Hell’s Kitty (2018): A Possessed Cat Turns Dating Into a Nightmare

What happens when your cute, cuddly cat transforms into a four-legged terror with a vendetta against your love life? Welcome to the twisted, hilarious universe of Nicholas Tana’s Hell’s Kitty.

Based on a True Story

It may be hard to believe, but this bizarre, laugh-out-loud horror film draws inspiration from a true story. The idea sprang from Tana’s real-life experiences trying to navigate the dating scene in Los Angeles while living with a pet that was… a little too possessive of him. Tana’s cat, Angel, was the real-life embodiment of a jealous pet, fiercely protective and determined to keep her human all to herself. 

Angel’s aggressiveness toward Tana’s dates was so legendary that she almost became a star on the reality show My Cat From Hell. Jackson Galaxy, the cat whisperer, was set to step in and tame her tantrums. But when the producers wanted Tana to sign away all rights to Angel’s tale, he had a lightbulb moment. Why let someone else tell Angel’s story when he could be the one to share the drama of his sassy, love-struck feline with the world?

From Web Series to Feature Film

The film began as a 19-part web series, with each episode lasting around five to ten minutes. It follows the misadventures of Nick (played by the director), a hapless screenwriter who slowly becomes convinced that his seemingly sweet cat, Angel, might be possessed by something malevolent. The first episode dives headfirst into chaos when Nick’s romantic pursuit with Lisa (Lisa Younger) ends with her bolting from the apartment, looking like she has just slashed her wrists, and the cat sits there nonchalantly licking Lisa’s blood off its paws.

Dates with other women turn into episodes of gruesome carnage as well—think blood-soaked scenes of love-making and dates that end with missing person reports. Desperate to save his love life, Nick tries everything under the sun to cure Angel of her demonic tendencies, from consulting a pet behaviorist to staging a full-blown cat exorcism.

But instead of finding a peaceful resolution, Angel’s revenge becomes increasingly savage and bloody. The more Nick attempts to intervene, the more Angel escalates her feline fury, leaving a trail of mayhem in her wake. It is a veritable horror buffet where anyone foolish enough to cross Angel’s path finds themselves on the receiving end of some seriously messy consequences.

Horror Icons Galore!

But that is just the beginning of the fun. Beyond being a love letter to his cat, Hell’s Kitty is also a tribute to horror movies. Eagle-eyed horror fans will have a field day spotting the countless Easter eggs. From nods to The Exorcist (1973) and The Shining (1980) to a surprise visit from one of the Killer Klowns from Outer Space attempting to take down Angel, the film is a treasure trove of horror references.

“We got more horror icons in Hell’s Kitty than any movie in history,” Tana told me in an interview over Messenger. “They only have one or two scenes each, though—keeping them around longer would’ve busted the budget.” Even so, these brief appearances are memorable. Michael Berryman appears as Detective Pluto, a nod to his cannibal character of the same name in The Hills Have Eyes (1977), complete with a finger-biting moment. Lynn Lowry (Shivers, The Crazies) and Kelli Maroney (Night of the Comet, Chopping Mall) play furball-coughing sisters and mediums trying to exorcise Angel. Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog, Creepshow) adds gravitas as the mother of a missing date. At the same time, Winter Williams (The Human Centipede) and Barbara Nedeljáková (Hostel) bring their horror chops to the film, with Nedeljáková even reprising her Hostel character’s name, Natalya. Bill Oberst Jr. and Doug Jones appear as the exorcist duo, Father Blatty and Father Damien. Dale Midkiff (Pet Sematary) and Nina Hartley (Boogie Nights) also bring memorable performances.

