CAT PEOPLE (1982)
Starring Nastassja Kinski and Malcolm McDowell
Weak, slow-moving but sensual remake of the classic from 1942 is remembered best as a cinematic excuse for Kinski to romp around naked. She plays an orphan who meets up with her brother (McDowell) who informs her that she's part of a long-lost race of "cat people" (hence the title) who turn into homicidal panthers after having sex.
The only way to stop this
annoying transformation (brought to screen briefly through the make-up effects of Tom
Burman) is by committing incest! Annette O'Toole as a secondary character has a
poolside nude scene which helped garner this film free publicity
in Playboy magazine. McDowell is his usual nutty self as the bad
guy.
All in all, the flick is
pretty forgettable, and very slow. The Val Lewton original was a masterpiece in
character and subtlety. The remake is a disaster of suspense-free
storytelling and too much talking. Sure there are some boobs and
special effects, including some cool transformation scenes. But,
eh ... It had a good theme song by David Bowie though and an interesting
score by then-popular Giorger Moroder, the man behind the Donna Summer phenom.