04/05/06 Repulsion

Repulsion (1965), directed by Roman Polanski

watched w/ Leslie (partially); DVD rental (Netflix) @ home

It is no secret that Polanski is not only a weird fellow, but an openly wanted man criminally in America, so he has to make his films in other countries and not appear at the Oscars to receive any awards for fear of imprisonment. However, he does make some pretty good chilling tales of personal descent into relative hell for his lead characters. Sort of an example of life imitating art, or vice versa? Whatever its intent may be, it comes across as a riveting and hallucinatory rollercoaster ride for the viewers. Catherine Deneuve plays a young woman, Carol, who lives with her sister in a London flat, and works in a local beauty salon. She does not approve of the affair her sister is having with a married man, who is willing to sweep the sister off for a sudden vacation. Being left to her own devices, and introspections into her confused sexuality and interaction with men, Carol quickly spirals into a darkening madness. The monotony of everyday routine (phones ringing, clocks ticking, people talking, and faucets dripping) compels her hallucinatory thoughts to ones of violence and paranoia. Unsure if her new sick life is one of reality or dementia, a barrage of terrifying images and lingering feelings of unease carry the story on. Coming home to find the apartment in disarray, and bodies everywhere, Carol's sister is completely freaked out (yeah, no kidding Sherlock). This is a delightfully devious plot, similar to say "The Tell-tale Heart" by Poe involving an individual's emotional unravelling, told in black & white film stock.

4 out of 5 stars