The Black Cat
7.4/10
jumps
4
gore
2
dread
6
Tap a dot to add your rating.
Where to watch: Not on major US streamers — check digital rental.
How it scared people
The vibe
Karloff plays a Bauhaus architect who built his glass-and-steel house on the ruins of a fort where he sent thousands of men to die, and Lugosi is the one who came back to collect. Their first pairing is barely Poe at all — satanism, a chess game for a woman's life, and a skinning staged entirely in shadow. Universal's strangest hit.
The Black Cat (1934) Parents Guide
| MPA rating | No MPAA certificate (released outside the US system) |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 65 minutes |
| Jump scares | 2/5 — on the gentler side — it favors mood and atmosphere over hard scares |
| Gore | 1/5 — almost no gore |
| Dread | 3/5 — a lingering atmosphere that stays for the evening |
| Themes | occult ritual; psychological distress |
The Black Cat carries no MPAA certificate. We score it 2/5 for jump scares, 1/5 for gore and 3/5 for lingering dread, over 65 minutes. Better suited to teens than to younger children.
We rate what the film does — scares, gore, dread — not scene-level content like language or nudity, which we don't track.
Before you press play
- How scary is The Black Cat?
- On our intensity scale, The Black Cat rates 4/10 for jump scares and 6/10 for dread. It is on the gentler side — it favors mood and atmosphere over hard scares.
- How gory is The Black Cat?
- The Black Cat rates 2/10 for gore — expect almost no gore.
- How long is The Black Cat?
- The Black Cat runs 65 minutes (1h 5m).
- What is The Black Cat rated?
- The Black Cat has no MPAA certificate — common for films released outside the US. On our scale it rates 4/10 for jump scares, 2/10 for gore and 6/10 for dread.
- Where to watch The Black Cat (1934)?
- The Black Cat is not on major US subscription streamers right now — look for it on digital rental or purchase (Apple TV, Prime Video, or your usual store).
