Blood of the Vines – Cat People

Wine Goes to the Movies with Now And Zin and Trailers From Hell

In “Cat People,” a man marries a woman who is afraid she will become a killer cat if she has sex with her husband. That’s right, she thinks if she lets herself be a “panter,” she’ll turn into a “panther.” Maybe a few glasses of wine would mellow her out, but I’m guessing this wasn’t what the guy was thinking when he coined the “lady in the parlor, tiger in the bedroom” metaphor.

Okay, so, way back in the forties we have this very good reason to live together before marriage. Call it a discovery period. We also have “I’ve got a headache” taken to an extreme. I wouldn’t want to meet this kitten in a dark alley – or any dark area, for that matter.

I hear that “Cat People” – the 1942 original, in glorious and shadowy black and white – was shrugged off as a cheap horror flick by critics of the day. Since then, though, they have started calling it a “smart little drama.” After a few glasses of wine, no doubt. Over the years, the film has become a cultural touchstone, has left its paw prints in the Library of Congress and is even in the New York Museum of Modern Art. Not to mention the references all over the Internet. That’s one place where a kitty feels right at home.

Cats didn’t have to lobby too hard for the lead role in the title. “Dog People” and “Parakeet People” just don’t sound right, although my interest is piqued a bit by the latter. I guess I’m not really a cat person. When I think of cat people, I think of that crazy lady down the street who has about 27 of them living in her one-room apartment. Come to think of it, I wouldn’t want to meet HER in a dark alley, either.

Let’s pair some wine with “Cat People.”

Black Cat Vineyard quotes Mark Twain: “If man would be crossed with a cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat.” Meow!

Get your claws into these:

Hazlitt 1852 Red Cat – It should be a black cat, but this one is not afraid of water, at least in a hot tub.

Hello Kitty Wine – You had to see this one coming.

Panther Creek Cellars – This Oregon producer has as many Pinot Noirs as a cat has lives.