Drag Me to Hell because that’s what you feel is happening to you when she uses the litter box.

Boo Radley is best described by It Follows because he is always right behind you.

Mirabelle embodies The Lurker because she’s often around corners, peering at you, watching your every move.

What iconic horror villain does your cat act like: Clio is most like Dracula as played by Nicholas Cage in Vampire’s Kiss because she is insane and likes to eat bugs.

Her sister Calliope is most like Michael Myers from Halloween because she never speaks and seldom makes any noise.

Pretty Polly Puddin’ Pants reminds me of the very elderly vampire in the movie version of What We Do in the Shadows because she is old and wants to be left alone.

To Kill a Mockingbird is not a horror movie but needless to say, Boo Radley reminds me of Boo Radley, who isn’t a villain but still…

Mirabelle doesn’t really act like a horror villain. She’s just a tiny little calico cat who really likes treats. If there is a female horror villain who is cute and aloof and adheres to a rigid snack schedule, then that’s who she is like.

What do you think the connection is between loving horror (movies/art) and loving cats: I think cats are perfect little murder machines. They play with their prey before killing it. They even kill just for sport. They are fast, sleek and you can often be alone with a cat in a room and not know it is creeping up on you until it jumps up and hogs the blanket. They can tiptoe across a dresser without moving a thing. Were cats human and humans their prey, we’d all be dead. But they aren’t. They’re furry creatures we can smooch on the head and dress in little hats, and there’s something heady about having these little murder muffins purring when you feed them and curling up next to you for a nap. It’s like owning chaos.

I hope there is a Catsploitation 4 in the works and I also hope Matt sees this and invites me to participate. But until then I will cherish my copy of number three when it comes in. Clio can nap easy… for now.