So much yes. Sarah Stephenson and Black Cat Film Production’s Attack of the Cat People is finally seeing a release date on November 5th 2021. I promoted this indie flick from its crowdfunding days to its post-production updates and then I was graciously provided with a screener. Written and directed by Sarah Stephenson, Attack of the Cat People finds a small excursion who discover a meteorite crash-landed in the middle of nowhere. As they work their way towards a major discovery, they soon find themselves preyed upon by mysterious creatures. Is science worth their lives? Produced by Sarah and Michael Stephenson, this 45 minute movie stars Peter O’Hanlon, Jessica Ham, Emma Critchell, John Gorman, Wayne Bassett and Brad Phillips. Here’s why you should check out this awesome, half a century’s old throwback.
Whenever I watch a film like this, I like to think “would Elvira host this as a part of Movie Macabre?” And I think the answer is a resounding yes. It’s campy and silly and dramatic without going overboard in that direction. Attack of the Cat People doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it also doesn’t try to come across as an absolute comedy. It’s the delicate mix of horror and camp that people fell in love with in the black-and-white 40’s and thrilling 70’s. The downside of this, however, is the action mostly takes place off camera. Lurking point-of-views, rustling bushes and surprised cut-aways build the suspense until the creatures are revealed to the viewer. In tune with the time period, this is spot on because audiences weren’t used to blood baths back then. But I still dug it!
And, Hell, black-and-white never looked so good. The camera work is crystal clear, and I give major props to cinematographer Hayden Lowry and editor Sarah Stephenson for polishing this to the best of their ability. It is worth noting that some of the mouths don’t match the dialogue audio, but this could either be a style choice (remember low budget horror) or a production error. There is a lot of give-and-take when examining Attack of the Cat People from a behind-the-scenes standpoint. The costume and prop department are absolutely on point and most of the cast members turn in appropriate performances. But then the special effects and appearance of the cat people leave a lot to be desired. I was hoping for better, as they mostly just look like cavemen.
My obsession with the creature feature subgenre and the fact that Attack of the Cat People far exceeded my expectations leads me to stamp this one with a positive score. It’s a stealthy, stylized and suspenseful throwback that’s so much fun to watch with some popcorn on a late night binge. Well done. Final Score: 7 out of 10.
