This is my favorite film in our series this week, a horror classic from the 40's directed by Jacques Tourneur that boasts two truly terrifying, suspenseful scenes that would still work today, believe it or not. The story may seem silly- a woman with an ancient curse placed upon her fears she's becoming a cat, but there's no cheesy special effects to be had here. Instead, Tourneur uses shadows, light and fear of the unknown following you at every turn to place us in this woman's shoes as something is consistently following her and will inevitably drag her into the depths of a horrifying future. This is a masterpiece of suspense and one of the most influential horror films ever made. Look out for the pool scene, which is so amazingly effective you'll be shocked it existed in a low budget film from 1942.
Original Trailer:
