October Horror Movie Challenge: Cat People (1942, 1982)

 I am a huge fan of the 1982 Cat People and I have known about the original one for years, but never saw it. Tonight I decided to change taht.

Cat People (1942)

Horror movies in the 1940s hit differently than other eras. They are slower, yes, but there is more of a feeling of psychological dread, I think. I mean, there is an obvious reason, of course. Film-makers of the time could use that and not gore or other features of the horror genre.

This movie is a bit slow, but it is still rather good. Simone Simon plays Irena, our Serbian Cat Person. Simon is also really good in this, displaying a kind of innocence needed for the role that you just don't get with Nastassja Kinski. 

There are a lot of elements of this movie that you will see 40 years later in the remake. The Cat People legend is largely the same, just changing the location where the legends happen. 

The plot is also very similar—closer than I expected, to be honest. The ending is pretty much the same, too. 

I watched this one on Amazon Prime and it looks like it was remastered. It is still black & white but very sharp and clear. 

This movie is also the originator of the Lewton Bus jump scare (at about 44 mins in).

I like how Irena's village's "Cat Women" are also described as witches. I could use that.

I was going to rewatch the 1982 version, but I ran out of time tonight.

Featured Monster: Lycanthropes and Cat Lord

I am fairly certain that Cat People (1942) had a little bit of influence on the weretiger of the Monster Manual, but I am absolutely certain that Cat People (1982) did influence the Cat Lord of the Monster Manual II. Some scenes of Malcolm McDowell remind me of the art of the Cat Lord. 

October Horror Movie Challenge 2024
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