Paul Meehan, in Horror Noir, states that "the realism of psychological horror brings it closer to the spirit of film noir" (Meehan 6). I'd push it a bit further and state that psychological horror films are often similar to noir, which can often rely on "psychological" horror for its effect. This week we're having a Jacques Tourneur film festival of sorts with Out of the Past and Cat People which demonstrates exactly this connection of psychological horror and noir.
The figure of the femme fatale suits the connection as women in both genres are often monstrous in one way or another. Not the female leads shadowy allure in these images. The shadows are initially seductive, but eventually darken into terror or horror. Interestingly, Kathie in Out of the Past and Irena in Cat People are opposites for the most part, the former protesting helplessness for her betrayals and harm, the latter actually so, at least internally, cursed by her "blood."
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| Kathie enters in Out of the Past |
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| Irena exits in Cat People |
The characters often mirror the journey from light to darkness (literally and internally) the male protagonist undertakes with the audience.
I noticed that when Kathie shoots Jeff's ex-partner, her shadow looms huge against the wall. It is almost twice the size of her. I think this definitely shows a scarier aspect of her. Right before that, when Jeff is about to get into that fist-fight with Fisher, there is a shadow that comes across Jeff's face, like a storm moving in. I think the use of shadows was great in this scene, because even though there is a shadow over Jeff's face, the shadow that comes from Kathie is so much more sinister.
ReplyDeleteI think that’s an incredibly astute notion, particularly when discussing Tourneur’s females in both Out of the Past and Cat People. It seems as though there is a disparaging notion in the women’s “descent” into darkness based on their situations . . . one I am basing solely on the costume decisions made in the film. In Out of the Past we see Kathie enter the film in a pale dress and hat. Though she is concealed, she is shown to be lighter and innocent based on her appearance. Though she is implicated for stealing money, she denies all allegations by portraying an air of elegance and wide-eyed demeanor in her courtship with Jeff. Throughout the film, her dress becomes darker, more refined and sophisticated, and she becomes more wily and conniving as her appearance mirrors this decline into a more dastardly character. Near the end of the film, she is clad in black and furs, with more makeup and elaborate hairstyles, proving that this character was merely putting on a show for Jeff. In reality, she has always been (in reference to the film) a woman who has known more and is savvier than she originally displayed. As Professor Kaufmann puts it, “everything is in service of the film,” along with her costumes which reflect an abasement of the character Kathie.
ReplyDeleteLikewise, in the film Cat People, we see Irena’s character show her true colors (in some cases, quite literally) a bit earlier in the film. In fact, before the audience can even suspect the truth about her character, we see hint if it in her wardrobe. At first, when Irena is not troubled by her cat persona because she is alone in her world, she is shown in a tawny-colored suit, one that reflects independence along with a notion that she is also an innocent character. However, she is shown quite early in the film sporting the black velvet coat—one that mimics her cat familiar—before she starts presenting her darker self. Where Kathie is shown eventually wearing clothing that fully commits the character to dark deeds and an evil heart, Irena’s clothing tends to show her dual natures. Underneath her black coat are still lighter colors of clothing, portraying that Irena has both a lighter side and a darker nature . . . a concept that is proven throughout the film. In fact, one of the more interesting elements of Cat People is that Irena is not an explicit villain, but one who has to succumb to her nature because of the actions of those around her. Though she eventually accepts her more primal self (shown in her all-black outfits and stark shadows that surround her later in the film) she is still a character that is a victim of circumstance. She was never dishonest or unfaithful, but simply a product of her environment and her folk beliefs in tandem with her circumstance. I thought this was an interesting note beside the notions of both women and the “psychological” aspects of both films. By utilizing something as simple as their costuming, Tourneur is able to subtly portray the women and their character in an almost subliminal fashion . . .
Pun intended.