The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 23, 1982, Page Page 8, Image 8
"Cat
By DOUG BELL
film Critic
Some fine talents have
united and ignited in Cat
* People, the new refashioning
of the old 1943 thriller of the
same title. Happily, they
nave IIUI OCU1CU 1U1 ct llieiciy
exploitative update of the
original, but have effectively
broadened the mystery.
Unhappily, they have
needlessly resorted to the
excessive gore that has
become obligatory in recent
horror films.
Now let me introduce
"they." Screenwriter Alan
Ormsby wrote the script
(based on the DeWitt Bodeen
story) under the
supervision of producer
Charles Fries. Then Paul
Schrader, one of the industry's
promi ne n t
screenwriters Raging Bull
and directors Hardcore and
American Gigolo, was called
in to direct. Schrader
brought along his visual
consultant Ferdinando
Scarfiotti and
cinematographer John
Bailey.
The story concerns the
homecoming of a long
estranged young woman,
Irena (Nastassia Kinski).
She returns to New Orleans
and into the altogether too
eager arms 01 ner orotner
Paul (Malcolm McDowell).
Their parents are unexplainably
absent; the house
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People
is run by a mysterious knowall-see-all
housekeeper
(Ruby Dee).
The plot unfolds: we learn
that McDowell turns into a
ferocious black leopard in
Jekyll/Hyde-like alterati
ons. But McDowell's curse is
genetic, not chemical. He
and his sleek sister are
descendants of a tribe of
Balkan cat worshippers who
bear such deep affinity to the
creatures that they eventually
turn into cats themselves.
McDowell relishes
his curse and revels in the
destruction he brings.
Little sister is a cat of a
different color ?- at first.
Confused, Kinski is torn
between guarding her
virginal innocence and
giving in to the feline
feelings that emerge within
her. In a series of beautifully
^ 1 1
utit-u ctnu paceu scenes, sne
resists her brother's incestuous
advances and takes
refuge in the more
benevolent arms of a moody
zoologist and zookeeper
(John Heard).
Destiny, however, is
inescapable ? that is the
implicit thrust of Cat People.
And the manner in which
that realization is allowed to
creep up on you is the most
chilling thing about the film.
Sure, the gross, elasticstretching,
taffy-pulling
transformations and the
sound of snapping sinews as
limbs are being ripped from
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Enraged at being c;
bodies are shocking. But
such scenes provoke shocks
of so high a voltage as to
deaden your responsiveness.
You sit there and writhe
during the insulting spurts of
juice and then find yourself
too dazed to appreciate the
more subtlv friehtpninc
V CP o
scenes (such as Annette
O'Toole in the swimming
pool).
That is why I prefer the .
original version. Producer
Val Lewton and director
Jacque Tourneau knew in
?nted' group ...
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*ged, the black leopard hi
1943 that a menacing purr in
the darkness is more deeply
chilling than any number of
blatant growls.
But it is unfair to compare
the two films too stiffly. The
new film is more complex,
what with the intriguing
incest angle, and has more
interesting characters.
(Heard's zoologist is as
Theult
Now, re-re
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fascinating at the ml npnnio
w I 1
themselves.) McDowell is
perfectly cast and Nastassia
Kinski, in addition to being
pictorially perfect, has a
repressed vibrancy about
her that is extraordinary.
The remake, with its sleek
visual style, stealthy pace
and David Bowie theme
song, is forceful, intelligent
entertainment.
imatejn sight and <
corded in new dip
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Airhands
Analyzed
By FLETCHER JOHNSON
Acting Editor-in-Chtet
Airbands - (aorbandz) n.pl.
1) groups of people who go
through the motions of
performing musically using
visible actions and lipsynchronization
techniques
and a soundtrack recording.
2) a night of great fun occuring
periodically at USC's
Golden Spur.
I have concluded that it
takes a special kind of
performer to bare all on a
stage in an airband. On
stage. No real instruments.
M? l ? t ?
i\u reai micropnones. unly
clothes and other stuff, liketennis
rackets, cardboard
guitars and drums, paper
saxophones ? totally invisible
instruments, and a
few other strange and exotic
items.
It's tough keeping a
cardboard guitar in tune, but
it can be done. This was
evidenced by Roy and the
Rockabilly Rebtels in the
Spur on Tuesday night. Roy
and the Rebels swept the
competition with several
driving rockabilly tunes, and
their technique was flawless.
Taking second place was
the Human League, and
capturing third was the
Vectors.
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