Cat People (1942) and Curse of the Cat People (1944)
Cat People (1942, Jacques Tourneur)
Cat People begins one of the most influential cycles in the American Horror canon. It’s the first film in producer Val Lewton’s series of low budget productions made for RKO. Simone Simon plays a Serbian woman who is haunted by eerie folktales from her native country. She has convinced herself that if she ever falls in love, the dormant beast in her will come out. Naturally, Simon begins having real issues when she marries Kent Smith, who is not the most understanding lover anyway.
The film is as much about sex as it is about horror. In fact, one could make an interesting parallel between this production and Hitchcock’s Marnie. Both films deal with a frigid woman whose past could be directly linked to her present sexual dysfunction. The Hitchcockian elements don’t end here. Lewton and his team opt for a style that implies a lot but shows little. There are constant allusions to horrors that are never fully materialized. The end result is a movie that manages to use the viewer as an accomplice in the development of thrills and chills – it is a great way of stimulating the viewer’s imagination.
The sound design is particularly impressive. The editing and cinematography are also exceptional. But the film really works because Simon is so good in a difficult role. She is able to convey carnal desire while always looking regal and virginal. It’s one of the great female performances in the horror canon. It is no longer scary, but goodness, it is an interesting movie!
Curse of the Cat People (1944, Robert Wise, Gunther V. Fritsch)
Curse of the Cat People stubbornly strives for individuality and personality, resisting any temptation to cash in on the success of its sister film. Unlike the original Cat People (1942), this sequel is not a horror film but a gloomy fantasy movie. Producer Val Lewton probably killed the franchise when he decided to try something different, but he sacrificed monetary reward for a good cause. It is intriguing to see how the film explores the theme of fantasy versus reality.
Kent Smith returns as architect Oliver Reed. He is married now to ex-coworker Alice (Jane Randolph), and they have a daughter (Ann Carter in a terrific performance) who seems to have a few psychological problems. The father encourages the girl’s imagination but then punishes her when he thinks she has gone too far. No wonder the kid has problems! The story made me think of how adults fill the minds of kids with myths and fantasies (Santa Clause, Birthday wishes, etc.), and how healthy or unhealthy these customs are. It’s at times a fascinating movie, but anyone expecting to see hairy beasties need to go back and rent the original movie. Although one could say that the pussycat has been declawed, it is a terrific little film.
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