Monday, April 16, 2012

Cat People Double Feature



I just watched a Cat People Double Feature.   Cat People (1942) starring  Simone SimonTom Conway and Kent Smith.  Based on tales from her homeland in Serbia, a woman fears she will turn into a cat woman if she becomes intimate with her American husband.  This film's use of light and shadow make for an eerie tale of suspense.  The scenes of the walk through the park at night and in the swimming pool are beautifully shot.  The main character of Irena is entrancing as she struggles to keep the inner cat contained while still trying to live a normal life.  This is a very enjoyable chiller from the past.

The Curse of the Cat People (1944) starring Simone SimonKent Smith and Jane Randolph is the sequel about Oliver and Alice's lonely daughter whose imaginary friend is Irena, the cat person from the first movie.  Although not as good as the original, the shadows and chills continue now in a small town instead of the big city of the first film.


Saturday, April 7, 2012

The Amazing Mr. X


Today I watched an old movie from 1948 called "The Amazing Mr. X" (AKA "The Spiritualist").  It stars Turhan BeyLynn Bari and Cathy O'Donnell.  Some have called this movie a gothic noir film.  The main character believes she is being haunted by her dead husband in her mansion on a cliff overlooking the ocean.  But in fact we learn that she is being conned by her spiritualist who is out to get her money. We later discover that he's not the only one putting on a show.

This movie is filled with mystery, eeriness and lots of atmosphere.  It was an entertaining film to watch.