SimilarScreen
Cat People

Cat People

They are something more than lovers who are about to become something less than human.

19826.01h 58m

Overview

After years of separation, Irena Gallier and her minister brother, Paul, reunite in New Orleans. When zoologists capture a wild panther, Irena is drawn to the cat – and zoo curator Oliver to her. Soon, Paul will have to reveal the family secret: that when sexually aroused, they revert into predatory jungle cats.

Directed by Paul Schrader
Written by Paul Schrader, Alan Ormsby, DeWitt Bodeen
Produced by Charles W. Fries
Box OfficeBudget: $12.5MRevenue: $21.0M

Top Cast

Nastassja Kinski

Nastassja Kinski

Irena Gallier

Malcolm McDowell

Malcolm McDowell

Paul Gallier

John Heard

John Heard

Oliver Yates

Annette O'Toole

Annette O'Toole

Alice Perrin

Ruby Dee

Ruby Dee

Female

Ed Begley Jr.

Ed Begley Jr.

Joe Creigh

Scott Paulin

Scott Paulin

Bill Searle

Frankie Faison

Frankie Faison

Det. Brandt

R

Ron Diamond

Detective Ron Diamond

Lynn Lowry

Lynn Lowry

Ruthie

Themes & Keywords

catshotguneroticismtransformationremakeattacklingerieheld captiveincestdissectionmorphingjungle caterotic movieturned into animalanimal transformationcats

About Cat People

Cat People is a horror, thriller film released in 1982 exploring themes of cat, shotgun, eroticism, transformation, remake, attack. Directed by Paul Schrader, it stars Nastassja Kinski, Malcolm McDowell, John Heard. After years of separation, Irena Gallier and her minister brother, Paul, reunite in New Orleans. When zoologists capture a wild panther, Irena is drawn to the cat – and zoo curator Oliver to her. Soon, Paul will have to reveal the family secret: that when sexually aroused, they revert into predatory jungle cats.

Movies Similar to Cat People

Discover titles like Cat People — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to Cat People

If you enjoyed Cat People, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Cat People.

Sleepwalkers
32% Match

Charles Brady and his mother, Mary, are the last of a dying breed whose needs are not of this world. They are Sleepwalkers - able to stay alive only by feeding on the life-force of the innocent, but destined to roam the earth, avoiding discovery while searching for their next victim. That search takes them to the sleepy little town of Travis, Indiana, where beautiful teenager Tanya Robertson is about to become an unwilling pawn in their nightmarish fight for survival.

Cat's Eye
25% Match

Cat's Eye(1985)

Movie6.7/10

Three short stories linked by a stray cat that roams from one tale to the next, in this creepy triptych that begins as Dick tries to quit smoking by any means necessary. Next, we meet Johnny, an adulterous man who's forced by his lover's husband onto a building's hazardous ledge. Finally, Amanda is threatened by an evil gnome who throws suspicion on the family cat.

Wolfen
24% Match

Wolfen(1981)

Movie5.9/10

A New York City cop and an expert criminologist trying to solve a series of grisly deaths in which the victims have seemingly been maimed by feral animals discover a sinister connection between the crimes and an old legend.

Dangerous Animals
22% Match

A savvy and free-spirited surfer is abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer. Held captive on his boat, she must figure out how to escape before he carries out a ritualistic feeding to the sharks below.

Thir13en Ghosts
21% Match

Arthur and his two children inherit his uncle's estate: a glass house that serves as a prison to twelve ghosts. When the family, accompanied by a nanny and an attorney, enter the house they find themselves trapped inside an evil machine 'designed by the Devil and powered by the dead' to open the Eye of Hell. Aided by a ghost hunter and his rival, a ghost rights activist out to set the ghosts free, the group must do what they can to get out of the house alive.

The Uncanny
21% Match

Wilbur Gray, a horror writer, has stumbled upon a terrible secret, that cats are supernatural creatures who really call the shots. In a desperate attempt to get others to believe him, Wilbur spews three tales of feline horror.

Heretic
20% Match

Heretic(2024)

Movie7.0/10

Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed, becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.

Wrong Turn 2: Dead End
20% Match

Retired military commander Colonel Dale Murphy hosts the simulated post-apocalyptic reality show where participants are challenged to survive a remote West Virginia wasteland. But the show turns into a nightmarish showdown when each realizes they are being hunted by an inbred family of cannibals determined to make them all dinner!

Knock Knock
20% Match

When a devoted husband and father is left home alone for the weekend, two stranded young women unexpectedly knock on his door for help. What starts out as a kind gesture results in a dangerous seduction and a deadly game of cat and mouse.

The Collector
20% Match

Desperate to repay his debt to his ex-wife, an ex-con plots a heist at his new employer's country home, unaware that a second criminal has also targeted the property, and rigged it with a series of deadly traps.

X
19% Match

X(2022)

Movie6.7/10

In 1979, a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in rural Texas, but when their reclusive, elderly hosts catch them in the act, the cast find themselves fighting for their lives.

Locked
19% Match

Locked(2025)

Movie6.2/10

When Eddie breaks into a luxury SUV, he steps into a deadly trap set by William, a self-proclaimed vigilante delivering his own brand of twisted justice. With no means of escape, Eddie must fight to survive in a ride where escape is an illusion, survival is a nightmare, and justice shifts into high gear.