Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

The Catman of Paris Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 17, 2023

Lesley Selander's "The Catman of Paris" (1946) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment. The supplemental features on the release include Len Morris's documentary "The Republic Pictures Story"; new audio commentary by critics Kim Newman and Stephen Jones; and new video essay by critic Kat Ellinger. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Creepy shadows

It almost seems odd that Lesley Selander was asked to direct a horror film because more than ninety-five percent of the films in his cinematic oeuvre are westerns. It is a huge cinematic oeuvre, too. Between the mid-1930s and late 1960s, Selander directed more than one hundred and forty films.

But once you begin investigating the production history of The Catman of Paris (1946) it is very easy to understand why Selander did it. The Catman of Paris was funded by Republic Pictures and was part of a package deal that was supposed to capitalize on the tremendous box office success of RKO’s Cat People (1942) and Universal’s notorious monster films. Selander, who was producing westerns on demand for Republic Pictures, would have been an obvious choice for a director that not only can do The Catman of Paris but ensure that it was a success for the studio as well. And of course, he was.

The Catman of Paris was conceived with the classic Republic Pictures blueprint. It is a little over an hour long, it reveals obvious budget limitations but does not look cheap, and has a cast of solid but not outstanding actors. Its management of action and atmosphere is very predictable, too.

Talented novelist Charles Regnier (Carl Esmond) returns to Paris after a very long and exhausting trip to several African countries. Before he can recover, Regnier is informed by his publisher that his latest book has become a prime target for the Ministry of Justice and is set to be banned. Regnier and the publisher can have their careers destroyed, too. Just hours after Regnier receives the terrible news, in a dark alley somewhere in Paris, someone – or something – with giant claws kills a man working with the Ministry of Justice to prepare the banning of the book. Regnier instantly becomes a suspect. Just days later, Regnier struggles with horrible nightmares, the killer strikes again and takes the life of his ex-fiancée. When the police discover Regnier’s white gloves next to the poor girl’s body, Inspector Severin (Gerald Mohr) and the Prefect of Police (Fritz Feld) conclude that they have seen enough to close the case. But a girl (Lenore Aubert) that has always loved Regnier and observed his struggle to recover after his return to Paris tells the authorities that he cannot possibly be the killer with the giant claws.

Anyone expecting The Catman of Paris to even partially match the visual brilliance of Cat People is destined to have a seriously underwhelming viewing experience with the former. Simply put, these films were conceived and shot differently, so they are not in the same category. But The Catman of Paris is most definitely not a disappointing film either. In fact, it would not be terribly difficult to make a case that it is one of the more interesting films Republic Pictures produced.

What makes The Catman of Paris an interesting film is its rationality, which actually is not at all surprising. Indeed, the rationality of The Catman of Paris is essentially a byproduct of the limitations of the production, which prevented Selander from delivering the type of visual treats that made Cat People a timeless film. This is precisely why a little more than two-thirds of the material in The Catman of Paris follows conventional logic and looks suitable for a traditional thriller. (In Cat People, the opposite is true. In fact, its continuous rejection of rationality is without a doubt its biggest weakness).

The identity of the killer with the giant claws is revealed with a good curve ball. Some of the visuals there are quite nice but again very difficult to compare to the ones that Cat People produces. The leads and the supporting actors are solid. However, their performances are easily forgettable as well. The middle section where Regnier slowly begins to realize that all evidence points to him being a human monster could have been scripted better so that the leads can create lasting impressions.

The Catman of Paris Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Catman of Paris arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment.

The release is sourced from a recent 4K master that was prepared at Paramount Pictures. However, I must clarify that the film has not been fully restored. What does this mean? The visuals have a very attractive organic appearance but reveal some age-related issues, such as minor surface imperfections and a few shaky transitions. I personally do not mind these types of issues if the visuals have a stable organic appearance. However, a proper restoration job would have easily eliminated them and ensured that the entire film has a stable and balanced organic appearance. As is presented on this release, the film has areas that look a tad dated. Nevertheless, delineation, clarity, and depth usually range from good to very good. The grayscale is convincing, but there is room for some rebalancing work. There are on traces of problematic digital corrections. My score is 3.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

The Catman of Paris Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless track is very good. There was only one short segment where I noticed some extremely light background hiss attempting to sneak in, but I suspect that most viewers will miss it. All exchanges are very clear and easy to follow. The music and effects sound great as well. However, keep in mind that the effects and the film's complete sound design are very, very modest.

The Catman of Paris Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Kim Newman and Stephen Jones. The two gentlemen are very knowledgeable horror buffs and share plenty of interesting information about Republic Pictures and its attempt to earn a share of the horror business in post-war America, the genesis of The Catman of Paris and its relationship with Cat People and other classic horror films, Lesley Selander's legacy and cinematic style, etc. It is a good commentary that is worth listening to in its entirety.

• "The Republic Pictures Story" - this wonderful documentary examines the history and tremendous cinematic legacy of Republic Pictures. The documentary features clips from numerous films and archival interviews with Milos Forman, Buck Henry, Ed Herlihy, Roy Rogers, Catherine McLeod, and Linda Stirling, amongst others. It was produced by Len Morris in 1991. In English, not subtitled. (114 min).

• "Mark of the Beast: Myth Making and Masculinity in The Catman of Paris" - this new video essay was prepared by critic Kat Ellinger. In English, not subtitled. (18 min).

The Catman of Paris Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Without the success of RKO's Cat People and Universal's monster films, The Catman of Paris would have never materialized. It has its own identity and style, but it was clearly conceived to mimic the strengths of its famous predecessors and help Republic Pictures expand its market presence. I enjoyed The Catman of Paris quite a lot and actually did not guess right how it would end, so perhaps you would have a good time with it, too. Via Vision Entertainment's release is sourced from a slightly rough but attractive 4K master that was recently prepared at Paramount Pictures. Also, it has an outstanding archival documentary about the history and tremendous cinematic legacy of Republic Pictures. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.