Val Lewton Horror Double Feature: Cat People / The Curse of the Cat People

The studio gave Val Lewton small budgets and lurid pre-tested film titles. Lewton, working with rising filmmakers and emphasizing fear of the unseen, turned meager resources into momentous works of psychological terror. Directed by Jacques Tourneur, Cat People is the trailblazing first of Lewton's nine horror classics. Simone Simon portrays a bride who fears an ancient hex will turn her into a deadly panther when she's in passion's grip.

Simon returns in The Curse of the Cat People, a sequel in title and a landmark study of a troubled child in fact. Robert Wise makes his directing debut, co-helming a gothic-laced mix of fantasy and fright so astute it was used in college psychology classes.

This set contains two classic horror films from producer Val Lewton.

The first of several interesting horror films by producer Val Lewton, CAT PEOPLE was innovative in its style. Joining Lewton's artistic sense and mastery of atmosphere with Jacques Tourneur's directing talent, the film created fear in its audience precisely by not showing too much. This restraint and emphasis on psychological tension rather than physical violence would go on to influence later horror directors. While the story at the heart of the film is rather odd, it is told in a very eloquent and effective manner. Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon) is a young, Serbian artist living in New York City. When she meets Oliver Reed (Kent Smith), a somewhat bland American, she falls in love and gets married. But their marriage hits the rocks when she becomes consumed with the belief that she is the victim of a curse. According to Irena, the curse will make her turn into a deadly panther the minute she becomes emotionally aroused. In an effort to fix their problems, Oliver seeks psychiatric counseling for his beautiful and tormented young bride. But talking about her problems may only make them worse.

CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE: In this excellent, eerie sequel to Jacques Tourneur's CAT PEOPLE, a widower, Oliver Reed (Kent Smith), the father of the introverted six-year-old Amy (Ann Carter) remarries. Lonely and curious, Amy begins to explore her late mother's life and discovers her maternal bloodline is cursed. In her dreams she visits her alluring but devilish mother (Simone Simon) and learns her people become panthers when their blood is aroused. In addition Amy makes friends with Julia (Julia Dean), an elderly actress who lives in a spooky old Victorian next door, and begins competing for her affection with Julia's real daughter, Barbara (Elizabeth Russell). Director Robert Wise's debut (codirected with Gunther von Fritsch) concentrates on childhood fantasy more than suspense and horror. A haunting film nonetheless, CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE, with its ethereal dream sequences, is beautifully chilling.

Erotic | Family Interaction | Horror Movies

Genre:

• DVD Horror Movies

Movie Categories:

• DVD Horror / Suspense

Product Groupings:

• Closed Captioned

Product Series:

• Warner Bros. DVD Clearance Sale