If you are unfamiliar with the horror movies Hell’s Kitty references, many scenes might seem random, and you could miss out on much of the fun. Luckily, Tana adds clever hints to help you connect the dots. Take the scene where two preachers knock on Nick’s door—when they come in, they glance at a book titled Children Who Love Corn sitting on his table. It is a playful nod to the actors Courtney Gains and John Franklin, who are reprising their roles as Malachai and Isaac from Children of the Corn (1984), based on a Stephen King short story. It is fun to watch as Angel proves stronger than these two evildoers who once wiped out an entire town. And then there is Nick’s grandmother, casually flipping through a Catwoman comic. It is no coincidence—Lee Meriwether, who starred as Catwoman in Batman: The Movie (1966), plays her. While Meriwether’s character emerges unscathed from Angel’s antics in the film and show, the same cannot be said for Meriwether herself—Angel got her good! 

The casting takes on an even bigger meta twist. Lisa Younger (the actress playing Lisa) dated Tana and reenacted her first introduction to Angel. However, Tana decided to spice up their real-life meeting with more blood.

Adam Rucho, a neighbor with a great sense of humor, also plays himself in the film. Tana drew inspiration from their conversations about love and his amusing observations of women coming and going in his life. Adam was quick to blame Angel for much of the romantic chaos.

And, of course, Angel plays herself with PATSY-worthy flair, proving she is not just any cat—she is the star.

Low Budget, High Creativity

Hell’s Kitty is a blast, whether you are a die-hard horror fan or just a cat lover who wonders if Fluffy might have a secret agenda. Remember, though, that Tana created this project on an incredibly tight budget of only $12,000. Most went toward catering and paying the horror movie icons, who received $100 per hour for just a few hours of work. The rest of the crew were all volunteers, and the “set” was simply Tana’s home, which, conveniently, allowed Angel to stay right where she felt the most comfortable. Low-budget productions are not for everyone, but they come with a unique mix of passion, creativity, and a dash of craziness that you rarely find in big-budget films.

Web Series vs. Movie: What Changed?

What is the difference between the web series and the movie? The film condenses the web series into a tighter 90-minute runtime, with an additional never-before-released ending. The movie also features an exclusive interview scene with Nick and his publicist (played by Robert Rhine, the real-life publisher of Girls & Corpses Magazine), which does not appear in the online show.

For the whole experience, you need to watch both, especially if you want to catch some of the scenes and cameos that did not make the final cut—like the feline voice-over narration and Conni Marie Brazelton from The People Under the Stairs (1991) as a voodoo priestess.

The Hell’s Kitty Universe Keeps Growing

However, the story quickly expanded into a full-fledged Angel universe. Alongside the show and the film, Tana self-published a comic book titled Lost Angel in Los Angeles. This comic reveals what happened to Angel when she goes missing in the movie and series—details that those versions leave unresolved. In the comic, Angel explores various neighborhoods in Los Angeles and encounters some Hell’s Angels, among other characters. In 2019, the Hell’s Kitty universe grew even further with a musical that premiered at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in June and sold out. The musical provides additional backstory about the feline spirit character from the movie, offering insights you cannot get anywhere else.

Sadly, Angel never got to enjoy extra cat treats for her stardom, as she passed away from cancer shortly after filming wrapped. Still, one can only wonder if she had some supernatural influence over the film’s success—because that cat has forever scratched her mark on the hearts of horror fans.

Watch Hell’s Kitty on Amazon!

This Hell’s Kitty review was previously published in the book Meow! Cats in Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy Movies. Read it to discover even more feline frights!

About the author

Vanessa Morgan is the editor of When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals, Strange Blood: 71 Essays on Offbeat and Underrated Vampires Movies, Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children, and Meow! Cats in Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy Movies. She also published one cat book (Avalon) and four supernatural thrillers (Drowned Sorrow, The Strangers Outside, A Good Man, and Clowders). Three of her stories became movies. She introduces movie screenings at several European cinemas and film festivals and is also a programmer for the Offscreen Film Festival in Brussels. When she is not writing, you will probably find her eating out or taking photos of felines for her website, Traveling Cats.

Images courtesy of Nicholas Tana.

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