One more show before the year is over! We were really hoping to get this recorded and published before Christmas but scheduling did not allow it. That being said, we are so happy to have artist Stephanie Stalvey back on the show to discuss the follow up to our previous discussion with her in Ep #136 (link below), 1944's The Curse of the Cat People.

The previous film, Val Lewton & Jacques Tourneur's Cat People, was an unexpected delight because of how thoughtfully and skillfully it dealt with shame and repression regarding female sexuality, along with it being genuinely thrilling and scary at times. This one is almost equally surprising for how it seemingly turns on a dime and, tonally, hardly bares any resemblance to its predecessor. This time, directed by Robert Wise who went on to direct films like Star Trek: The Motion Picture, West Side Story and The Sound of Music (!), the film shifts and is something akin to a child's fairy tale and deals with themes of parental expectations, the dangers of being controlled by fear & anxiety, and the saving power of kindness. It's a wild swing but, for us at least, it really works. Plus, it's a low key Christmas movie!

Check it out for free at the link below and enjoy! Be sure to send us an email or message and let us know what you think of the film!

Links:

Watch The Curse of the Cat People free (legally) in HD!

Listen to Stephanie's Cat People episode!

Previous Substantive Cinema Episodes

Fear Not! by Josh Larsen (book)

Shoutouts:

A Bug's Life

A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll

The Dark Dark: Stories by Samantha Hunt

Follow Stephanie:

Website

Instagram

Look for "Pure" in print January 2026!

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