Halloween – ’tis the season to be wary. I am a very selective, maybe even picky, viewer when it comes to horror movies. My taste runs more to those productions that stir a vague sense of unease or foreboding rather than those which trade on visceral shock tactics. Consequently, I can usually find varying degrees of entertainment and satisfaction from a good deal of material made up until the late 1960s or thereabouts. My interest in anything made after that approximate cut off point tends to slacken gradually, partly due to a dissatisfaction with the visual aesthetic that began to creep in as well as that aforementioned shift towards a more graphic form of terror. However, if we take a step back to the early 1940s, when RKO gambled on making Val Lewton head of his own dedicated B picture unit where the focus would be on the doubts and fears which viewers conjured up from the shadows of their own consciousness, by what is suggested as opposed to what is shown, then I’m in my element. So let’s look at the movie that set the ball rolling in that brief but influential cycle – Cat People (1942).
Most of the classic early horror movies had a strong romantic element, often using the blend of dark fantasy and ill-starred love affairs to motivate the characters even if that wasn’t necessarily the main driver of the narrative from the viewer’s perspective. Cat People starts out like many a romance with a standard boy meets girl setup in the municipal zoo. Oliver Reed (Kent Smith) is a draftsman/boat designer who runs across a girl sketching (unsatisfactorily, if the number of discarded efforts she produces is anything to go by) outside the panther cage. That girl is Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon), a young woman with a near morbid fascination for all things feline. What follows is a standard progression through the various stages of courtship leading to marriage. However, alongside the dates and other rituals there is an air of something off-kilter, not so much of menace as melancholy and trepidation. Despite the sunny smiles and optimism, Oliver and Irena make for an odd pair, his apple pie innocence contrasting sharply with her cool depths. The fact is that Irena is a very disturbed young woman, haunted by the horrors of something ancestral and atavistic, a kind of tormented bloodline stretching back to her Balkan heritage. And it’s a fear which is rooted in her sense of self, a threat from within that is liable to be roused by outside provocation. In short, Irena is petrified by the thought that by succumbing to her own passions and desires she will be transformed into a savage beast.
There’s no escaping the fact that a film with a premise such as that outlined above is always going to run the risk of descending into cheesiness. Many a harried B director or producer would grasp the easy option of relying on cheap shocks and even wholly unconvincing “monster” effects – see the relevant segment in Minnelli’s The Bad and the Beautiful on filming such tales. That Val Lewton’s name remains so celebrated today and his films so revered is down to his refusal to head down any of those well worn tracks or to fall back on hackneyed and derivative storytelling techniques. His genius is rooted in the decision to transpose a macabre fairy tale atmosphere to a contemporary New York setting. And of course it’s important to note how he found a kindred spirit in director Jacques Tourneur. His silkily unobtrusive style was ideally suited to this type of filmmaking, crafting meaning, drama and suspense from the drearily commonplace. Somehow as a result of Tourneur’s touch, the prosaic surroundings – the mundane anonymity of a featureless office, a basement pool and a simple sidewalk – add to rather than subtract from the creepiness.
For this viewer, there are three standout scenes in the movie. The first is the sidewalk stalking of Alice (Jane Randolph), Oliver’s colleague and slow-burn romantic interest, where we witness a marvelous synthesis of Tourneur’s direction, Mark Robson’s editing and Nicholas Musuraca’s lighting. Sound effects and visuals mesh perfectly to create drum tight suspense and a superbly effective jump scare that retains the power to startle regardless of how many times it has been seen. Then there is the famous swimming pool sequence, where once again the dread of what might be lurking unseen is given a vigorous workout. Alice, again, has gone for a late night swim only to be spooked by the shadows that never seem far from her. Here the sounds blend with the rippling fugitive reflections, and the imagination does the rest. Finally, we have the climactic section in Oliver’s office, another stark and superficially unremarkable location that is provided with character by the uplighting from the draftsmen’s tables. Here it is both Oliver and Alice, now presented as a unified threat to Irena’s equilibrium, who are menaced. There are glimpses afforded of a great cat prowling the perimeter, and then a hugely evocative shot of the couple’s shadow pinned to a wall, an image imbued with unmistakable religious symbolism.
