85
Metascore
16 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertCat People wasn't frightening like a slasher movie, using shocks and gore, but frightening in an eerie, mysterious way that was hard to define; the screen harbored unseen threats, and there was an undertone of sexual danger that was more ominous because it was never acted upon.
- 100CineVueChristopher MachellCineVueChristopher MachellWhere The Wolfman is a a fairgound ghost train, entertaining but ultimately shallow, Cat People is a true journey into the power of fear and belief, at once frightening, disturbing and psychologically complex.
- 100EmpireKim NewmanEmpireKim NewmanNo mere creature feature, this 1940s classic offers more subtle chills.
- A haunting and subtle film, filled with desires gone awry and everyday settings turned inexplicably nightmarish.
- 100Chicago TribuneMichael WilmingtonChicago TribuneMichael WilmingtonCat People is an admirable first entry into the brainy, elegant, spooky world of Val Lewton. [09 Sep 2005, p.C4]
- 91The A.V. ClubKeith PhippsThe A.V. ClubKeith PhippsThe horror is fueled by sexual frustration, repressed passion, and the everyday anxieties of marriage and urban life, and it plays out in a noir-lit New York filled with everyday people. No fan of gothic castles, Lewton brought horror home with Cat People.
- More a film about unreasoning fear than the supernatural, this work demonstrates what a filmmaker can accomplish when he substitutes taste and intelligence for special effects.
- 63LarsenOnFilmJosh LarsenLarsenOnFilmJosh LarsenCat People is a lot talkier and less evocative than its reputation would suggest, yet it’s still a startling, psychosexual horror picture – especially for its time.
- 40The New York TimesBosley CrowtherThe New York TimesBosley CrowtherThe Cat People is a labored and obvious attempt to induce shock. And Miss Simone's cuddly little tabby would barely frighten a mouse under a chair.