Cat People (1942) - Jacques Tourneur

Cat People is a psychological horror
film that is exceptional due to the sympathy it shows for its lead character,
Irena, as well as the way it opts to slowly unfold in a moody, atmospheric manner.  Irena has a dark secret and is haunted by her past, fearing the worst.  The film embraces her as a tragic character whose inner demons make her a person she herself fears
and resents to some degree.  Cat People has a nice little thematic element in its characterization of Fear and how it can be a very destructive force to
anyone who lets it control their lives.  I really found myself emotionally invested in Irena's story and the film keeps the viewer engaged using both Simone Simon's performance and a great, atmospheric mood.  I liked all the little character/plot devices spread throughout the story, some more subtle than others, like the pet shop sequence or how Irena seems to find some form of Solace by going to the zoo and watching the black panthers.  The use of sound and shadows in this film is particularly effective- the pool scene being a great example of where less is more in creating a truly iconic sequence. Cat People is a film that very easily could have come off exploitative, particularly given the title, but it never succumbs to that notion delivering a great psychological horror film because of its attention to detail and character.
9/10

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