| This is an odd movie. But I've been called
odd all my life (Aquarius), so, of course, I like it! Cat People
is about a people from a different deminsion that are the
inbred of black panther & of a human virgin. As human they have some "cat"
powers of jumping very high and a bit of hissing. As human, if they get
sexually aroused and proceed with the act...blissfully soon they rip out of their
skin to turn into a black panther. To be human they have to kill another human.
This is the premise for Cat People. This is a remake from years ago,
which I have yet to see. Unbelievable. Sure. But there is more to this
movie. Cat People is simply about the power of lust.
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Set in New Orleans, this film plays out to buildings with ornate, yet simple
architecture and always emphasizes wet downed cement streets and courtyards.
The lighting is balmy and you can feel the humidity. Irena is our star
played by Natasha Kinsky. This role is the one I ALWAYS think of when
I see her in anything. Her face spellbinds me with her Pat Benatar
short hair, and graceful body language, and her interesting longing looking.
Am I shallow?
She is a 'cat person' and has just entered our reality. She knows nothing about lust. But her brother does. She comes to New Orleans and stays with him. He is immediately attracted to her. I'm sure this raises eyebrows.... However, among their reality and species, siblings can mate and not have to kill afterward. He, overly acted by Malcolm McDowall, comes on to her strongly. Irena is quite shocked and fights him off. But Kinsky is good at showing her longing for affection rising below her resistance. This is ambiguity, and that is very difficult to pull off in drama (at least my drama class in college said never to do it). But truth. | 
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| Anyway, Irena goes to the county (or state or city whatever) zoo and begins to fall in love with an administrator there, who immediately is extremely intrigued with her (John Heard), without drooling all over himself. She finds herself loving him, but is torn not to love him because, as she learns from her brother, she will turn into a panther and have to kill him or someone to become human again. | 
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No real surprises. So they don't have sex. Heh, heh, heh. Right. So what we're left with is some stylish scenes, slight panning of the camera, and some erotic teasing. Kinsky undresses with abandon in the last half shedding her clothes like shedding her resistances. She doesn't look like a barbie doll, but I found her daa-yumm sexy. And I liked this movie. It's not a movie I'd like to see a lot, because there is some odd mystery that I like to be fresh when I see it. | 
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Picture This picture was restored in it's original 1.88 aspect ration, and most of the scenes looked very well balanced in it's original ratio. Some of the blacks were light, and obviously showing the prints age, and this was about half the time, however when the blacks were dead on, it was seamless (the scene in the darkroom). This picture is quite moody and there are lots of evening scenes. Reds and other colors were perfect and didn't seem to bleed to me at all. Skin tones looked natural (ya!). Some artifacts (scratches on the film). John Bailey's first class cinematography here is intended to accent the mythical context of the storyline, and in combination with G. Moroder's score (nice melody, aged synth sound) it's great. This film was NOT re mastered cry, cry... and that would've created a very beautiful picture for a film that really deserves it. Plus a 16x9 transfer would've been terrific. Nope. Still, I rented this on VHS months ago, and the VHS sucked big time. As did the sound. Dolby Digital Surround Sound The surround sound is in Dolby Digital Surround sound. Not 5.1. I would've liked a 5.1 mix because of the rain, the score and special effects and the panther growling sounds. I found lots of activity in the surrounds. The were far more cleaner and with better dynamics than the crappy VHS, but a separation would've been super. Oh, well, I just thank God it's not in mono. Dialogue isn't too great, but it's ok. The VHS was horrid. I kept thinking, "it sounds like they are talking from papertowell spools." The DVD proved otherwise. There was a more slight stereo sound of dialogue and slight ambience. The evening crickets and especially the panther growling sounds were very fun and opened up my viewing room. The panther growling sounds in 5.1; can you imagine?! I liked this movie and it was so great to see it on DVD. It was better than I had thought. However, the disc is terribly limited. The famous cover art of the disc looks great, but all you get on the disc is a menu with scene selections and NOTHING else. Sheesh, what a bummmer. Oh, well. I liked this movie and it looks great and most of the style of buildings and people don't look too aged. This movie hones in on our animal and dark side, if that intrigues you. It does me sometimes.... |
Lookin right atcha
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My friend across the states says that the soundtrack is good 'bedroom music. Yikes!' |
