Female
sexuality is a rich source for certain types of horror. Simone Simon plays the
leading femme fatal through the character of Irene in Tourneur’s 1942 hit Cat People.
I am touching base on the aspects of the overt and downright obvious
sexualization that is displayed in horror films and in particular how the
actress Simone Simon works for this role.
Keeping in mind that the Hays Code was abandoned in the late sixties, this film was still under numerous restrictions. Heavy censorship caused forbidden impulses to surface in the film industry. In order to adequately display Tourneur’s vision, the camera movements mixed with low key and high contrast shadows had to coordinate with the frightening and suspenseful sounds. This idea that nothing the camera can display could possibly be as horrific as what our minds can imagine. The fragmented pieces of the film leave viewers with uneasy feelings for they are forced to accept Simone’s supernatural spirit and question their own beliefs. Cat People is mysterious and not so much spooky, so fear was ultimately created by playing off of the viewer’s imaginations verses the use of believable special effects.
That fear
of closeness alone Simone expresses keeps her from experiencing her full potential for it is
stifled from her and her sexuality is suppressed inevitably establishing itself
into this murderous cat figure. With the suppression of erotic notions, we are
displayed with a film that makes one inquire upon how women “should” display
their sexuality. Sexuality gone awry is actually the central theme for this
particular horror film, through the fear of a sexually aggressive female that
is on the prowl. Her tortured psychological state effortlessly illustrates her
sexual tribulations. Corrupted passions
mixed with superstitions embody the angle of horror Tourneur was aiming
for. Simone is the classic
representation of a noir protagonist, obsessed and misguided acting off
impulse. She is also the only actor in this film who really captures the
viewer’s imagination, for she fears what is inside of her and the viewer’s
exhibit the same amount of fear for and towards her. In looking at the imagery
of the film alone she characterizes the definitive female marauder, but is she
that or could she very well just be the victim?Keeping in mind that the Hays Code was abandoned in the late sixties, this film was still under numerous restrictions. Heavy censorship caused forbidden impulses to surface in the film industry. In order to adequately display Tourneur’s vision, the camera movements mixed with low key and high contrast shadows had to coordinate with the frightening and suspenseful sounds. This idea that nothing the camera can display could possibly be as horrific as what our minds can imagine. The fragmented pieces of the film leave viewers with uneasy feelings for they are forced to accept Simone’s supernatural spirit and question their own beliefs. Cat People is mysterious and not so much spooky, so fear was ultimately created by playing off of the viewer’s imaginations verses the use of believable special effects.
Sexuality is
also displayed through the films patriarchal views which you will be presented
with. The depth of Simone’s character confirms the patriarchal supremacy she
withholds .Usually females are passive and are simply looked at during this
film age, however she takes on the male role by being proactive and is the one
in search of something. Gender specific roles are challenged which make up the
context of the film. Generally there is a triad of actors; the good guy who
chooses to save some unfortunate girl from a monstrous character, however this
isn’t the case for this particular film. Cat People is said to be one of the
scarce horror films “where the figure to be feared is female.” This film
abandons the traditional patriarchal views through the sense of sexuality on
numerous occasions in the film. Simone exposes a character that has a magnetizing
feel, for men to try to exert control over her yet she still appears to hold the
ultimate position of power. Her refusal of sexual relations and lack of
intimacy accurately expresses a feminist mindset. Her strong sense of sexuality
in this film leaves men with a sense of fear about what woman want for she
crosses the border between normal and abnormal desires.
~Jennifer Izbicki
I sort of disagree with you here. I think that transforming female sexuality into something that is feared doesn't really challenge it, but instead reinforces it. It's good that the film does explore these issues, but I think it is trying to say something else.
ReplyDeleteI thought her character held little power. She is in denial of her power and what she can do until the end, when she is killed by a cane sword (hello phallic symbol!). When she succumbs to her sexual side completely she has to die.
Also, I find it fascinating that her character pretty much embodies femininty. She is beautiful and that's really all that men see in her. They view her as a sexual object and nothing more. They dismiss her main interests (stories about her childhood and cats) and instead focus on the ones that fall in line with a woman (painting).
Wow, I so agree with you. You hit the nail on the head. I saw her in a very similar way. I've written this before, but I think it is similar to how most everyone goes through several stages from puberty to adulthood. Each person coming into their own through their sexuality and the power is can have or give someone. Irena is always dismissed by everyone as childish, naive, an object (of affection) and crazy. All the stereotypes of a woman. She is either all good (simple) or all bad and calculating. I know in some ways it's the way a character is written for the plot of a story, but we have to make sure we don't jump to typical conclusions of a character.
DeleteI would have to agree with Christie here. To me, Irena had an almost childlike innocence and demeanor in the beginning of the film, but as her sexual desires and jealousy overtook her, she became more and more dangerous. She is a sympathetic character, but it seemed that she had almost no power, and what power she DID have she was trying to suppress through the course of the movie (until Alice started moving in on her husband).
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Alice, she's relevant here too. Alice is not a particularly "sexy" character. She's an attractive woman, but she is a career woman, and her relationship with Oliver seems to be based more on their established friendship and shared interests than a sexual allure. Though the promise of a physical relationship in the future is also certainly appealing to Oliver, his interactions with Alice are not particularly passionate, though the two clearly love each other and make a good match. It therefore seems that, though the film is certainly making implications that female sexuality is dangerous, it also implies that it is better to marry a woman who you have something in common with rather than based on looks alone.