Cat People is stylish early horror movie which features psychological scares rather than the monsters typical of the era. Simone Simon is adorable, sexy, and haunting all at the same time. The cinematography is outstanding, making use of light and shadow in a beautifully chilling manner. *A*



(Cat People was the first movie produced by Val Lewton at RKO. He had a contract which had only two requirements: each movie he made had to come in under a budget of $150,000 and the studio issued him the titles of the movies before he made them (but he could use whatever story he chose). Val Lewton's life story is fascinating in its own right and I highly recommend taking the time to listen to the 4 episode podcast "Shadows" from The Secret History of Hollywood. Additionally, the Martin Scorcese produced 2007 documentary "Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows" is a must-see.)