Directed by:
Jacques TourneurScreenplay:
DeWitt BodeenCinematography:
Nicholas MusuracaComposer:
Roy WebbCast:
Simone Simon, Kent Smith, Tom Conway, Jane Randolph, Jack Holt, Alec Craig, Alan Napier, Donald Kerr, Eddie Dew, Charles Jordan, Theresa Harris, Mary Halsey (more)Plots(1)
The first of the horror films producer Val Lewton made for RKO Pictures redefined the genre by leaving its most frightening terrors to its audience’s imagination. Simone Simon stars as a Serbian émigré in Manhattan who believes that, because of an ancient curse, any physical intimacy with the man she loves (Kent Smith) will turn her into a feline predator. Lewton, a consummate producer-auteur who oversaw every aspect of his projects, found an ideal director in Jacques Tourneur, a chiaroscuro stylist adept at keeping viewers off-kilter with startling compositions and psychological innuendo. Together, they eschewed the canned effects of earlier monster movies in favor of shocking with subtle shadows and creative audio cues. One of the studio’s most successful movies of the 1940s, Cat People raised the creature feature to new heights of sophistication and mystery. (Criterion)
(more)Reviews (2)
These old horror movies have so much charm for me, they’re a joy to watch. Yes, the synopsis is very, very naive and the bullish of Oliver will probably make you cringe. But the breathtaking black and white cinematography, when most of the scenes take place in the gloom, with only the soft light of a hot fireplace or street lamps, and the camera working fantastically with the image, its lighting and impressive scenes, makes the film worth seeing for that alone. Not to mention the awesome scene in the indoor pool, with the sense of some unknown danger present amidst the rippling light of the waves reflecting on the ceiling. We don't see any monster, we only hear a faint growling sound and the shape of a shadow passing over the wall and stairs. A short, subtle scene and yet so impressive. For me, it’s an iconic moment of 1940s cinema, comparable perhaps only to the shower scene from Psycho.
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This is an interesting example of a classic horror film from a time when filmmaking couldn't rely on technical inventions and digital effects, so it had to rely on the atmosphere created by the script, play of shadows, sounds, and acting expressions. Surprisingly, it works very well, making this original rendition a worthy competition to the later remake. The tension gradually builds up, and it is incredible how little is needed to create it. The horror theme is closely related to a sexual topic, similar to the vampire horror films of that time. The competition between two women over one man can lead (one of them has claws and a nature to go all out) to a truly terrifying drama. Overall impression: 65%.
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