October Horror Challenge - Cat People (1942)

Cat People is one of those movies folks talk about, but I hadn't seen. That's why I picked it for my "Black and White" choice. 

Plot

Marine engineer meets Serbian fashion designer, Irena, and falls in love. The pair eventually gets married, but their relationship is complicated by Irena's fear that she suffers from an ancient curse.

Review

There isn't a lot of straight forward horror in this. Most of the thrills are psychological. Instead of monster effects, the film uses shadows and audio for scares. This can be quite an effective tool though, because the human imagination can be horrifying. The film deals with traditional fears of female sexuality. Honestly given the time it came out, I found those themes to be so prominent.

I enjoyed the film overall. I can see why it's considered a classic. 

In Your Game

Dating back to the time King John of Servia drove the wisest and most wicked out of the villages of Serbia and into the mountains, this trait can be added to any female decedents of those wise and wicked women. 

Curse of the Cat People

When you give into and act upon your sexual desires (including kissing) you must make a mental save or transform into a Panther (use stats below). You return to human form after slaking your bloodthirst. 

Panther (Animal)
Armor Class: 13

Hit Dice: 2+1

Move: 21

Actions: 2
Attack: Bite (d6), claws (d6)

Special:  Toughness +1, take half damage from falling 

Bonuses: +3 to Melee attacks, +4 to Spot and Listen, +5 to Stealth, +5 to track, +12 to Climb, +9 to Jump

Alignment: Neutral

Morale: 8

Madness: 0 (7)

Terror: 8
HDE: 1

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First Time View: 3

Total Watched (Including Non-Challenge Horror Movies): 15