Pretty Good

Crappy film

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Paul Shrader is far better known as a writer (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull) but he has also directed a few films and Cat People is one of them. A remake of a 1942 film it tells of an old, ancient time when big cats(leopards to be specific) roamed the lands and humans sent their daughters as sacrifice to mate with them(it is shown more poetically than how I wrote). One such union results in the birth of siblings whom we follow in present day New Orleans. This is a strange film in that it can be classified as fantasy-erotic horror. The atmosphere is supreme and the early scenes in the ancient times are reminiscent of David Lynch's Dune. The acting by everyone from the gorgeous Natasha Kinski to the always sublimely crazy Malcolm Mcdowell to John Heard as the sole "normal "human being is good. This is a good, distinctive horror film.

Immediately Giorgio Moroder's score captures you in the darkness with its sensual rhythms, then Schrader entices us into a labyrinthine journey of sex and death seen through the eyes of the dark & beautiful Irena (Kinski). Her brother Paul, played by a Malcom McDowell welcomes Irena to New Orleans ( a perfect location for this erotic & fetishistic tale ) dressed as a priest, this is their first 'reunion' since infancy & orphanage. Paul takes her home and introduces her to his housekeeper Female (played by the great Ruby Dee). Their joy is short lived, as Paul's incestuous overtures are rebuffed by an innocent Irena and his disappearance coincides with a visit by the police to investigate Paul's possible involvement in a 'ritualistic' murder involving a panther. Female is arrested as a possible accomplice to Paul's crimes. In jail, she advises Irena to 'not love' and 'pretend the world is what men believe it to be'. Irena is quickly taken in by Oliver ( John Heard ), curator of the New Orleans Zoo, after he startles her sketching a recently captured black panther. Irena settles into a life working at the zoo and begins a relationship with Oliver, much to the dismay of Alice ( Annette O'Toole ), ostensibly Oliver's love interest until Irena's arrival. Paul resurfaces after a tragic attack by the panther on a zoo keeper (played by Ed Begley, Jr.) in front of Irena, Alice & Oliver. Paul's presence is now menacing and his previous advances are now violent and threatening. He tells Irena that 'only she can save him': by being with him as they are like their parents- brother & sister and of an ancient and incestuous race, unable to mate with only their own kind, lest they transform-returning to human form only after killing. Schrader captures the dark, sensual and moody atmosphere of the New Orleans night with this tale of occult, sex, blood & lycanthropy.

Paul Schrader's 1982 remake of Cat People is such a missed opportunity, by no means a turkey, but not even close to its full potential. It is hard to put my finger on why it ultimately falls short of its promise. I know it's not the visuals, which are often arresting (the blood soaking through Irena's white shoes, Irena walking nude through the night, etc.), nor the actors, who all do an excellent job with their characters.One problem I have is that the movie lacks real focus and there's way too much going on. The original film focuses on Irena mainly: she falls in love and marries a cheerful American; her fear makes her unable to consummate the relationship; he has an affair; she may or may not be turning into a giant killer cat out of jealousy. The new one initially focuses on Irena, here visiting her long lost brother in New Orleans. She falls in love with a zookeeper, but cannot make love to him because she learns from her brother that they are cat people who become killers when aroused in any way. Her brother offers himself as her only option, but Irena refuses. This is a compelling story and the conflict between the siblings is the most interesting one in the movie, but unfortunately most of the script is interested in Irena's beloved zookeeper-- who also happens to be the least interesting character in the movie.The film is also burdened by its connections to the original movie. The remake of the pool scene is well-done but ultimately unnecessary, as is the addition of an "other woman," since in this film Irena is never betrayed by her beloved the way she is in the original. The main villain is the brother now, not any rival woman or Irena's husband, so why is she here at all? The filmmakers also kept in the mysterious "hello sister" scene from the original, which makes no sense in this version since Malcolm McDowell's character states he and Irena are the last of the cat people.While this remake has a lot of interesting new elements, there are just too many problems with the script, so many weird things that never add up. As it is, there are a few things which are admirable about it and it does end with that awesome David Bowie song, but the parts are more satisfying than the whole. This is one case where a re-imagining could have been interesting, not because the 1942 film is bad or even lackluster (it's a masterpiece of the horror genre), but because the core story still has things in it which are relevant now: sexual repression, jealousy, and the pain of being different from the crowd.

Cat People (1982) *** (out of 4) Irena Gallier (Nastassja Kinski) arrives in New Orleans to visit her brother Paul (Malcolm McDowell) but soon falls for a man (John Heard) she meets at the local zoo. It doesn't take long for the young woman to realize that there's something not quite right with her or her brother and soon her sexual design brings something else out in her.Paul Schrader's remake of the 1942 film really doesn't have too much in common with that Val Lewton production. I think Schrader and screenwriter Alan Ormsby made the right decision in not trying to just remake that film and instead taking on a different approach. That approach was like several other remakes from the 1980s in that it added up a notch of sexuality. CAT PEOPLE didn't get too much credit when it was released outside the full frontal Kinski but that's really too bad because the film itself is quite good.I think Schrader did a very good job with the material and I thought he managed to milk the sexuality for everything it's worth as well as create a very interesting lead character. I thought the film did an extremely good job at the psychological stuff as the lead character is constantly wondering who she really is and the very also questions what we're actually seeing. The director managed to build up the psychological drama as well as the sexuality in the material. Some have argued that there weren't enough horror elements, which I can understand them saying that but even the original played with your mind more than actually showing you anything.A major reason for the film's success is the performance of Kinski who is simply wonderful in the lead role. The film works because you can believe her as this sweet and innocent woman that we meet at the start of the film. She plays a virgin here and the actress makes you believe that as the innocence just leaps off the screen but she also handles the character once she begins to change. The supporting cast is also great with McDowell is especially believable in the role of the creepy brother. Both Heard and Annette O'Toole offer excellent support as does Ruby Dee and Ed Begley, Jr. in their small roles.The sexuality of the film is certainly something that sets it apart as is the full frontal nudity from the lead actress. I'd argue that the film runs a bit too long as some editing might have helped but there are still plenty of effective scenes. Even the start inside the hotel room with the leopard was quite intense. Schrader's CAT PEOPLE has never really gotten the credit it deserves but it's a nice little gem.