(real?) Serbian folklore in "Cat People"

[Margarita Nafpaktitis]

Dear Colleagues,

I'm been asked to be a discussant for a local film festival, and the film
that will be screened and discussed is "Cat People."  It's the 1942 Jacques
Tourneur version, not the 1982 Paul Schraeder version with Nastassja Kinski.
 Since the plot (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034587/synopsis) hinges on a
tale that supposedly circulated in the Serbian protagonist's home village
that involved witchcraft, devil worship, and people turning into panthers, I
was wondering if anyone out there knows if legends like this are actually
part of Serbian folklore and/or where I could find out more about them if
they are?

With thanks in advance,

Margarita

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Margarita Nafpaktitis
Assistant Professor of Slavic Languages & Literatures
University of Virginia
109 New Cabell Hall / PO Box 400783
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4783
Tel: (434) 924-3548   FAX: (434) 982-2744
http://www.people.virginia.edu/~mn2t/home.html

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