Cat People

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Cat People

R

Released Apr 2, 1982

1h 58m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

65%

Tomatometer

60 Reviews

46%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In this sensual and violent horror tale, Irena Gallier (Nastassia Kinski) has a dark family secret, one that resurfaces dramatically when she reconnects with her estranged brother, Paul (Malcolm McDowell). Living with her sibling in New Orleans, Irena finds herself enamored with zoologist Oliver Yates (John Heard), even as her brother makes his own advances toward her. It's not long before the dark and dangerous curse of the Gallier clan rears its feline head.

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Critics Consensus

Paul Schrader's kinky reimagining of Cat People may prove too grisly and lurid for some audiences, but its provocative style and Natassja Kinski's hypnotic performance should please viewers who like a little gasoline with their fire.

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Dwight Brown

Sepia

With a unique blend of mysticism, eroticism and tension, this remake is both engrossing and terrifying in an off-beat way.

Aug 10, 2022

Full Review

Gary Arnold

Washington Post

Schrader takes himself very seriously, but after "Cat People," there's no reason the public should perceive him as anything greater than an exploitation director with delusions of grandeur.

Oct 23, 2018

Full Review

Yardena Arar

Associated Press

Cat People, director Paul Schrader's remake of a 1942 B-movie, combines explicit sex, graphic violence, special effects and the supernatural and somehow falls flat.

Oct 23, 2018

Full Review

Mitchell Beaupre

Paste Magazine

Cat People is Schrader’s most overtly carnal picture, using horror to explore repression, intimacy and desire.

Rated: 8.5/10

Jun 24, 2024

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Justine Smith

Vague Visages

Just like the old school gangster films that opened with empty warnings about the fact that crime doesn’t pay, the narrative limits do little to discount the expression of liberated and violent feminine desire.

Jun 6, 2024

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Mike Scott

Times-Picayune

Very much a product of its time, it still holds up nicely as a solid horror thriller. Not only does (it) drip with atmosphere -- much of it provided by the spooky, well-shot New Orleans setting -- but it boasts a strong cast.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jul 14, 2023

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mark g

Kinski gives one of the most sexually arousing performances ever.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/07/24

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Sams K

There are some holes in the screenplay, cool transformation scenes.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/04/24

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digital m

#NotRecommended 4/10

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/16/24

Full Review

Luis M. D

The beauty of Natassja Kinski is not enough to raise this unfortunate remake above the level of a simple exploitation horror flick.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

06/12/24

Full Review

Alec B

You'll either find it's pseudo art house style and psychosexual thriller plot intriguing or laughable. I fall into the former but wouldn't blame anyone for dismissing it. Ultimately I think Schrader does a good job of expanding on the original's premise and having Kinski didn't hurt.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/03/24

Full Review

Steve D

impossible to take seriously.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

08/21/23

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Paul Schrader

Director

Nastassja Kinski

Irena Gallier

Malcolm McDowell

Paul Gallier

John Heard

Oliver Yates

Annette O'Toole

Alice Perrin

Ed Begley Jr.

Joe Creigh

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Cat People: Official Clip - Mauled in the Bedroom

2:18

Cat People: Official Clip - Vicious Leopard

2:13

Cat People: Official Clip - The Bloody Blonde

1:18

Cat People: Official Clip - Come Lie Next to Me

3:47

Cat People: Official Clip - Monstrous Transformation

3:12

Cat People: Official Clip - Were-Leopard Attack

1:36

Cat People: Official Clip - The Sacrificial Maiden

3:32

Cat People: Official Clip - Don't Look At Me!

1:00

Cat People: Official Clip - Jaguar Dissection

2:09

Cat People: Official Clip - Vision Quest

2:37

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Synopsis

In this sensual and violent horror tale, Irena Gallier (Nastassia Kinski) has a dark family secret, one that resurfaces dramatically when she reconnects with her estranged brother, Paul (Malcolm McDowell). Living with her sibling in New Orleans, Irena finds herself enamored with zoologist Oliver Yates (John Heard), even as her brother makes his own advances toward her. It's not long before the dark and dangerous curse of the Gallier clan rears its feline head.

Director: Paul Schrader
Producer: Charles W. Fries
Screenwriter: DeWitt Bodeen, Alan Ormsby, Paul Schrader
Distributor: MCA/Universal Pictures [us], Image Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: Universal Pictures, RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 2, 1982, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 11, 2015
Runtime: 1h 58m
Sound Mix: Dolby, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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