Review of Repulsion (1965) by Craig T — 28 Mar 2012

What can I say about Roman Polanski? Both his personal life and professional life have been widely publicized (and scrutinized) over the last several decades. Nevertheless, the world of cinema has been granted access to the razor sharp mind of the controversial director, and Repulsion is definitely one of his most captivating features. We are invited to walk along with Carole (Catherine Deneuve) as she slips further and further into her dark realm of paranoia and personal prison. The approach and attention to detail supports an intriguing premise and Polanski somehow captures the unraveling beauty with perfect accuracy. However, this is not a neat, clean study of human frailty. No, this film goes deep into a violent, psychological dimension that we are both unfamiliar with and completely unprepared for. I can't help thinking that if Bergman's Persona and Aronofsky's Black Swan had a lovechild, her name might be Repulsion.

Carole is a rather homely, yet attractive young lady. She is shy, polite, and oddly unattached to others around her. Her distracted nature ultimately sets the stage for a mental breakdown that is brought about by social pressures and inabilities to cope. Any sexual activity around her makes her nauseous and the young man who is trying to date her only makes matters worse. She cringes and turns away at his every advance. Carole is like a glass vase on the edge of the table while people are rushing by and unknowingly pushing her over the edge. Once her sister, who is also her roommate, leaves for a vacation with her boyfriend, Carole is all alone with her demons. Now, the hallucinations take over and her fears seize the last remaining bits of sanity. Carol is about to lose her ground and reach her breaking point with destructive consequences. Watch closely as Carole shatters.

Repulsion is one of the most chilling psychological thrillers I've ever had the pleasure to see. This film is a triumphant and monumental achievement on every conceivable level. Catherine Deneuve is priceless in her uninhibited portrayal of the girl next door who falls victim to her own worst nightmares then lashes out in brutal defense. Her ability to absorb the screenplay and vision is incomparable and I see this as a rare moment in cinema. The isolation and eerie nature is almost too much to handle but it is all a necessary evil to systematically build up the ultimate climax. Once the stage is set and the finale starts, it relentlessly attacks our senses with shocking imagery and stains our memory with its rage. What sets this thriller apart from the rest is that fine acting and creative ideas are only the beginning, there is a secret ingredient. There is that "special something" that grabs us by the collar and drags us into the story like a victim of its psychosis. What is that "special something"? Whatever it is, Polanski captured it and Repulsion is glowing with it. (A+).