Repulsion
Encyclopedia
Repulsion is a 1965 British psychological thriller
film directed by Roman Polanski
, based on a scenario by Gérard Brach
and Roman Polanski. It was Polanski's first English language
film, and was shot in Britain
, as such being his second film made outside his native Poland
. The cast includes Catherine Deneuve
, Ian Hendry
, John Fraser
and Yvonne Furneaux
. Polanski himself makes a cameo as a spoon player in a trio of street buskers.
) is a young Belgian
manicurist
who lives in Kensington
, London
, with her sister Helen (Yvonne Furneaux
). Carol seems shy and interacts with men awkwardly. When Helen leaves on a holiday to Italy
with her married boyfriend, Michael (Ian Hendry
), Carol appears distracted at work, refuses to leave her apartment, leaves a raw, skinned rabbit out to rot, and sees hallucinations, first of the walls cracking, then reaching out with hands to grab and attack her, and finally of a man breaking in and raping
her.
When Colin (John Fraser
), a would-be suitor whom she has rejected, breaks into the flat, she bludgeons him to death with a candlestick and dumps the body into the overflowing bath. Later, the landlord (Patrick Wymark
) arrives for the late rent. Carol pays him and at first just sits on the sofa, staring into space, as he remarks on the state of the apartment and gives her water to drink. But when he tries to force himself on her, she slashes him to death with a straight razor
.
When Helen returns, she discovers the dead men's bodies and finds Carol hidden under her bed. Carol appears catatonic
. As neighbours arrive and call for help, the camera slowly pans to a family photograph on the mantel
, zooming in on Carol's face as a child. Her eyes are riveted to the man next to her, and she appears to be afraid of him.
(1968) and The Tenant
(Le Locataire, 1976).
The film is shot in black and white, increasingly adopting the perspective of its protagonist. The dream sequences are particularly intense.
in 1965, Repulsion won both the FIPRESCI Prize and the Silver Berlin Bear-Extraordinary Jury Prize
. The film paved the way for Polanski's entry into the cinemas of Western Europe and drew attention to Catherine Deneuve with her performance.
The film currently holds 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
and it is widely considered as a classic of the psychological thriller genre.
Psychological thriller
Psychological thriller is a specific sub-genre of the broad ranged thriller with heavy focus on characters. However, it often incorporates elements from the mystery and drama genre, along with the typical traits of the thriller genre...
film directed by Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers."...
, based on a scenario by Gérard Brach
Gérard Brach
Gérard Brach was a French screenwriter best known for his collaborations with the film directors Roman Polanski and Jean-Jacques Annaud...
and Roman Polanski. It was Polanski's first English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
film, and was shot in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, as such being his second film made outside his native Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. The cast includes Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
, Ian Hendry
Ian Hendry
Ian Hendry was an English film and television actor. He is best known for his work on several British TV series of the early 1960s such as The Avengers, and for his roles in 1970s films such as Get Carter .-Career:Hendry was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and educated at Culford School...
, John Fraser
John Fraser (actor)
-External links:* http://www.johnfraser.org/...
and Yvonne Furneaux
Yvonne Furneaux
Yvonne Furneaux is a French film actress.-Personal life:Yvonne Furneax started her acting career in England in 1952. At first she started with a few minor productions...
. Polanski himself makes a cameo as a spoon player in a trio of street buskers.
Plot
Carole Ledoux (Catherine DeneuveCatherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
) is a young Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
manicurist
Manicure
A manicure is a cosmetic beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands performed at home or in a nail salon. A manicure treatment is not only a treatment for the natural nails but also for the hands. A manicure consists of filing, shaping of the free edge, treatments, massage of the hand and the...
who lives in Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, with her sister Helen (Yvonne Furneaux
Yvonne Furneaux
Yvonne Furneaux is a French film actress.-Personal life:Yvonne Furneax started her acting career in England in 1952. At first she started with a few minor productions...
