Movie Review: Cat People (1982)

Genre: Fantasy Erotic Horror  

Director: Paul Schrader  
Starring: Nastassja Kinski, Malcolm McDowell, John Heard, Annette O'Toole, Ruby Dee, Ed Begley Jr.  

Running Time: 118 minutes  

Synopsis: In a prologue set in ancient times, tribals make human offerings to large black panthers. In the present, Irena Gallier (Nastassja Kinski) arrives in New Orleans to rejoin her brother Paul (Malcolm McDowell), many years after the siblings were separated upon their parents' death. When Paul mysteriously goes absent, Irena is attracted to the big cats at the zoo, where she meets curator Oliver (John Heard). Mauling deaths start to occur, and gradually Irena's worst fears are realized: she and Paul are descendants of people who turn to large cats and have to kill when sexually aroused.

What Works Well: A remake of Jacques Tourneur's 1942 low-budget original, the 1982 version enjoys glossy production values, a devotion to stylish visuals, and layers of mythology. Director Paul Schrader creates stunning dreamscape vistas in the prologue, and adds gore, nudity, and themes of incest and impossible love to the subsequent suspense underpinnings. An alluring Nastassja Kinski and a barely-contained Malcolm McDowell represent the two ends of innocence and decadence, and they are surrounded by a strong supporting cast and plenty of prowling cats. The New Orleans setting adds gothic aesthetics, and the brooding music score by Giorgio Moroder and David Bowie supplements the mood.

What Does Not Work As Well: The rules governing the lives of Irena and Paul are elusive enough to allow plenty of variations-on-a-theme, while some of the acidic transformations within the fantasy context are unexplained. A crime investigation sub-plot threatens to intrude on the narrative, but ultimately just gets in the way.

Key Quote:

Irena: I'm not like you.

Paul: Well, that's the lie that will kill your lover.

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