I was very young when I first saw Cat People, probably back in 1981, and what struck me at the time was the creepy atmosphere conjured up. Looked at with more mature eyes, the subtext of sexual repression and violent fantasies and emotions stirred up by jealousy and desire are clear to see. While the leads, Kent Smith and Simone Simon, were both in their thirties during production there is an air of innocence to their relationship that fits the notion of two people struggling to deal with the turbulent, tempestuous emotions their union has unleashed. Kent Smith has a genuinely bewildered juvenile air about him at times, especially when his character opines that he’d never experienced a day’s unhappiness in his life. And Simone Simon possesses a touch of that too in the way she struggles to contain her feelings, not to mention her inability to countenance consummating her relationship. Set against this relative callowness is Tom Conway’s smooth and worldly psychiatrist. He drifts in and out of the picture, but his sophistication bordering on decadence acts as a terrific foil to the jejune confusion of Smith in particular.
Jane Randolph had a relatively short career, retiring early and then living out a fairly long life away from the screen. As the lightning rod for Irena’s frustrations she provides a solid and relatable center for the movie. If her career was brief, it also involved a number of good films – this title as well as it’s loose sequel The Curse of the Cat People, a couple of entertaining Falcon movies again alongside Tom Conway, and two strong pictures for Anthony Mann, T-Men and Railroaded. Although the rest of the cast have limited screen time there are a few “faces” that are eminently recognisable, Alec Craig as the scripture quoting zookeeper, and the striking Elizabeth Russell as the nameless “cat woman” at the Serbian eatery.
Cat People got a DVD release years ago in the complete Val Lewton box set that Warner Brothers put out. Some of the movies in that collection were a tad rough looking, but Cat People was reasonably solid. That version has since been surpassed by the Criterion Blu-ray, a very fine presentation which I heartily recommend. The film is an exemplary slice of macabre fantasy that exudes style and it remains important not only due to the fact that it kickstarted Lewton’s unrivaled run of chilling masterpieces, but also for the way it altered perceptions of how horror movies could be shot and presented. Perhaps more significantly, it is enormously entertaining and memorable. A bona fide classic of the genre.
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It’s a superb film and you really do it justice. So interesting about your recollection of seeing it for the first time. I was well aware of its reputation when I first saw it – one of those great occasions when a film totally lived up to its reputation!
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I can’t imagine anyone coming away from the movie disappointed, even if their expectations had been ramped up by the praise of others. Some films most certainly do live up to the build up.
But yes, I came to it completely cold as a mere youngster and it captivated me – the subtexts and undercurrents naturally washed over me but that superb fusion of sound, lighting and editing was mightily impressive. It got me hooked on Lewton’s movies right away.
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I do think that the dark folk tale feeling of the Val Lewton cycle, with its psychoanalytical underpinning, has a strong appeal to teens. I don’t love them all equally but they have a magic to them like no other films of the period.
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Good point. There is enough there to appeal to younger audiences, granted I was pretty innocent when I came upon them they still enthralled me.
I wouldn’t say I “love” all of the films either, although I do like them all quite a lot. The three Tourneur titles are outstanding though, as is The Seventh Victim. I think the Karloff films, despite the star presence, are weaker overall though.
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I’d agree with that. And SEVENTH VICTIM is extraordinary
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Your excellent writing once again does justice to a very memorable film, Colin. Lewton had an undeniable talent and I greatly admire Jacques Tourneur. I agree that these atmospheric films of the 1940s were a high water mark among “horror” films. A very enjoyable read!
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Perhaps Lewton’s finest achievement was assembling the team comprised of Tourneur, Nicholas Musuraca, Roy Webb, DeWitt Bodeen and Mark Robson. Every one of them, and indeed the core cast, was instrumental in creating such a haunting, memorable and ultimately satisfying work.
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Splendid review of a extraordinarily atmospheric film that continues to enthral, no matter the calendar. But it’s perfect for Halloween, and I do own that Criterion Collection disc, which is only one in a handful of films my wife will join me in watching. Happy Halloween, Colin.
