Movie Review: Cat People

So this semester I am in a five person class that is solely devoted to 'Film Reviewing.' This week we had to write our first review for a movie we screened in class called Cat People. I decided to post the reviews I will be writing throughout the year, so here is my first film review of the semester...hope you enjoy!

CAT PEOPLE (1942)

Director: Jacques Tourneur
Producer: Val Lewton
Screenwriter: DeWitt Bodeen
Cinematography: Nicholas Musuraca
Music: Roy Webb
Editing: Mark Robson
Irena...Simone Simon
Oliver Reed...Kent Smith
Dr. Louis Judd...Tom Conway
Alice Moore...Jane Randolph
Running Time: 73 minutes

When producer Val Lewton was appointed head of the horror unit at RKO studios, he was told to follow three rules: each film he produced had to have a budget under $150,000, a running time under 75 minutes, and his supervisors had to supply the title for each film. For his first production, Lewton teamed up with director Jacques Tourneur for a film titled Cat People. Despite having limited resources, the film ended up being a major success and marked the first of Lewton’s nine horror classics. Cat People has become a renowned classic film due to its separation from the conventions of the horror genre. Rather than frightening the audience with shocking murders or grotesque violence, Cat People plays off the eerie suspense and fear of a mysterious unseen threat and features psychological themes of jealousy and sexual desire that were significantly ahead of its time.

The film begins by following the relationship between Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon), a Serbian-born fashion artist and Oliver Reed (Kent Smith), an American architect. After their initial meeting, the two instantly fall in love and quickly get married. They hit a rough patch in their marriage, however, when Irena becomes consumed with the belief that she is a descendent of a Serbian tribe that was cursed by devil worshippers. She avoids intimate relations with her husband out of fear that she will turn into a deadly panther if she becomes sexually or emotionally aroused.

Tourneur brilliantly highlights the marital tensions and emotional distance between Irena and Oliver through their frequent conversations from separate rooms, discussing their problems through a closed door. Simone Simon does an outstanding job of portraying the confused bride who is torn between her love for Oliver and her constant fear of ancient superstition. At times we pity Irena and her inability to find happiness in their marriage, but after a series of strange incidents our suspicions begin to grow. Through an overkill of cat references, constant visual cues, clever hints in the dialogue, and a series of peculiar events, it becomes obvious that something is not right with Irena.

Meanwhile, Oliver's efforts to fix their problems only make matters worse. He persuades his wife to seek a psychiatrist, Dr. Louis Judd (Tom Conway), who develops a dangerously inappropriate attraction to Irena. He then confides to his flirtatious co-worker Alice (Jane Randolph), who is clearly in love with him. In two separate occasions, Alice is stalked by what she believes was the cat-form of Irena attempting to kill her out of jealousy and rage. These two pivotal scenes truly capture the dark and ominous tone of the film. Tourneur and cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca master the use of intricate lighting and luminous shadows to really emphasize the mysterious nature of Irena’s character. By only showing the large shadow of Alice’s stalker, Tourneur creates an atmosphere that causes fear though our own imagination. Cat People proves that you don’t need a big budget, special effects, or physical violence to make a great film that frightens the audience. An innovative film like this is worthy of being considered a classic horror film and is truly a must-see for all fans of modern psychological or supernatural thrillers.

Rating: 3 out of 4 stars

Trailer: