Repulsion

Repulsion, a 1965 psychological horror thriller directed by the acclaimed Roman Polanski, is a movie that brilliantly portrays a woman's descent into madness. With phenomenal performances from the lead actress Catherine Deneuve as well as Ian Hendry and John Fraser, the film was the first English-language project of Polanski.

In Repulsion, Catherine Deneuve gives a masterly performance as Carol Ledoux, a manicurist living in London with her older sister Helen, played by Yvonne Furneaux. Carol is a beautiful young woman who is intensely private and almost eerily quiet. The movie explores her subjective reality and growing signs of mental disturbance as it unfurls within her apartment.

The film speaks volumes about the vulnerability of women, the isolation experienced in urban settings, and the often-tenuous grip that individuals can have on their sanity. As Carol finds herself increasingly alone with her neuroses in the apartment, we get to experience her psychological meltdown in a direct and visceral manner.

Carol is portrayed as a shy, reserved girl with a particular unease around men, represented by the lecherous admirers at her work and Helen's brash, overbearing boyfriend Michael, effortlessly played by Ian Hendry. She's not very good at social interactions and goes through her days with a palpable sense of unease and timidity. Carol's ambiguous relationship with her sexual desires and her violent paranoia about sexual exploitation is a recurring motif in the movie and leaves the audience with a morbid fascination.

Repulsion's experimental narrative structure and distinct cinematography thrust audiences into Carol's disoriented state of mind. Polanski expertly uses the camera to mirror Carol's mental breakdown. The apartment shifts from being a reality-set physical space into a potent symbol of Carol's disturbed psyche. Walls crack, hands reach out of nowhere, and everyday objects appear sinister in the elongated shadows. This intense connection between Carol's inner psyche and the physical space around her offers the audience a disturbingly vivid view of her fear and paranoia.

Catherine Deneuve's extraordinary performance is the magnet that holds the movie together. Her portrayal of a woman gradually losing her mind was widely appreciated and added much depth to her character. Her sense of vulnerability and detachment enhances the haunting and ominous atmosphere of the film.

John Fraser portrays the role of Colin, an ardent suitor of Carol, who's infatuated with her. Fraser brings a sense of innocence and a stark contrast to the unfeeling world around Carol. His performance adds a much-needed breath of humanity and relatability to the intense story.

The film also boasts a startling soundtrack by Chico Hamilton, which enhances the movie's mood of escalating menace. Hamilton's score, filled with percussion, wind instruments, and trilling strings, leaves a chilling effect. The dizzying camera techniques, disconcerting angles, and unconventional sound effects all serve to create a haunting piece of cinema that remains ingrained in the memory.

Despite its dark subject matter, Repulsion is not without its own satirical elements. Polanski occasionally uses dark humor to venture into the movie’s bleak and harrowing narrative. This not only relieves tension but also shows his lasting talent as a director, balancing tension and release, horror, and humor.

Repulsion is certainly not a film for the faint of heart. The movie is more psychological than it is a horror, focusing on the impressionistic rendering of Carol's terrifying hallucinations. Still, it never resorts to cheap jump scares or gratuitous violence to evoke fear. Instead, it's a profound exploration of a mind's slow and steady topple over the brink, represented through surreal visuals and a deeply effective narrative.

Roman Polanski’s Repulsion is indeed a classic film from the 1960s, with its uncomfortably visceral representation of a nervous breakdown. The film’s moody black-and-white cinematography, combined with the weight of Catherine Deneuve’s captivating performance, truly settles it into its own niche of a psychological horror. As one of Polanski’s most distinct early works, this film provides a grim and fascinating exploration of paranoia and mental disintegration; a poignant testimony to his cinematic genius.