Young Liam - I thoroughly enjoyed this episode; please keep them coming... I watched Cat People quite a few decades ago, and you've now prompted me to have a re-watch - Think I'm gonna have to match what you watch, film by film, all of your vids in October...
I certainly will, we're not even half way through the month yet! It's definitely a film with revisiting and that's great to know! My intention was to make this like an advent calendar counting down to Halloween, but with horror movies!
Another great review,Liam! I’m a huge fan of Val Lewton and his favorite director, Jacques Tourneur! Lewton’s genius, as you pointed out, was that he was able to produce such psychological horror films, with the extremely limited budgets. You should definitely see their 1943 classic, “I Walked With A Zombie “. I have to admit that the title is a little funny but there is nothing funny about “I Walked With A Zombie”. Again, thanks for your great review, Liam, and I’m looking forward to seeing your next review!
I think this film must have inspired Stephen King's "Sleepwalkers" because there are some similarities. Most prominent among them perhaps the way in which cats are suspicious of the cat-like villain.
I've seen Cat People last night for the first time. I have to say that even though it's feels bit archaic I really enjoyed it! I wonder if the swiming pool sequence has inspired David Robert Mitchel, it reminded me of It Follows finale in the way it was shot. Also after seeing the bus scene I asked myself, whoa, was that the very first jump scare? :D
I was pleasantly surprised by this film the first time I saw it, I'm glad you enjoyed it too! I'm sure it has gone on to inspire a larger majority of films than we think! I find it funny how this was the first jump scare and the bus hiss sounds like a cat. And now, an actual cat being a jumpscare is one of the most classic cliches in the book!
"Oliver can be a bit of a dick." A bit? The dude's a HUGE dick. And Alice is a two-faced homewrecker and Dr. Judd's a creep. Everyone except Irena in this movie is a self-centered ass and she gives them exactly what they all earn for themselves. Irena deserved so much better. But that's what makes "Cat People" such an amazing story. It's about a woman who goes from fearing to embracing her inner power and not letting herself be pushed around or forced to give up who she is to assimilate into the cookie-cutter culture 1940s Americana expects her to. So glad to see this film is gaining more and more appreciation. I discovered it last year around Halloween and it's become one of my favorites.
Very well said! 👏 Thank you for sharing your take on the film and its subtext! There's certainly a lot more under the surface with this movie than I think a lot of people would give it credit for!
@@ARealHorrorShow Thanks, and I completely agree. There's so much more to the film than it simply trying to cash in on the monster craze Universal started. Have you seen the sequel, "The Curse of the Cat People"? I haven't yet, but it's on my to-watch list this spooky season!
Great video. The only version I've seen is the 1981 version of Cat People, with Malcolm McDowell and Natassia Kinski. I don't quite remember the storyline. I think they turn into panthers when they have sex and they can only have sex with each other, which is weird because they're brother and sister. Apart from King Kong, I didn't think that RKO made a lot of horror movies, so I learned something new. I'll have to check the original one out.
I haven't actually seen that adaptation of the film, but I can definitely imagine them homing in more on the sexual aspect of the story and plot, especially with it being the early 80s! And this film is certainly worth a watch!
Aside from "The Body Snatcher" (which stars Boris Karloff along with Bela Lugosi in a lesser role) I'm not a big fan of the Val Lewton horror films of the 1940's. I realize they're a sort of cerebral horror - some might say psychological horror but most of the films just leave me flat. Cat People is no exception. It seems like a film I'm "supposed" to like, but I can't say that I really do. It's not a bad film by any means, but it isn't all that engaging. At least it wasn't for me. Maybe I should give it a second viewing. But not for Halloween. I reserve that time for the best of the best. ✌
I have yet to see The Body Snatcher, but I'll certainly get around to it eventually! Sorry to hear you weren't a big fan of Cat People, but I'd certainly recommend a second viewing! It's an interesting film and is definitely an odd one out within the genre, but it was certainly influential!
