MovieChat Forums > Cat People (1982) Discussion > Nastassja Kinski's body

Nastassja Kinski's body


In the DVD commentary track, Paul Schrader point out something like "you can tell that Nastassja Kinski does not have an American body". How does one tell whether a woman has an American body or a body from somewhere else, say Europe, since she is a German girl?

reply

I used to say one could tell that girl did not have an American body as she was slim.

reply

I guess "not an American body" means the outside looks less plastic, and the inside contains no Silicone.

I mean if you know the difference between a Barbie, and a human who is thin...

reply

[deleted]

I hope that's what he meant. My heritage is German, Czech, Yugoslavian; a bit of British thrown in and French, Irish & Scottish. The only American is a smidgen of Cherokee. So it's 4th generation Czech & Yugoslavian; probably about 6th or 7th generation German...all on Mom's side. On my Dad's side it's a bit hazy but I think it's pretty close to 6th or 7th generation. All in all German is the main influence and there's a bit of that from Dad's side as well. So that comment is confusing to me, since European is 99.9% of my heritage. Anyone else?

reply

By "American body" he means a body that fits the American beauty standard, i.e., massive HOOOHAAAS.




Free Speech

reply

...massive HOOOHAAAS.

On a tangential note, immediately pictured Al Pacino saying this.


reply

😀

nobody lives forever...

reply

Just the opposite. She doesn't have an American body because she isn't rail-thin. She may be slim, but that's her natural state, not induced by dieting.

Also, she did't mess up her pretty little boobs with idiotic implants.

reply

Yes, she looked very natural but sophisticated. Not like a teenage idol walking mannequin.

reply

Doesn't have an American body? Maybe that translates to 'needs a boob job?'

I mean they weren't horrible, they were so-so, but...

reply

How is ... an American body?

reply

Nastassja looked very well toned and athletic in the film to me, as if she'd been working out a lot. I thought she looked great in this film, but US vs non-US sounds like a sweeping generalization from Paul. Maybe he was trying to make a point but just didn't come across.

Maximus: Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?

reply

I have an American body; in Europe :(

reply

In re: American girl's body. As has been pointed out here correctly, the US is a mixture of all sorts of ethnic backgrounds with the body types to go with them. However, I think it is reasonably correct to say that the stereotype of "(she was) an American girl" is of the so-called corn-fed variety, the ones that show up at the Port Authority bus terminal in NYC (or at least used to) where they are swiftly picked up and turned out by pimps (who stereotypically are black males). That is, they are mid-western girls of the Nordic type.

Equally stereotypical are the "(wish they all could be) California girls". I can just see Pamela Anderson bouncing (sic) on stage saying "tennis anyone?"

Ironically, Annette O'Toole is a perfect example of "an American girl". I happened to see "Cat People" during its initial theatrical run. When Annette rises from the swimming pool during the stalking scene and exposes those gorgeous, American breasts, you could almost hear the men in the audience erecting...

Rich

"I'm crazy. What's YOUR excuse."

P.S. At its height, Baywatch was the most popular syndicated TV program in the world (148 countries). Personally, I prefer "Son of the Beach". Roland Kickinger for President!!

reply

Kinski in this movie is absolutely beautiful, and yes, she has a very Slavic body type. You can tell by her translucent skin, so thin its like gossamer paper, and her very fine muscle tone, ballerina frame, and the gentle, natural fat placement. Usually, multi-generational Americans are much hardier people because of diet and we've cross-bred between different European and African body types.

reply

[deleted]

[deleted]

You don't see much. I can't remember full frontal, but she's in minimal clothing a few times and she's damn luscious.

reply

Actually there is a good bit of nudity,including full frontal.
I take "American " body to mean big phony boobs,the hips of a 12 year old and a thigh measurement smaller than her knee measurement.Typical "Playmate" stuff.I think NK's portrayal in "Cat People" was probably the sexiest presence ever captured on film in my book.Don't watch the scene where she is in the water in her short shorts and waders while you are standing up,because you WILL hurt yourself when you fall to your knees...

reply

Hahah man, that scene in the water is _exactly_ what I remember most. She's so beautiful in this. She was really brave to make this movie - it was a cheesy flick, really, but without her it would have been trash instead of a cult classic. The change in her personality as she transitioned through virginity was hypnotizing.

reply

[deleted]

I wondered if she could still remember what it felt like to be a virgin ;)

(I'm just a mischevious old girl; and a little jealous too)

reply


"Nastassja Kinski's body" suits me very well. I mean I like it just fine. I wouldn't change a thing about it.

Ozy

reply