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(Taken from my blog at http://ryanestabrooks.com)

Roman Polanski is probably most known for his hit film, Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown and his even more-recent hit, The Pianist, which won Oscars for Polanski (Best Director), Ronald Harwood (Best Screenplay) and Adrien Brody Best Actor. The one film out of Roman Polanski’s entire filmography that I believe deserves more attention would definitely have to be Repulsion, Polanksi’s first English-language film.

I should start off by saying that although the horror genre is one of my favorites, it is increasingly hard for me to find great horror films. Too many movies in this particular genre focus on scares and cheap thrills, eschewing carefully crafted writing in favor of unnecessary violence and gore that adds nothing to the film in the long run. I lean towards horror films that place an emphasis on story and character, building a house from a foundation and then tearing it down one bloody floor after the next. Repulsion fits this mold and allows itself to explore that house in a twisted, psychological sense.

French mega-star Catherine Deneuve plays Carole, who comes to England to house sit for her sister’s apartment while her and her boyfriend go out on a trip. When you first encounter Carole, you can tell that something is a bit off with her, but nothing too alarming. She seems like a bit of a recluse who suffers from paranoia, firing off twitchy glances left and right, unsure of the environments around her and even more suspicious of the people who populate said places.

How she ended up the way she is shown is never really explained, which ends up being one of the film’s strengths. Roman Polanski makes the very-wise choice in never succumbing to over-explaining things here, which can be another thorn in the side of modern horror films. It allows you to empathize with her in a weird way; you may not completely understand why she acts the way she does but you sense that there’s a very good reason for this. Her brittle state of mind serves as the launchpad for the stratosphere that the film is catapulted into.

As Carole spends more and more time holed up in this apartment, her mental state deteriorates. At first, she is being courted by men who wish to date her (which is where part of the Repulsion of the title comes to mind) which she vehemently rejects but turns deadly when she lashes out at almost any and everyone she encounters. On top of that, she starts to feel as if she is being watched and the cracks in the walls of the apartment begin to take a life of their own. Her environment slowly becomes her enemy and, as a viewer, we aren’t completely sure as to what is real and what isn’t.

The brilliance of the film is that by placing us so firmly with her character, we experience this psychosis with her. The viewer isn’t merely a spectator but becomes a victim of her psychosis. It is a film that, as it unfolds, may make you question your own sanity, your own state of mental being. There are definitely a few twists and scares thrown in but the meat of this film revolves around a downward spiral into uncertainty of the mind. The horror comes from not just the actions you see in the film but from examining your own consciousness. Any time a piece of art pits you against yourself, you know your in the midst of something very special.

When the film was over, I kept thinking about how people let one bad experience in life loom largely over their future decisions which can ultimately hurt themselves along with others around them. A traumatic event is never easy to shake off but where do you draw the line when this event causes you to refuse to communicate with others, seclude yourself and become completely unsociable? At what point do we step in and try and help out a friend who is obviously having trouble seeing the world is it truly can be, beyond the devils potentially lurking in the shadows? At what point is paranoia simply paranoia? This film definitely has a lot to offer for the mind, the soul, and the part of us that likes to be frightened by horror films; a genuine triple threat that rises above the trappings that could have weighed it down. Repulsion is my favorite horror film of all time and if you give it a chance, it may possibly become yours as well.

An excellent psychological thriller from Polanski. There is not much fault you can find with the movie. It has all the right elements and even more that Polanski successfully uses to create the thrills. The main problem is that the movie remains a great thriller and doesn’t go beyond its genre definitions which is why movies like Vertigo are immortal. Unfortunately, this movie failed to reach that level of greatness and I wouldn’t feel like watching it again. Nevertheless, kudos to Catherine Deneuve for her brilliant performance!

Although there were many beautiful things about this Film, Repulsion was deeply flawed in my eyes. The cinematography was absolutely breath taking, and the vibrant 1960s style was leaving me with a desire to see more, but unfortunately, I didn’t see much of anything but Catherine Denevue’s floral print dress. Her acting was great, and she really brought out the child in her character, touching everything, fearing everything, and it really tickled me to see her go from meager to femme fatale in a matter of minutes. The only other thing I was really impressed with was Polanski’s brilliantly blurred line between dreams and reality through the development of Catherine’s obsessive compulsive disorder. I loved the end frame as well, where it reveals what the family portrait was really saying. Repulsion fell short on entertainment, though. Most of the Film was void of dialogue, scenery, action of any kind, and I found myself sitting there wondering how long I’d been sitting in silence. The points of horror were, well- horrifying, but they didn’t kick in until about the last twenty-five minutes. I love Polanski and his vision as an artist, but I wasn’t impressed with this feature.

