Following the commercial disappointment of artistically ambitious films like Citizen Kane (1941) and the Magnificent Ambersons (1942), RKO began shifting its priorities towards workmanlike crowd pleasing instead of chasing Oscars. Among other things, this meant restructuring its B-movie division. Producer Val Lewton was brought in to oversee a series of films intended to compete against Universal's Monster line; this meant that each movie would be made with a tight budget, run for less than 75 minutes, and be built around a lowbrow, attention-grabbing title provided by executives.

Lewton, an experienced pulp writer and talented filmmaker, turned these restrictions into strengths and produced a series of surprisingly artful horror movies renowned for their evocative atmosphere and bold characterization. His first effort for RKO, Cat People, used its shapeshifting werecat premise to tell a dynamic story about feminism, sexual repression, and the immigrant experience.

Ryan is joined by Sylvan and Rachel for an in-depth conversation about this moody, revealing film. Talking points include the value of the jump scare, how the storytelling plays into traditional folklore, and how Cat People can be read as emblematic of the queer experience.