). Carol seems shy and interacts with men awkwardly. When Helen leaves on a holiday to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
with her married boyfriend, Michael (Ian Hendry
Ian Hendry
Ian Hendry was an English film and television actor. He is best known for his work on several British TV series of the early 1960s such as The Avengers, and for his roles in 1970s films such as Get Carter .-Career:Hendry was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and educated at Culford School...
), Carol appears distracted at work, refuses to leave her apartment, leaves a raw, skinned rabbit out to rot, and sees hallucinations, first of the walls cracking, then reaching out with hands to grab and attack her, and finally of a man breaking in and raping
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
her.
When Colin (John Fraser
John Fraser (actor)
-External links:* http://www.johnfraser.org/...
), a would-be suitor whom she has rejected, breaks into the flat, she bludgeons him to death with a candlestick and dumps the body into the overflowing bath. Later, the landlord (Patrick Wymark
Patrick Wymark
Patrick Wymark , was a British, stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Born Patrick Carl Cheeseman in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England...
) arrives for the late rent. Carol pays him and at first just sits on the sofa, staring into space, as he remarks on the state of the apartment and gives her water to drink. But when he tries to force himself on her, she slashes him to death with a straight razor
Straight razor
A straight razor is a razor with a blade that can fold into its handle. They are also called open razors and cut-throat razors.Although straight razors were once the principal method of manual shaving, they have been largely overshadowed by the safety razor, incorporating a disposable blade...
.
When Helen returns, she discovers the dead men's bodies and finds Carol hidden under her bed. Carol appears catatonic
Catatonia
Catatonia is a state of neurogenic motor immobility, and behavioral abnormality manifested by stupor. It was first described in 1874: Die Katatonie oder das Spannungsirresein ....
. As neighbours arrive and call for help, the camera slowly pans to a family photograph on the mantel
Mantel
Mantel is a municipality in the district of Neustadt in Bavaria in Germany....
, zooming in on Carol's face as a child. Her eyes are riveted to the man next to her, and she appears to be afraid of him.
Cast
- Catherine DeneuveCatherine DeneuveCatherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
as Carole Ledoux - Yvonne FurneauxYvonne FurneauxYvonne Furneaux is a French film actress.-Personal life:Yvonne Furneax started her acting career in England in 1952. At first she started with a few minor productions...
as Hélène/Helen Ledoux - Ian HendryIan HendryIan Hendry was an English film and television actor. He is best known for his work on several British TV series of the early 1960s such as The Avengers, and for his roles in 1970s films such as Get Carter .-Career:Hendry was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and educated at Culford School...
as Michael - John FraserJohn Fraser (actor)-External links:* http://www.johnfraser.org/...
as Colin - Patrick WymarkPatrick WymarkPatrick Wymark , was a British, stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Born Patrick Carl Cheeseman in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England...
as Landlord - Renee HoustonRenee HoustonRenée Houston was a Scottish comedy actor and revue artist who appeared in television and film roles.Born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, as Katherina Houston Gibbin, she toured music halls and revue with her sister Billie Houston as the Houston Sisters.In 1926, the sisters made a short musical film,...
as Miss Balch - Valerie TaylorValerie Taylor (actress)Valerie Taylor was an English actress. She was married the actor Hugh Sinclair.-Partial filmography:* Berkeley Square * Designing Women * Went the Day Well?...
as Madame Denise - James VilliersJames VilliersJames Michael Hyde Villiers was a British character actor and a familiar face on British television...
as John - Helen FraserHelen FraserHelen Fraser is an English actress, a familiar face in many television comedies and dramas from the early 1960s to the present. She is now living in Halesworth, Suffolk.-Career:...
as Bridget - Hugh FutcherHugh FutcherHugh Futcher is an English actor in theatre, television, and film. He was a member of the stock company of the Carry On films, with notable parts in Carry On Spying, Carry On At Your Convenience, and Carry On Behind...
as Reggie - Monica Merlin as Mrs. Rendlesham
- Imogen Graham as Manicurist
- Mike Pratt as Workman
Imagery
Repulsion is the first of Polanski's "apartment trilogy" (the other two being Rosemary's BabyRosemary's Baby (film)
Rosemary's Baby is a 1968 American horror film written and directed by Roman Polanski, based on the bestselling 1967 novel Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin...