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Thanks. I think twice sometimes about posting on films that get lumped in with calendar points. You know, I’m not especially keen on watching certain types of film at what appear to have become designated times of the year. There’s an artificiality to all that which I’m inclined to reject; after all, a good movie remains so regardless of the time some marketing campaigns try to associate it with. The whole Noirvember nonsense which is just around the corner is a particularly egregious piece of cultural flimflam.
I know that the first time I saw this film was in the middle of the summer, and I’m positive that viewing it in October wouldn’t have added any to the impact it had on me.
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I love all the Val Lewton horrors. Hard to pick a favourite although the Boris karloff three are hard to beat. I know you aren’t a horror fan but if you haven’t seen it lately Tourneur’s masterpiece is Night of the Demon. All the tricks and atmospherics he learnt at RKO with Lewton and his Noirs. It’s one of my all time favourite horror films and fits into your acceptable time frame
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Night of the Demon is excellent, another triumph for Tourneur and one of the best horror movies to come out of Britain. You’re right, I really should watch it again soon as it’s been a while. There is still that controversy over whether or not it was advisable to explicitly show the demon of the title and while I can appreciate the validity of both sides of the argument, and I do instinctively lean towards the Tourneur style “less is more” approach, I am not at all averse to what we ended up with.
David, I don’t want to create the impression I don’t like horror movies at all. As I said, it’s largely a matter of pickiness with me. I enjoy the classic Universal cycle, the Lewton films and most of the Corman AIP material. I also like Hammer, but I don’t get along well with the the studio’s late era material. There is very little of what they made after 1968 that interests me at all, even the visual aesthetic feels quite different.
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I think the controversy about the demon was stuff and nonsense. It seems likely it was always intended. Tourneur has a number of total masterpieces to his name. I must revisit Out of the Past. Best wishes
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There does seem to have been some friction between Tourner and Hal Chester, and between Charles Bennett and the latter too. Whether the issue of the appearance of the demon was as great as some sources later claim it was doesn’t seem clear.
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Sorrry to say this, but despite Dana Andrews, Night of TheDemon is a terrible bore.
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Well, Barry Lane we don’t always agree, but NIGHT OF THE DEMON a bore????
One of Dana’s finest later films, correction “The Finest”
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Whatever you say.
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As a Graham Lineham Tribute, now resident in Arizona after being hounded out of the UK; I’m “Fecking” Gobsmacked that Hammer are releasing Lance Comfort’s amazing DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS (1947) which reflects both Tourneur and Lewton.
I literally begged Hammer to release this one in their Hammer Presents imprint which releases non Hammer titles. To explain more would involve spoilers, except to say this amazing film can be viewed on many levels, and Lewton fans should not miss this one.
Lance Comfort was really knocking them out the park at that time while he was still an A List director. TEMPTATION HARBOUR is another Comfort masterwork in it’s Langian tale of guilt and obsession;Comfort’s film never lets up with it’s Carny Noir vibe, it’s darkness and jarring moments of violence. There’s a Carny Noir vibe also in DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS, which also has moments of sly humour, missing from TEMPTATION HARBOUR
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That’s gratifying to hear the Daughter of Darkness coming to BD. I agree it’s a really fine and underappreciated movie. I have had a DVD copy which was released in the UK years ago for some time now, but an upgrade is certainly very welcome.
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Colin, I had no ides there was a UK DVD release.
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This one, John – https://link.amazon/B0iIhziMy
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Dreadful cover art, collectors price I also note.
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Indeed. I think I bought it for a fiver of thereabouts when it was still in print.
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I hope Colin gets to review DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS as it can be viewed on many levels and would generate much discussion.
I guess most of you think begging companies to release certain films is a nerdy sort of thing but I keep plugging away
DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS as far as I know was oiriginaly a Paramount release, and I also contacted Imprint as they release many Paramount titles. I’m quiet horrorfied by the sort of stuff fans are asking the newly re formed Network, mostly TV crap as far as I’m concerned. Some cat asked about releasing CROSSROADS a cardboard soap with wobbly sets and even more wobbly acting. The nadir for realiable B Movie actor John Bently. Bently failed to make it in Hollywood but stayed in the UK as a solid B Movie lead, he even had his own TV series, AFRICAN PATROL which was streets ahead of CROSSROADS. Still a guy has to eat and the soap was at least regular work.
