'Cat People' is one of those early horror films that really can't be described as such any more; although there are some unnerving scenes, this film would now be better described as a mystery. However that is not to the detriment of what is an interesting, influential and unique film that holds up a lot better than most early Hollywood horror.

What is most interesting about 'Cat People' is that its protagonist is so sympathetically portrayed. She is as afraid of what she might become as anyone else and so the viewer can't help but be on her side. The mythical back-story of the - incidentally fictional - King John of Serbia is also introduced well, impressive considering how often…

Those who've only seen Paul Schrader's loud and juicy sex and blood feast from 1982, may have moved this one far down on their watchlist. There is absolutely no reason for that. This is proof that a horror film can at the same time be subtle, but without losing any tension on the way.

A large part of the thrill of the film comes from the magnificent photography from Nicholas Musuraca. Some of the scenes are almost absolutely black, except for certain key elements in the frame. There are expert use of shadows and fog in other scenes, all which add to the general psychological mood of the film. The story is cut so short that sudden plot elements seem…

So many startling shots in this film, but I expect nothing less from a Lewton/Tourneur collaboration. This is often considered the best of the Lewton produced films at RKO and I’m inclined to agree. Second to this for me would be the qoefully underrated The Leopard Man. I didn’t take to I Walked with a Zombie *dodges tomatoes*. I’ve seen all the rest except The Curse of the Cat People and Bedlam. 7/9; not bad!

Rampant with symbolism and psychology, a study of female sexuality, there is a lot going on here worth discussing but my one measly rewatch doesn’t begin to dig into it. But this is a lot about the instilled inseparability between sexuality and shame among much…

*Note: This is a paper I wrote for my final in first-year Film Studies. In the paper I engage Robin Wood's analysis of sexuality in horror films and apply it to Cat People and Ginger Snaps. This may not count entirely as a review of the film, but if you are interested in applying film theory to horror movies I recommend giving it a read-through.

Becoming Cats and Dogs: An Analysis of the Return of the Repressed in Cat People and Ginger Snaps

Repression is an inseparable facet of the horror film. Robin Wood's essay, "An Introduction to the American Horror Film", explores the idea of repression in horror films, and his concepts of the return of bisexuality and female…

'Cat People' is one of those early horror films that really can't be described as such any more; although there are some unnerving scenes, this film would now be better described as a mystery. However that is not to the detriment of what is an interesting, influential and unique film that holds up a lot better than most early Hollywood horror.

What is most interesting about 'Cat People' is that its protagonist is so sympathetically portrayed. She is as afraid of what she might become as anyone else and so the viewer can't help but be on her side. The mythical back-story of the - incidentally fictional - King John of Serbia is also introduced well, impressive considering how often…

This is #4 of My Thoughts on Horror Cinema list!

French director Jacques Tourneur managed to create peculiar atmospheres with a rare effectiveness in his 5th american movie, “Cat People”. Initially hasty, the movie starts unnecessarily flustered, trying to establish every possible connection in between Irena and cats, in a sequence of dialogues with Oliver when the woman simply shoots a bunch of references and comparisons relating her lifestyle and cat behavior, since the mention of how it’s comfortable for her when it’s dark, through the description of the cherishing roars by big male cats at the zoo nearby, and finally to the story involving her Serbian ancestry with occult practices. At this very particular point, Tourneur hits it, precisely,…

*Note: This is a paper I wrote for my final in first-year Film Studies. In the paper I engage Robin Wood's analysis of sexuality in horror films and apply it to Cat People and Ginger Snaps. This may not count entirely as a review of the film, but if you are interested in applying film theory to horror movies I recommend giving it a read-through.

Becoming Cats and Dogs: An Analysis of the Return of the Repressed in Cat People and Ginger Snaps

Repression is an inseparable facet of the horror film. Robin Wood's essay, "An Introduction to the American Horror Film", explores the idea of repression in horror films, and his concepts of the return of bisexuality and female…