Every horror fan knows the story behind Cat People: RKO gives producer Val Lewton a catchy title and a handful of loose change to make a cheap B movie horror, and Lewton turns out a low-budget masterpiece by keeping the terror in the shadows. We take a look at Val Lewton, Cat People (1942) and it’s sequel The Curse of the Cat People (1944)
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Val Lewton: Born in Russia in 1904, Lewton moved with his mother and sister to Berlin in 1906, then to USA in 1909. He wrote for newspapers, magazines, novels, pornography, etc.- often using pseudonyms to disguise their origin (the name Val Lewton was one such pseudonym, used first for some novels in the 1930's, then revived later in his career to take writing credit for two movies). In 1933, he got a job with David O. Selznick where he spent many years as a story editor and jack-of-all-trades. Then in 1942, RKO hired him to head their new horror unit, where he made many famous and well-respected B-movies, for very low costs and high profits. In 1946, he "graduated" to A-movies, but increasing health problems, trouble working with big-money Hollywood, and other factors combined to force him to produce only three more movies before his death in 1951.
Cat People: When naval construction designer Oliver Reed sees Serbian born beauty Irena Dubrovna at a zoo, he flirts with her, and soon they fall in love and marry. Complications arise because Irena believes she is the victim of an ancient Serbian curse that causes her to turn into a panther if a man tries to make love to her, and the marriage is not consummated. Oliver sends Irena for treatment with psychiatrist Dr. Louis Judd, and Oliver seeks "consolation" with his colleague Alice Moore. Irena becomes jealous when she learns that she may be losing Oliver to Alice.
The Curse of the Cat People: This mostly unrelated sequel to Cat People (1942) has Amy, the young daughter of Oliver and Alice Reed. Amy is a very imaginative child who has trouble differentiating fantasy from reality, and has no friends her own age as a result. She makes an imaginary friend though, her father's dead first wife Irena. At about the same time, she befriends Julia Farren, an aging reclusive actress who is alienated from her own daughter Barbara.
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Written and presented by Robin Bailes @robinbailes
Directed and Edited by Graham Trelfer
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