Directed by:
Robert WiseScreenplay:
DeWitt BodeenCinematography:
Nicholas MusuracaComposer:
Roy WebbCast:
Simone Simon, Kent Smith, Jane Randolph, Ann Carter, Eve March, Elizabeth Russell, Sir Lancelot, Sarah Selby, Julia Dean, Delos Jewkes, Charles Bates (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
This mostly unrelated sequel to Cat People (1942) involves Amy, 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. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
As you can see, not everything Val Lewton touched was remarkable. This is just a parasite on a great prequel. It proudly wears the name of the Cat People, but they're not even mentioned, they're only in the title to help sell the film. It has continuity only in the main characters, but the plot doesn't seem to reflect the previous events at all, even the setting is completely different. It's nice to look at times (impressive narration by the old lady, beautiful camera shots of the snowy landscape created in a soundstage), but otherwise, unlike the prequel, it lacks atmosphere and camera games with light and shadows. And the little girl – her acting is so mechanical and unnatural that it completely ruins the experience.
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The sequel to the horror classic Cat People failed to create the same great atmosphere as the original film. The Curse of the Cat People is thus doomed to the category of sequels that didn't make much sense because they simply wanted to ride on the wave of success of the first film. But they fall flat and don't even come close to the quality of the first film. Which is a shame, because Cat People had a good atmosphere.
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