Cat People
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Movie Reviews of Cat People
Movie Review: Stylish Directing Saves A Flat Story
Summary: 4 Stars
The plot: A beautiful 20 year old orphan Nastassja Kinski is reunited with her brother, Malcolm McDowell in New Orleans. Without explanation McDowell disappears and is sought for cannibalizing prostitutes.
Kinski ends up falling for zoologist John Heard whom handles large cats at the local zoo. Predictably the zoo's jaguar turns out to in fact be McDowell who escapes and reveals to Kinski how their family is cursed to turn into jaguars every time they make love. Only the act of murdering a human can return them to form. Hence the only safe sex is inbreeding. While McDowell kills without conscious the virgin Kinski despises her affliction.
This remake of the 1942 cult classic could should have come up with better title.
While the plot is bland the directing keeps it alive, similar to Michael Mann's `Manhunter' the New Orleans setting is used to its full effect as well as David Bowie's haunting score.
The opening sequence is noting short of awesome. In a haze of red we see an ancient civilization sacrificing children to jaguars by tying them to a grotesque tree without fruit or leaves. It is unclear if they are to be eaten by or mate with the jaguars. But this sacrifice creates the cat people.
I was astounded that this opening sequence of a mystical tree was in fact plagiarized by the film `The Exorcism of Emily Rose.'
A fair warning about `Cat People', everyone gets naked. Yes, everyone. While nudity is nothing new to McDowell and Kinski, John Heard and even Annette O'Toole's exposure is shocking. I wonder why O'Toole never used her assets to further her career.
Movie Review: Erotic suspense
Summary: 4 Stars
Cat People is an old fashion sexual thriller. The reason Cat People is an erotic movie is because it's not laced with over done and gratuitous sex scenes like most movies. Instead, it has that dog whistle, under current of sexuality ala 1950s Lana Turner and Elizabeth Taylor - the best kind.
Cat People is the story of a young woman raised in foster care, Irena (Natash Kinski, who's travelled to ominous New Orleans to meet her long lost brother (Malcom McDowell). Poor Irena's joy soon turns to a nightmare as it becomes evident that there is more to her brother, and his motives, than meets the eye. Irena's brother's impatience, after years of pent up desire and frustration, leads him to abrubptly demand of Irena that she not only confront her inner panther but embrace it. Her brother warns Irena that if she does not live by the laws of thier "kind" she will kill - and kill the ones she loves - "Let me spare you that horror. . . . ". Among the laws she must live by is to mate as brother and sister the way her parents did. Irena is not happy to find out her long held suspicions and worst fears about herself are true and she rejects both her true self and her brother. But, as her brother warned, Irena finds out the hard way that she she cannot disrespect the panther within.
This is a great fun movie. It's perfect for a cold, rainy, fall Friday evening and a six pack after a long work week. It's a good date movie too. It's not laced with gratuitous, pointless sex. Cat People, however, will leave you with longings of rope and bed posts.
Movie Review: Well done remake of a horror classic!
Summary: 4 Stars
beautiful virgin Irena (Natassia Kinski) has just arrived in New Orleans to see her brother Paul (Malcom Mcdowell) but she doesn't realize is that murders has been occuring over the past weeks due to a large cat on the loose. It seems she has fallen in love with a zookeeper named Oliver (John Heard) but it seems that she and her brother are actually part of a ancient race of cat people who resemble human beings but can only mate with other Cat-People otherwise when with normal human beings they transform into monstrous black Leopards with an urge to kill.
Steamy and bloody remake of the 1942 horror classic of the same name from director Paul Schrader. Although it's different from it's original source material as it uses a metaphor on sexual awakenings with a European horror feel to it and also about incestous desire. The film co-stars Ed Begley Jr and Annette O'Toole, it's an erotic and sometimes gory reimagining with a terrific score from Giorgio Moroder and a quality song from David Bowie. It's also produced by Jerry Bruckheimer before he made his company that he is now famous for, i must say this version does have plenty of nudity with graphic violence and nifty make-up effects by Tom Burman("Halloween 3" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1978"), it's still a fun remake but inferior to the original.
This DVD contains a wonderful DVD transfer on the picture and quality sound with good extras like audio commentary, interviews, featurettes, still gallery, production notes and trailer.
Movie Review: Light entertainment for grownups
Summary: 4 Stars
This starts with a variant on the werewolf mythos: this time it's kitty, not doggy. A few things make the early parts of this movie work. Malcolm McDowell became known early on in A Clockwork Orange and Caligula , and reprises his role as sadistic psychopath. Nastassja (nee Nastassia) Kinski did what she did best back in the early 1980s, which was look good in a clothing-, or at least bra-optional kind of way. She also reminds us of that simpler time when a B cup was a gift from heaven and a joy to behold (or hold). I can't wait for that fashion to come around again.
Logic eludes us, for example at the end when Irena decides - well, I won't spoil it for you, but the words and the foreseeable result of her final decision just don't line up. Also, earlier on, she makes some eye-blink transition from sweet young thing (doesn't eat meat) to carnivorous vamp. I think that a 1950s trace of "fallen woman" morality somehow leaked into this flick. No matter. If the R-movie people in your house want something to watch that won't get in the way of good conversation, give it a shot. For what it is, it's pretty good - and that includes the surprising theme song by David Bowie during the closing credits.
-- wiredweird
Movie Review: Inbred Felines
Summary: 4 Stars
Although mostly true to the original this one adds a new element to the story. Nastassia Kinski discovers she has a brother and moves to live with him. Said brother is a little strange as is his housekeeper. They seem to know something about her that they are not saying. Then a killer panther is captured at the same time the brother disappears. The cat is housed at a local zoo and Kinski visits it. From there she gets a job at the zoo and becomes close to one of the other workers there.
But Kinski's feelings bring consequences that she can not yet understand. But as her brother gets in trouble she learns some of the truth of her heritage. Now she must try to find some way to balance what she feels in her heart with the curse she carries. With the help of her new friend she comes up with what she feels is the only solution.
While this film manages to remain fairly true to the original, even duplicating some scenes, it seems more concerned with sex than it does with the original story. Nastasha could go around topless throughout the movie and hardly reveal more than she does with all her transparent clothing. She also has a confusing change of personality when she stalks another character. But all in all it manages to be a pretty good film and a fine tribute. Check it out.