Repulsion (1965)

Roman Polanski’s first film in English, Repulsion tells the story of Carol a fragile young woman living in a London flat w/ her sister. She is quiet, distracted at her work as a manicurist, uninterested in her suitors, annoyed by her sister’s boyfriend presence, disgusted by the sound of them fucking and generally withdrawn from any emotional or physical interaction.

When her sister and boyfriend go on a trip to Pisa, Carol slowly becomes unwound. Cracks the apartment walls break in two, an uncooked rabbit carcass is left out to rot, when she goes to bed she is terrorized by a dream (memories?) of being raped. Eventually she is sent home from work for cutting a womans finger and general malaise, and shortly after her male admirer breaks down her door to check on her (partially out of concern, partially out of sexual frustration). Viewing this intrusion as an attack (not entirely wrong), this is the moment that the horror breaks from Carols mind into reality.

Hard to think about spoilers for a movie thats over 40 years old, but I’ll keep things vague but not too vague. Eh?

Now, a lot of reviews refer to Carol as being “sexually confused”, which makes it sound like she is in the closet or something. But really I think that shes more conflicted than confused and most of the situations that she finds herself in with men are hostile, intrusive and confrontational. Obviously, unwanted sexual advances don’t really need to end in murder, but some guys are really creeps. Carols seems to be someone who has either a history of mental illness or one of child sexual abuse (which is hinted at in the final zoom shot of a family photo), this mental breakdown doesn’t come out of a vacuum.

A lot of these themes (claustrophobia, alienation, isolation, corrupting innocence) are worked out more in Polanski’s The Tenant and Rosemary’s Baby, both of which I think are a bit smoother than this film, but left me without as many questions. I certainly had to think on this one for a bit before I really had a handle on what I thought. I liked it when it was done, but it lingers with you for a day or two.  I’m still not totally sure, and I like that.

Amazing camera work and lighting, a great performance from Catherine Deneuve and great set design. Walls are twisted and pull away, occasionally closing in and sprouting arms. David Lynch was taking notes.

Echos of Hour of the Wolf as well, which came out a few years later. I wonder if Bergman is a Polanski fan?

any of these films would serve you well Oct. 31st, or any night.