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ERA
Did you know
44 years old β old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#01
Cat People
"They are something more than lovers who are about to become something less than human."
1982 1h 58m EN
π
6.0
MID
π
66%
FRESH
π
61
METACRITIC
β
6.2
IMDB
β
6.0TMDB Β· 598π
66%Rotten Tomatoesβ61Metacriticβ
6.2IMDB Β· 25,510
FantasyHorror
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
After years of separation, Irena Gallier and her minister brother, Paul, reunite in New Orleans. When zoologists capture a wild panther, Irena is drawn to the cat β and zoo curator Oliver to her. Soon, Paul will have to reveal the family secret: that when sexually aroused, they revert into predatory jungle cats.
βThey are something more than lovers who are about to become something less than human.β
Cast
Nastassja Kinski
Irena Gallier
Malcolm McDowell
Paul Gallier
John Heard
Oliver Yates
Annette O'Toole
Alice Perrin
Ruby Dee
Female
Ed Begley Jr.
Joe Creigh
Scott Paulin
Bill Searle
Frankie Faison
Det. Brandt
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Paul Schrader
- Writers
- Alan Ormsby, Paul Schrader, DeWitt Bodeen
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts πΏ
2 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Paul Schrader, shot by John Bailey. Note their partnership β DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#02
3 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Giorgio Moroder. Worth a dedicated listen after β most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#03
4 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Jere Huggins shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#04
5 / 7
CAST
Did you know
Nastassja Kinski and Malcolm McDowell and John Heard carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#05
6 / 7
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "They are something more than lovers who are about to become something less than human.".
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#06
7 / 7
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0083722 β still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#07
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Paul Schrader directs. John Bailey behind the camera. Giorgio Moroder scores. Jere Huggins cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 144 years old β old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 2Directed by Paul Schrader, shot by John Bailey. Note their partnership β DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 3Original score by Giorgio Moroder. Worth a dedicated listen after β most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 4Editor Jere Huggins shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 5Nastassja Kinski and Malcolm McDowell and John Heard carry the top of the cast.
- 6Marketing tagline: "They are something more than lovers who are about to become something less than human.".
- 7IMDB entry: tt0083722 β still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 8Classified under 16 themes, including "cat", "shotgun", "eroticism", "transformation".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- John Bailey
- Original score
- Giorgio Moroder
- Editing
- Jere Huggins
- Production design
- Ferdinando Scarfiotti
- Costume design
- Daniel Paredes
- Makeup / hair
- Janice D. Brandow
- Sound
- Robert L. Hoyt
- Stunt coordinator
- Walter Scott
- Runtime
- 118 min Β· 1h 58m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $12,500,000
- Box office
- $21,000,000
- Return
- 168% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 66% π Fresh
- Metacritic
- 61/100
- IMDB rating
- 6.2/10 Β· 25,510 votes
- MPAA
- R
Awards
4 nominations total
Also by
Paul Schrader
Stills Β· wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames β open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Community reviews
What people are saying
- Wuchakβ 7/10
Atmospheric, artistic, dramatic horror in New Orleans "Cat People" came out in 1982 and is a modern take on the classic 1942 film. Nastassja Kinski and Malcolm McDowell are siblings cursed to become were-panthers if sexually aroused. The only way they can become human again is to kill a fellow human. The idea is absurd and fantastical, but "Cat People" takes the subject absolutely seriously. John Heard plays a zoo manager who falls in love with Kinskiβs character, while Annette O'Toole plays the third person in the romantic triangle. The movieβs engrossing and has style & pizazz. For instance, the flashback scenes of the ancient panther tribe doing rituals in an orange desert are surreal and captivating; the accompanying atmospheric music by Giorgio Moroder adds to the mood nicely, along with David Bowieβs theme song. While both are decidedly 80βs, they fit the flick and are somehow timeless. Both Kinski and McDowell are properly cat-like. McDowell, as usual, has a weird and diabolic air about him. John Heard is fine as the protagonist and redhead O'Toole is simply gorgeous. Speaking of which, Kinski is indeed quite attractive, as observed in the scene of her fishing with Heard in hot pants and wader boots, but O'Toole steals Kinskiβs thunder a bit, particularly in the pool sequence. This is a great flick for showcasing the New Orleans area and the Sothern Gothic ambiance thereof. Keep in mind that itβs definitely a horror flick and so can be pretty brutal at times. On a related note, if nudity offends you then you might want to skip it as many of the characters are shown totally nude or near nude. The film runs just shy of 2 hours and was shot in the New Orleans area with some stuff done in the Los Angeles region (e.g. studio work and the panther tree sequence). GRADE: B+/A-
Production companies
Who made it
Universal Pictures
US
RKO Pictures
US
- CH
Charles Fries Productions
US
Key crew
- CastingMary Goldberg
- EditorJere Huggins
- EditorJacqueline Cambas
- EditorNed Humphreys
- ProducerCharles W. Fries
- Executive ProducerJerry Bruckheimer
- StuntsBeth Nufer
- StuntsMike Tillman
- StuntsMark Dumas
- StuntsBennie E. Dobbins
- StuntsVince Deadrick Jr.
- StuntsMadeleine Klein
- StuntsBrad Bovee
- StuntsRon Oxley
- Second Assistant DirectorStephen P. Dunn
- Second Unit DirectorBud S. Smith
- Casting AssistantTina Scott
- Theme Song PerformanceDavid Bowie
- HairstylistJanice D. Brandow
- Art DirectionEdward Richardson
- Costume DesignDaniel Paredes
- Set DecorationBruce Weintraub
- Makeup Effects DesignerThomas R. Burman
- Dolly GripDennis Rotta
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- cat
- shotgun
- eroticism
- transformation
- remake
- attack
- lingerie
- held captive
- incest
- dissection
- morphing
- jungle cat
- erotic movie
- turned into animal
- supernatural horror
- animal transformation
Release history Β· US
When it landed
- Theatrical1982-04-02R
Also known as
International titles
- ΞΞ³ΟΞΉΟΞ³Ξ±ΟΞ±GR
- θ±Ήε¦ΉCN
- θ±Ήε₯³CN
- El beso de la panteraES
- Ludzie kotyPL
