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Cat People

Director: Paul Schrader Run Time: 118 min. Format: 35mm Rating: R Release Year: 1982

Starring: Nastassja Kinski, Malcolm McDowell, John Heard

40th anniversary screening. Co-hosted by writer Abbey Bender.

Slinking through the streets of New Orleans with a score by Giorgio Moroder and theme song from David Bowie, Cat People is a gooey, sultry exercise in style directed by Paul Schrader. Nastassja Kinski stars as Irena, a woman reuniting with her brother Paul (Malcolm McDowell), whom she was separated from as a child. After only hinting at what their parents were like, Paul disappears just as a murderous black leopard terrorizes the town. Captured and caged by zoologist Oliver (John Heard), the leopard has a mysterious hold on Irena, who in turn enchants Oliver. Irena is resistant as something stirs within her, something she’s known may have been kept hidden all along…

Keep track of the erotic thriller tropes with your Nitehawk Diaries Bingo card!

Trailer