"Highbrow Horror." That's what the Utah Film & Video Center is calling its Halloween program, and what else would you call the pairing of the original 1942 "Cat People" and Ingmar Bergman's "The Magician"?
"Cat People," directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Simone Simon, is the story of a disturbed young woman who fears she is descended from a race of females who become panthers when they are aroused. Notable for the mood achieved by Tourneur's use of shadow and light on black-and-white film, along with his unusual camera work."The Magician," a 1958 film (in Swedish, with English subtitles; black and white), is generally not included when Bergman's classics are being named but is a bit more accessible for mainstream moviegoers than some of his work. Max Von Sydow stars in the story of the title character bringing his troupe to Stockholm, where he is forced to convince unbelievers that some things simply cannot be explained.
The double-feature will be shown Thursday, Oct. 24, in the Salt Lake Art Center auditorium, 20 S. West Temple. "Cat People" will play at 7:30 p.m., followed at 9:20 by "The Magician." Admission is $6 for both films or $5 for one. For further information phone 534-1158.