History Film / CatPeople

* HumanToWerewolfFootprints: [[WereCat Werepanther]]-to-human footprints. The FootprintsOfMuck leading away from the site of the slaughtered sheep change from pawprints to tracks left by what are apparently [[MagicPants magic high-heeled shoes]].

There was also a 1982 remake by Creator/PaulSchrader starring Creator/MalcolmMcDowell and Nastassja Kinski; it was a great deal [[BloodierAndGorier bloodier]] and more [[HotterAndSexier salacious]] than the original, expanded the original's sketchy backstory into a proper origin story for the cat people, and generally preferred to show what the original merely suggested. It's also very... very... ''slooooow'' and it has Music/DavidBowie belt out a title track.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rose,w_cat_people1942.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[RussianReversal In this movie,]] ''[[IncrediblyLamePun pussy eats you!]]'']]

There was also a 1982 remake starring Creator/MalcolmMcDowell and Nastassja Kinski; it was a great deal [[BloodierAndGorier bloodier]] and more [[HotterAndSexier salacious]] than the original, expanded the original's sketchy backstory into a proper origin story for the cat people, and generally preferred to show what the original merely suggested. It's also very... very... ''slooooow''.

* AssHoleVictim: [[spoiler: Dr. Judd.]]

* TheLoinsSleepTonight: Early in the movie, Paul picks up a blonde in a cemetery, takes her to bed, and can't get it up. He breaks down in tears, crying that he was always afraid "it" would happen again; she comforts him that she knows how to take care of guys like him, and will make it better. And then "it" turns out to be, not failing to get it up, but turning into a black leopard and eating her.

* AlwaysNight: Much of the film is set at night, even the work scenes.

* [[AnimalsHateHim Animals Hate Her]]: The kitten Oliver buys for Irena hisses when she approaches it; when they go to the pet store to exchange it for a bird all the animals become agitated. Later, the bird dies of fright when Irena picks it up.
** Lampshaded by the pet store worker: "[[EvilDetectingDog Animals are ever so psychic]]. There are some people who just can't come in here."

* FilmNoir: A classic example featuring AlwaysNight, EmergingFromTheShadows and SmokingIsCool.

* TheLoinsSleepTonight: Early in the movie, Paul picks up a blonde in a cemetery, takes her to bed, and can't get it up. He breaks down in tears, crying that he was always afraid "it" would happen again; she comforts him that she knows how to take care of guys like him, and will make it better. And then "it" turns out to be, not failing to get it up, but turning into a black leopard and eating the nearest human.

* GreenEyes: Irena has green eyes and is a werepanther. Her brother, however, also a werepanther, has violet eyes.

* BittersweatEnding: [[spoiler:[[TheHeroDies The Heroine Dies]]]], but this enables Oliver to move on and lead a more satisfying relationship with Alice.

* ChekhovsGun: The key to the panther's cage.

* PerpSweating: A variation where the shrink uses a beamer to but Irena under hypnosis.

* HumanToWerewolfFootprints: [[WereCat werepanther]]-to-human footprints. The FootprintsOfMuck leading away from the site of the slaughtered sheep change from pawprints to tracks left by what are apparently [[MagicPants magic high-heeled shoes]].

* HarassingPhoneCall: Alice receives two of them from Irena who hangs up after hearing a female voice at the other end (office).

* DisappearedDad: Irena's father died before she was born.

* {{Shapeshifter}}: The Cat People.

* MagicPants: The muddy animal prints that turn into a human shoe prints.

* FootprintsOfMuck: After Irena stalks Alice on the streets, we are shown some sheep that have been slaughtered by a beast. Pawprints leading away from the slaughter are shown to gradually turn into footprints from a lady’s shoes.

* MagicPants