The Hunger & Cat People

Tony Scott’s THE HUNGER (R, 1983, 97 min)

Here is 80s horror dipped in high fashion — equal parts blood and couture. Catherine Deneuve slinks through New York like a vampiric ice queen, David Bowie broods as her beautifully doomed partner, and Susan Sarandon brings both brains and heat as the scientist who can’t resist their lure. From Bauhaus blasting in a smoke-filled nightclub to shadowy apartments draped in velvet, the film is dripping with style, desire, and dangerous glamour. For those who caught it on late-night TV, it was a secret obsession; for those who later embraced its camp, queerness, and couture, it’s still the sexiest vampire film ever made.

Followed by:

Paul Schrader’s CAT PEOPLE (R, 1982, 118 min)

“They are something more than lovers who are about to become something less than human.” Paul Schrader’s sleek, neon-soaked gothic fever dream — part horror, part erotic thriller, all style. Nastassja Kinski prowls as the mysterious Irena, whose desire awakens a deadly, feline side, while Malcolm McDowell stalks with predatory intensity and John Heard gets caught in the claws of their passion. Giorgio Moroder’s pulsing synth score and David Bowie’s unforgettable theme song make every shadowy alley and candlelit apartment feel like a glamorous danger zone. It’s an intoxicating thrill for those who embrace its couture, synths, and animalistic allure. Pure seductive, gothic fun.