There is something about Lewton’s films that are dreamy to watch even today. They aren’t just well-acted and atmospheric – they also tackle themes that are beyond the horror genre.

Cat People and Bedlam both delve into morality with Karloff’s character Gray proving that only public perception separates a respected doctor from a slithering grave robber.
The Body Snatcher (1945)

After writing a handful of trashy but erudite pulp novels in the early 1930s (including The Fateful Star Murder, No Bed of Her Own, 4 Wives, Yearly Lease, and This Fool, Passion) Lewton found his calling as a screenwriter. He began churning out B horror films for RKO, and after the purging of Orson Welles from the lot (he was a “showman”, not a genius) he became the studio’s top-level producer. The films he made were cheap to produce but would do well at the box office, and offset losses from more costly artistic fare. They also allowed him to sign up the great Boris Karloff for a series of pictures that are dreamy to watch even today.

This 1945 effort demonstrates the way that Lewton could use a straightforward story to explore dark themes. It’s an adaptation of the basic Burke and Hare resurrectionist plot, but Lewton reshuffles it in a way that makes it acceptable to 1945 censors. The film has a hypnotic feel that’s enhanced by Jacques Tourneur’s use of shadow and light and the eerie setting in which it takes place. It’s a great vehicle for Karloff, who plays a grave robber who finds himself in a position where he has to choose between selling his body to a respected doctor or keeping it for himself.

The climax is a shocker, but what really makes the picture work is its overall feeling of morbid despair. This eluded contemporary reviewers who were primed for a conventional thriller and was largely missed by modern audiences. Lewton’s final effort for RKO encapsulates much of what the studio got out of its partnership with him: it’s an exploration of morality, a takedown of “polite” society, and a showcase for Karloff as a murderer. He gives a performance that is both rich and disturbing. Lewton’s other stars, Henry Daniell and Russell Wade, also do fine work. It’s a shame that the film is so often overlooked. Joel Siegel’s book The Reality of Terror is a good overview. It’s not the best of his books on film, but it’s a solid introduction to the world of Val Lewton.
Bedlam (1947)

The first of nine horror films that Lewton produced for RKO, Bedlam is an excellent example of how he used shadows and suggestion to tell tense stories of psychological despair. It’s a film that isn’t overly gory, but that is nevertheless chilling and compelling. It also showcases a certain level of sophistication for a black and white production from the 1940s.

In the early days of Hollywood, a producer named Val Lewton made a name for himself with a series of low-budget pictures that effectively utilized cinematic language to explore dark themes. He had a unique ability to make movies that screamed ‘A’ on B picture budgets and it was this skill, along with his creative independence, that made him so successful.

Lewton was a versatile man and worked in many different areas of the business. He served as a story editor on Gone With The Wind, an assistant to Selznick and a go-between with the studio’s censorship system. www.gameboost.com/coaching

When he began working for RKO, Lewton was given three rules that his films had to adhere to. They had to be under a $150,000 budget, run less than an hour and a half, and feature no more than four actors. He managed to create a series of horror films that continue to affect the genre nearly a century later.

In Bedlam, Boris Karloff stars as Master Sims, the cruel head physician at an 18th century London asylum that treats its patients in a manner that is both physical and psychological. His treatment of Nell Bowen, the protege of his wealthy benefactor Lord Mortimer, draws ire from the woman’s sharp tongue and he has her committed on a trumped up charge.

This film was a solid effort from director Mark Robson, and it demonstrates that he is capable of handling the darker elements of the Lewton productions. It may not have the suspense of Cat People or the sheer power of I Walked With a Zombie, but it is still an effective thriller that features some interesting occult elements. It’s a solid entry to the collection of Lewton films and fans will certainly appreciate it.
The Curse of the Cat People (1944)

A sequel to Lewton’s 1942 hit, Cat People is more of a psychological thriller than a horror movie. Its sensitive screenplay reflects the times, when psychologists and sociologists were discussing the common fear of transformation into something unnatural.

Square white guy Oliver Reed marries Serbian fashion illustrator Irena Dubrovna and fears she will turn into the leopards of her homeland’s fables. The film explores themes of sexual and cultural repression that would be picked up in later films like Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro or Guillermo del Toro’s El laberinto de la fauna (2009, or Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are).

The movie has a darker tone than its predecessor and it predates Mario Bava’s giallo thrillers twenty years later. It is dated and it doesn’t capture the beauty of the original film, but it still has several unforgettable moments.

Ann Carter and Kent Smith return as the characters from the first film. This time the story revolves around their daughter Amy. She is haunted by visions of her mother and a vengeful poltergeist. The film explores a child’s fantasy that becomes real, causing misunderstanding and even trauma, as the world of the adult and the child collide.

It is a delicate and psychologically valid examination of a young girl’s adjustment issues, which many adults experience as well. The film was often screened at child psychology meetings and was used in classes on childhood development.

It is the only film in the series that doesn’t really hold up on its own, but it does provide an interesting counterpoint to other horror movies of the period. The other films in the series, particularly those directed by Jacques Tourneur, have more of a horror feel to them. The Curse of the Cat People is a dark thriller that explores similar themes as other movies from this era, but it does it with more subtlety and style. Its themes of psychological repression also seem less dated than the more melodramatic plots of some other horror films of this era. This movie is a great choice to introduce a non-horror audience to the work of Val Lewton.
I Walked With a Zombie (1943)

Despite the dreadful title this movie is a fine example of Lewton’s ability to mix noir and horror elements to produce a dark thriller that never resorts to cheap scares. The film follows a nurse who travels to the West Indies to care for a sick plantation wife, and finds herself entangled in a voodoo cult. The story is a dark, atmospheric portrait of an unassuming heroine (Frances Dee) and the way that a sense of dread and isolation can shape one’s existence. The underlying pathos is intensified by the blending of horror and noir, as the picture contrasts a world where everyone is trying to “Accentuate the Positive,” with the deep nihilism that can be found in a woman alone and struggling with depression.

Like most of Lewton’s films this one features a likable but flawed protagonist, and the way that psychological repression can become something like a monster is well-executed. The acting is solid, especially from Frances Dee and Tom Conway, and the supporting cast of black actors is impressive for a low-budget B Picture. The film is a sombre and moody picture that does not make much use of the Caribbean location, and the pacing lags in places. Nevertheless this is a very satisfying picture, a good example of the way that Jacques Tourneur could elevate a B Picture beyond its budget with his mastery of lighting and shadows.

After Cat People had proved that he was more than just a director of inoffensive B Pictures, Val Lewton was given the green light for a full slate of horror pictures. The Leopard Man is the second of his nine films in this category, and it’s an example of how he and Tourneur were able to work on a smaller scale and still deliver a film that is creepy and atmospheric.

As with most of the films, the cast is excellent, and the direction by Tourneur is tight and focused. The film also benefits from the fact that it is a very low-key, restrained picture, allowing the performances and the beautiful cinematography to take center stage. The film is a quiet but effective example of the way that a sense of dread can create an unnerving feeling that can leave you with a tingling sensation days later. This is a great introduction to the movies of Val Lewton, and it’s a must-see for any fan of the genre.