Though not talked of much these days Repulsion remains one of the greatest of all horror movies. This movie really puts the viewer through a supremely hypnotic and unsettling experience, to say the least. Everyone I know who has had the good fortune to have stumbled across this one in a video store or on television late at night have nothing but high praise for it. There is always a bit of surprise (I certainly felt it the first time I saw Repulsion) that the movie is as good as it is and as creepy and scary. The surprise is justified and the only reason for it not being a “recognized classic” is probably nothing more than the fact that not many people have discovered it. Just bad luck for the movie I guess. I think it ranks comfortably up there along other greats such as Hitchcock’s Psycho and Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom. Repulsion is, along with Rosemary’s Baby a few years later, the standout movie of Roman Polanski’s pre-Chinatown career. So, if you haven’t seen Repulsion then watch it. You will not feel good afterwards but thats the fun of the movie. The last shot in the film, simple as it is, remains on of the most disturbing I’ve ever seen. The whole movie leaves a lasting impression and you aren’t likely to forget this one once you do see it!

The thing I liked the most is the rythm it takes to tell us the story. As on hitchcock’s suspense, there are few moments of disturbing imagery, paced with longer takes on the ineraction between Deneuve and the rest of the people around her. Long takes when actually nothing happens, but sudden movement of the camera and fast cuts when the terror begins. The cinema verité style also gives an special touch to what it’ss telling us, therefore things such as Deneuve walking in circles in front of the door, when the guy who likes her is outside, doesn’t seem ridiculous, the way it would if it was an open shot. I loved it when the Landord gives Deneuve a glass of water. You can actually see, minutes before being murdered, the way a shadow of his own seems like sort of a giant razor penetrating his body, just as if it was a premonition of what’s about to happen to him.

A risky project by Polanski and also a one that convinces us of the magic behind suspense, opposite to the gorier flicks we were about to see years later on cinema.

Repulsion draws you in right from the beginning with a very unsettling opening title sequence of the lead character Carol’s eye. From there on, you cascade into the realm of insanity in a very unique way with our leading lady, sensing her fear and confusion with each passing minute. While I don’t think Repulsion is a perfect horror film, especially concerning the strange jazzy score and some of the awkward cuts, it did effectively creep me out. I’ve gotta say, Polanski has a real talent for catching you off guard, something that I think most modern horror films have been imitating ever since. All in all, a really solid horror film that will at least get under your skin and stay there for a while.

I had expected the film to look and feel dated, and was pleasantly surprised on both counts. Catherine Deneuve, in her first English role, breaks down before our very eyes with a magnificent performance that both engages and disgusts (you might even say repulses)? The film runs at a slow burn while continually ratcheting up the tension through a mix of brilliant sound design, invasive camera work and nightmarish hallucinations. While not for everyone, I highly recommend Repulsion.

After I was finally able to watch this film and not marvel solely at the natural beauty of Catherine Deneuve, I discovered a true gem of a picture. The lighting most impressed me along with the eerie and effective ‘ambient’ sounds. I almost forgot that there was a story and the dialogue is quite forgettable. This is a film of one young woman’s journey into insanity and Polanski takes us along for a delicious ride.
I have a memory of my mother telling me how much she disliked this film, especially Mlle. Deneuve. Thank goodness I grew into a film lover able to see beyond the surface and appreciate an actor’s ability to take direction—-and in Repulsion, Catherine Deneuve acquits herself admirably; proving that she was so much more than a pretty face.
The Blu-ray edition of this film has been exquisitely restored to its contrast-rich, B&W glory.
Highly recommended.

As far as Roman Polanski is concerned, he may be a bit overrated. Chinatown is a fantastic film and The Pianist is pretty good, but beyond that, i have yet to really get into any of his other films. this is due to the fact that his films take so long to get into and often end with what is supposed to be a shocking conclusion, but for me, these ends never justify the means. Repulsion is very similar in structure, to Rosemary’s baby (a film in which i tolerated but was disappointed in) by which you follow a female who seems to be on an island on her own, goes through some strange metamorphosis and ends up committing some or experiencing some sort of atrocity. I give Polanski a small pass for this being his first film, but the first 3/4 of the film were soooo boring. i understand it was to build character, but unless the audience member is an idiot, you can tell pretty quickly that Carol is a loner and has some sort of screw loose. i don’t mind character development, and usually look forward to it, but the development succeeded in the, at least, first half hour. the rest was just repetitive drivel. because of this slow craw, the supposed to be, shock ending had little affect on me.