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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Memorable But Neglected Lewton Classic, May 23, 2002
This review is from: Leopard Man [VHS] (VHS Tape)
The escape of nightclub performer's leopard is followed by a series of mutilations--but are these the work of the leopard or of a serial killer stalking a small southwestern town? Although not one of producer Val Lewton's better known films, director Tourner endows the story with considerable atmosphere, and the result is a moody and intriguing film that holds it own with the more celebrated CAT PEOPLE and I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE. Like other Lewton films, THE LEOPARD MAN relies more upon what it suggests than upon what it actually shows. This film is particularly effective in building suspense in a series of scenes that show various characters walking--a saucy Spanish dancer strolling along the street, a frightened teenager making a night-time trip to the grocer, a young woman rushing through a cemetery at night. The cinematography is elegant in its simplicity, and the sound design is quite remarkable. Hard to find, but Lewton fans will find it worth seeking out.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Low budget thrills, August 9, 2001
This review is from: Leopard Man [VHS] (VHS Tape)
One of a series of low-budget horror films produced by the legendary Val Lewton for RKO in the mid-1940's. This is not the best of the lot, which includes, among others,"I Walked with a Zombie", "The Seventh Victim", "The Cat People", all of which are arguably superior to "Leopard Man". Nevertheless, the entire series may add up to the single best horror series in all of American cinema. Mood, atmosphere, literate scripts, and spine-tingling suspense, characterize all these films, including "Leopard Man". (Notice in this film the really creative use of sound to add suspense to key scenes, such as the girl's lonely walk through the countryside, and the dancer's late night walk home. Perhaps no one other than Orson Welles with his radio background, understood the dramatic effect of sound upon the visual medium of film.) The story itself concerns an escaped leopard menacing a small New Mexico town, where a series of mysterious killings may or may not be its work.There are several really riveting scenes in which the black and white photography and fluid camera work of celebrated director Jaques Tourneur achieve a high level of both suspense and genuine artistry. For these scenes alone the movie is worth the price. Unfortunately, the overall result is uneven, brought down by spotty performances, particularly from male lead Dennis O'Keefe, a shaky script with a few holes in it, and an unconvincing ethnic town caused no doubt by budget limitations. Nevertheless, for viewers tired of graphic slasher films, this is a great opportunity to see how horror can be achieved through atmosphere and imagination which after all is a lot scarier than blood and guts.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Neglected horror classic, October 31, 2004
This review is from: Leopard Man [VHS] (VHS Tape)
The first time I saw this film was on telly. I was sick and at home from school. It caught my young mind and has remained a favourite ever since. Recently I found it on VHS and I do hope it will be put on on DVD, along with the other Lewton-Tourneur classics. Jacques Tourneur directed this horror tale strangely set in New Mexico. Jerry Manning(Dennis O'Keefe) encourage his star Kiki Walker (Jean Brooks)to get attention for her night club act, to stroll in decked out in a stunning evening gown and with a panther on a lease. He said it will give the aspiring singer/dancer the publicity grabbing attention needed to launch her career. So she makes the entrance, only a competitor performer, scare the cat with rattling castanets, sending the animals to run and escape. Everyone hunts for the animal in the following week. However, killings start to happen supposedly the cat killing.
The set up for each victim, so people not connects to the story other than as the victim, but they are well drawn, giving the viewer a deep empathy for the killing. There are several, heart-pounding scenes of horror, brilliant uses of shadow and light that mark the films of Lewton and Tourneur. Curse of the Demon, I Walked With a Zombie and The Leopard Man are beautiful made Black and White films, deserving DVD format and true appreciation.
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