(1968) and The Tenant
The Tenant
The Tenant is a 1976 psychological thriller/horror film directed by and starring Roman Polanski based upon the 1964 novel Le locataire chimérique by Roland Topor. It is also known under the French title Le Locataire. It co-stars actress Isabelle Adjani. It is the last film in Polanski's "Apartment...
(Le Locataire, 1976).
The film is shot in black and white, increasingly adopting the perspective of its protagonist. The dream sequences are particularly intense.
Awards and reception
At the 15th Berlin International Film Festival15th Berlin International Film Festival
The 15th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 25 to July 6, 1965.-Jury:* John Gillett * Alexander Kluge* Ely Azeredo* Monique Berger* Kyushiro Kusakabe* Jerry Bresler* Karena Niehoff* Hans Jürgen Pohland...
in 1965, Repulsion won both the FIPRESCI Prize and the Silver Berlin Bear-Extraordinary Jury Prize
Jury Grand Prix
The Jury Grand Prix is a Silver Bear award given by the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival to one of the feature films in competition...
. The film paved the way for Polanski's entry into the cinemas of Western Europe and drew attention to Catherine Deneuve with her performance.
The film currently holds 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
and it is widely considered as a classic of the psychological thriller genre.
Similar works
- Rosemary's BabyRosemary's Baby (film)Rosemary's Baby is a 1968 American horror film written and directed by Roman Polanski, based on the bestselling 1967 novel Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin...
(1968), by Roman Polanski - The TenantThe TenantThe Tenant is a 1976 psychological thriller/horror film directed by and starring Roman Polanski based upon the 1964 novel Le locataire chimérique by Roland Topor. It is also known under the French title Le Locataire. It co-stars actress Isabelle Adjani. It is the last film in Polanski's "Apartment...
- (Le Locataire) (1976), by Roman Polanski - πPi (film)Pi, also titled ,WorldCat gives the title as [Pi] and provides a note which states, "Title is the mathematical symbol for Pi." . Amazon gives the title as Pi with no notation concerning the math symbol . is a 1998 American psychological thriller film written and directed by Darren Aronofsky...
(1998), by Darren AronofskyDarren AronofskyDarren Aronofsky is an American film director, screenwriter and film producer. He attended Harvard University to study film theory and the American Film Institute to study both live-action and animation filmmaking...
, alludes to the film, and Aronofsky's Black SwanBlack Swan (film)Black Swan is a 2010 American psychological thriller film directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel and Mila Kunis. Its plot revolves around a production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake ballet by a prestigious New York City company. The production requires a ballerina to...
(2010) certainly contains thematic allusions to it. - MayMay (film)May is a 2002 American horror film. It stars Angela Bettis, Anna Faris, and Jeremy Sisto, and was written and directed by Lucky McKee.-Plot:...
(2002), by Lucky McKeeLucky McKeeEdward Lucky McKee is an American director, writer, and actor, largely known for the 2002 film May, which has acquired a cult following.-Biography:...
, was heavily influenced by the film, and has a similar motif of the protagonist's apartment mirroring her mental state. - ScissorsScissors (film)Scissors is a psychological thriller released in 1991. The film is directed by Frank de Felitta and stars Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox, and Steve Railsback.-Synopsis:...
(1991), by Frank De Felitta and starring Sharon StoneSharon StoneSharon Vonne Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She achieved international recognition for her role in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct...
as a paranoid woman trapped in a mysterious apartment. - Music videos for The CardigansThe CardigansThe Cardigans are a Swedish rock band formed in the town of Jönköping in October 1992.Their debut album Emmerdale gave them a solid base in their home country and enjoyed some success abroad, especially in Japan. It was not until their second album Life that an international reputation was secured...
' "Hanging Around" and MetricMetric (band)Metric is a Canadian indie rock and New Wave band founded in 1998 in Toronto. The band has also at various times been based in Montreal, London, New York City and Los Angeles...
's "Monster Hospital" were directly inspired by the film.