‘Cat People’ (1942)
Halloween is a great time to acquaint yourself with all of the classic films that paved the way for decades of cinema. Despite its schlocky, B-movie name, 1942’s Cat People is one such film. Is it scary by today’s standards? No. Is it an essential piece of horror history? Not really. Does it feature more than one cat person? I don’t even know if I can claim that it contains one. But what I can tell you is that it is 73 minutes of simmering tension centered around the overwhelmingly repressed sexuality of a Serbian immigrant, played with tenacity and intensity by Simone Simon. Her performance, as well as the moody noir setting and two genuinely iconic horror moments, make Cat People a low-key enthralling watch.