On a literal plot level, Cat People sounds like it should be just a variation on a werewolf story, as a man marries a woman who lives in fear that she will succumb to the curse of her Serbian village, where people were rumored to turn into cats. But that story doesn't really prepare you for the depth and layers of Cat People, which taps into sexual hangups and fears in a deep, deep way, as the woman fears that her malady would be triggered by sexual jealousy but also intimacy with her husband, which only serves to make the former more of an issue. That's some complicated (and surprisingly racy) stuff for a horror film to take on, but in the hands of famed producer Val Lewton and director Jacques Tourneur, Cat Peopledoesn't really feel much like a typical horror movie anyway. It's a long, slow burn before anything much happens beyond the budding relationship, but the film's peppered with odd, cryptic moments, like the reactions of the animals at a pet store, or a brief encounter with a fellow Serb. And then, just when your guard is down, Cat People hits you with two absolute knockout sequences - one on a darkened street, the other in a swimming pool - that are every bit as creepy and unnerving today as they were more than 60 years ago. Cat People is a strange, compelling, wonderful little film; the subtext is fascinating and complex, the mood beautiful and creepy, and the acting and writing intriguing. A fascinating, beautiful, haunting little oddity.
- Josh Mauthe
- Josh Mauthe
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