Cat and Mouse (1974)
Kirk Douglas stars in this dark drama about a biology teacher estranged from his wife and son. Walking away totally from his former life with only a case of biology instruments, he calls the police with a terrifying statement 'Tonight, i'm going to kill somebody'.
This British oddity set in Montreal captures that 70's grittiness that encapsulates films like Dirty Harry and The French Connection. Douglas is excellent. At first coming across like the cruel nickname of 'Mousy' that his students mock him with but spiraling deeper into despair and madness, culminating in some tense, grim murder and stalking sequences that place the film in slasher territory.
Cat and Mouse felt like a huge influence on Kirk's son Michael's film Falling Down from 1993. There were so many similarities - A Douglas for one. A man on the edge of sanity trying desperately to catch up with his estranged child, the killing spree, not to mention the cracked lens in the glasses both characters wear.
Soundtrack fans should love the brilliantly realized, oh so creepy score by Ron Grainer. Grainer isn't the only Doctor Who link. Producer Beryl Virtue's daughter Sue married future Who showrunner Steven Moffat.
Another great release of a lost gem from Network. I keep hoping StudioCanal will give it a re-release on Blu.
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