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To get things back on topic CAT PEOPLE and TREMPTATION HARBOUR both star Simone Simon. I’m much rather Network release TEMPTATION HARBOUR than fecking Crossroads. I’ve gone all Father Ted today for those enlightened readers..character I most resemble “Dougal” of course.
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Better than Jack at any rate! Dougal was sweet – and Ardal O’Hanlon’s family have close connections to where I was born. His father Rory grew up just a mile or two down the road from us. The O’Hanlon family have deep roots in the area.
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That’s very interesting Colin, thanks for sharing. I feel others have the same problem-I just cannot get the “like” feature” to work.
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TEMPTATION HARBOUR may be a bit too bleak for some viewers,for me the film never cuts the viewer any slack but a very fine film. Comfort’s later 8 ‘O CLOCK WALK concerns child murder but the film has a far lighter touch and moments of humour. I consider 8 ‘O CLOCK WALK Comfort’s last great film before his decline into B Pictures.
On the forthcoming Hammer Blu Ray there is a retrospective of Comfort’s career by people who really know what they are talking about.
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I like Comfort’s work overall, even his later low budget efforts. Tomorrow at Ten, for example is very good.
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Colin-I liked your comment about Horror films that ignite a sense of forboding rather than visceral shock and I also agree that the later Hammer films lacked the class of the earlier films,indeed things really went downhill when they moved away from Bray.
A micro budget CAT PEOPLE rip off I rather like is CAT GIRL (1957) which at least tries to generate a genuine eerie sense. Barbara Shelley’s performance is probably the only reason to watch this film and she is very good indeed.
I have no time at all for “Slasher Movies” from the 70’s onwards.
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Yes, Cat Girl is fun but lacks the subtlety of the movie under discussion here.
Generally when it comes to horror movies, I like dread and fear as opposed to disgust so slashers and the like are a non-starter with me too. Instead, think M R James and the jump afforded by a whitened face suddenly poked round a darkened doorway.
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Such a fascinating little chiller! Perhaps my favorite Lewton movie. I liked the sequel too.
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The Curse of the Cat People uses three characters from Cat People but beyond that it feels entirely different. And it’s not only how it feels, despite the loaded title, it’s not a horror movie at all. It’s an exploration of childhood isolation, loneliness and imagination, and it’s superbly executed. It’s quite magical in many respects.
The documentary on Lewton included on the original DVD release of The Seventh Victim had William Friedkin at one point seeking to draw a comparison between The Curse of the Cat People and The Exorcist, and I thought that was totally off-base.
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Friedkin compared Curse of the Cat People to The Exorcist? That’s certainly a strange comparison, but then Friedkin was a bit of an oddball. He repeatedly said he cut the “spider walk scene” from Exorcist because he felt it disrupted the film’s flow, only to let Warner Bros. put it back in later. Anyway, I have that DVD, so I’ll have to listen to his explanation!
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So no Father Ted fans on RTHC-I feel I’ve possibly killed this thread 🙂
To revive it: Trivia Time
On the Dubjax youtube channel there has just appeared an HD version of Ronald Neame’s superb Brit Noir TAKE MY LIFE (1947) We have discussed TAKE MY LIFE before and why, oh why is this wonderful thriller not out on Blu Ray-in fact I don’t believe it has ever had a DVD release.
We have also discussed Dubjax before and as you quiet rightly suggested the channel keeps getting busted for copyright reasons then re appearing, he got quiet shirty with me when I suggested placing films like PEEPING TOM on his channel which are still very current and no doubt will be soon available as a 4K UHD upgrade are asking for trouble;he replied I’ve been doing this for ages and you talk as if I don’t know what I’m doing.
This is the sort of title Network should be releasing-I’d buy a Blu ray in a heartbeat. Greta Gynt was at the top of her game at that time; I never understood her career decline in the 50’s.
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John, I’ve seen a few copies of Take My Life available for viewing online, some looking very good indeed. I hope to watch it myself quite soon.
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More Trivia Time…………..
