As a major fan of the Val Lewton produced eerie horror films at RKO made between 1940 and 1946, I wasn't expecting much from the remake than a sexualized erotic thriller and was glad that it ended up being so much more. Nastassja Kinski is understated in the key role of the mysterious woman who turns into a black panther when she makes live, falling in love with the handsome John Heard while pursued by her creepy brother Malcolm McDowall who knows a secret about their parentage. Kinski, quietly alluring, has the quiet stalking aura of a wildcat, one who can be kittenish but then attack with carnivorous lust. McDowall adds another creepy characterization to the memories of "A Clockwork Orange" and "Caligula", while Annette O'Toole plays the woman whom Heard ends up with that upsets the fragile Kinski when she realizes that the curse has caused her to lose the man she truly loves.
Fascinating and erotic, this remake of the 1942 cult classic is not just horror, but a sexual thriller along the lines of "Body Heat" , "Fatal Attraction" and "Basic Instinct". I'm not always in favor of the classics being remade unless they are done with new ideas and different themes, and this is truly powerful in the way it is done. The great Ruby Dee has a pivotal supporting role as Kinski's mentor, her accent quite believable, and being as cat like herself as if she was a combination of Eartha Kitt and Shirley Bassey. Beautifully filmed, just has a few slow moments but for the most part is stunning from start to finish with some great location footage and a nice musical score. Kinski, especially in her quiet moments, is totally alluring. This is definitely a remake that I can call the cat's meow.
Fascinating and erotic, this remake of the 1942 cult classic is not just horror, but a sexual thriller along the lines of "Body Heat" , "Fatal Attraction" and "Basic Instinct". I'm not always in favor of the classics being remade unless they are done with new ideas and different themes, and this is truly powerful in the way it is done. The great Ruby Dee has a pivotal supporting role as Kinski's mentor, her accent quite believable, and being as cat like herself as if she was a combination of Eartha Kitt and Shirley Bassey. Beautifully filmed, just has a few slow moments but for the most part is stunning from start to finish with some great location footage and a nice musical score. Kinski, especially in her quiet moments, is totally alluring. This is definitely a remake that I can call the cat's meow.