In 1993, Cat People was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
At a city zoo, Serbian-born fashion designer Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon) makes sketches of a black panther. She catches the attention of American naval construction designer Oliver Reed (Kent Smith). Irena eventually invites him to her apartment for lunch. As they walk away, one of Irena’s discarded drafts is revealed as a panther impaled by a sword.
At her apartment, Oliver admires a statue, a crowned medieval figure on horseback impaling a cat with his sword. Irena informs Oliver that the figure is the (fictional) King John of Serbia and tells him a story. According to legend, a Satanic tribe invaded her childhood village during his reign and converted the residents into devil worshippers. When King John drove the evil tribe out and saw what the villagers had become, he ordered them all killed. However, “the wisest and the most wicked” of them escaped. It gradually becomes clear that Irena believes herself to be descended from the evil tribe, and that she fears that she will be transformed into a panther if aroused to passion, anger, or jealousy.
Irena looks like a nice little kitty, but she’s really a “bad old putty tat”.
Wonderful…just a masterpiece!!!
very stylish, adult horror film.