Colin’ as you no doubt know Ignite Films have done an extensive restoration on DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS (1963) This film has not been available in top notch quality since who knows when. I believe a UK release will be available soon. Personally, I really like the movie and I remember seeing it at the time on the huge CinemaScope screen at the New Victoria Cinema in London. The support feature was THE LEGION’S LAST PATROL starrring Stewart Granger-more about him later. The film had a troubled production and editor Bill Lewthwaite claims that he directed most of the film with second unit from Freddie Francis, at any rate credited director Steve Sekely was typical of producer Phillip Yordan hiring directors who’s careers were on the skids. As I mentioned before, I really like the film and cannot wait to see it again in stunning HD
In an audio interview with Lewthwaite (on Inmdicator’s recent PRIZE OF GOLD Blu Ray ????) Lewthwaite claims that Stewart Granger ruined Compton Bennett’s career. I researched this further and discovered while a superstar Granger could be very demanding with directors, and indeed fellow actors. His clashes with William Dieterle and especially Fritz Lang are well documented. Bennett on KING SOLOMON’S MINES was wilting under the African climate and Granger who had issues with his direction demanded MGM replace him. Bennett’s replacement Andrew Marton got on very well with Granger so all ended well. For Bennett this was a major film from MGM and a box office blockbuster so his firing from the film did give his career a major setback.
One of the extras in Ignite’s DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS is a profile of blacklisted writer Benard Gordon which I look forward to.
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Glad you mentioned that. I only just became aware of it myself – The Day of the Triffids BD is coming out in December and is up for order here.
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I knew Stewrt Granger, and he was a pretty good guy; certianly Jimmy g
ranger was not the only one who disliked these people, especially Fritz Lang.
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Barry, I think during his superstardom days Granger was a perfectionist, therefore ruffled a few feathers. I always liked him even in some of his career decline movies. Thanks for joining in the fun and we both agree on Rhonda.
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Yes, Colin and the other good news is that Flicker Alley’s restoration of SLIGHTY SCARLET with the Film Noir foundation seems to be gaining traction. Hopefully it might appear in ’27 I always felt that Dwan along with Lang were devalued by the studios in the 50’s considering between them they more or less “invented” cinema. I long for a restored version of SILVER LODE hopefully by people like The Film Foundation The Lang I want most to see is THE BLUE GARDENIA I know there is a DVD out there somewhere but I really hope an HD version will surface eventually….”rights issues…”?
BTW do you have to now have a WordPress Account to now “Like” comments?
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I’ve no idea, John. WordPress is a law unto itself at times.
I also like The Blue Gardenia very much – I wrote briefly about it here years ago – and I’d be delighted if any issues holding back its release on BD could be resolved.
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In 1956, when I was in High School, Slightly Scarlet played on a double bill with While theCity Sleep. I went every day of the run to see this fine Rhonda
Fleming double bill.
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That does make me feel a bit envious.
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Great review Colin 🙂 Everything you said about the 1942 version of Cat People is spot on 🙂 The way you describe the tension building to social commentary I could not have said better myself 🙂
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Thanks. John, it’s such a well crafted film where all the positives highlight themselves.
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Sad to report that fine actor Stacy Keach has passed away.
I guess most RTHC readers will rate highly THE LONG RIDERS which I consider far and away Walter Hill’s finest film.
Sadly there seem to be several interesting Stacy Keach films on the missing list (unless Colin ,you know otherwise) The offbeat and quirky THE TRAVELLING EXECUTIONER, THE DION BROTHERS and THE KILLER INSIDE ME.
THE DION BROTHERS has a sensational teaming of Keach and Frederic Forrest and was Jack Starrett’s finest movie and Burt Kennedy’s THE KILLER INSIDE ME has a really sensational cast.
RIP Stacy Keach 2-6-41 10-11-26
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I’ve only been intermittently online the last few days so I was a little late learning about Stacy Keach’s passing. He was very good in The Long Riders, which I think you’re probably right in calling Walter Hill’s best movie. I liked him too in Doc even if the movie itself doesn’t entirely do it for me.
I think the first time I became aware of him was in his role as Mike Hammer in the TV show of the same title in the early 1980s. I thought at the time it was a lot of fun, a homage to classic noir played with a bit of a wink and droll self-awareness by Keach. I don’t think it’s ever been fully available on DVD.
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