IMDb > Le locataire (1976)
Le locataire
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Le locataire (1976) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.8/10   8,755 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
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Director:
Writers:
Gérard Brach (writer)
Roman Polanski (writer)
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Tenant on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
11 June 1976 (USA) more
Tagline:
How could he escape from his nightmares?
Plot:
A quiet and inconspicuous man (Trelkovsky) rents an apartment in France where the previous tenant committed suicide... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(14 articles)
Full of the strange
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 5 December 2009, 4:09 PM, PST)

Horror Hero Sam Raimi Reveals His Favorite Scary Movies For Halloween
 (From MTV Movies Blog. 29 October 2009, 10:00 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
Brilliant psychological horror! more (100 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Roman Polanski ... Trelkovsky

Isabelle Adjani ... Stella

Melvyn Douglas ... Monsieur Zy
Jo Van Fleet ... Madame Dioz
Bernard Fresson ... Scope
Lila Kedrova ... Madame Gaderian
Claude Dauphin ... Husband at the accident
Claude Piéplu ... Neighbor (as Claude Pieplu)
Rufus ... Georges Badar
Romain Bouteille ... Simon
Jacques Monod ... Cafe Owner
Patrice Alexsandre ... Robert
Jean-Pierre Bagot ... Policeman
Josiane Balasko ... Office Worker
Michel Blanc ... Scope's Neighbor
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Tenant (USA)
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Runtime:
126 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Along with Repulsion (1965) and Rosemary's Baby (1968) this film is part of a loose trilogy by Roman Polanski dealing with the horrors faced by apartment/city dwellers. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Trelkovsky arrives at his apartment after purchasing a wig and a pair of women's shoes; the wig he removes from his bag is a short dark-brown wig, but he bought a long, light-brown colored wig. more
Quotes:
Stella: Why don't you take your tie off? You look like you're choking to death.
Trelkovsky: I found a tooth in my apartment. It was in a hole.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Toolbox Murders (2003) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
55 out of 62 people found the following comment useful.
Brilliant psychological horror!, 4 March 2006
10/10

Roman Polanski is considered as one of the most important directors of our time, as the mind behind classics such as "Rosemary's Baby" and "Chinatown". Probably what makes Polanski's cinema a very interesting one is the fact that while he is capable of creating commercially attractive films such as the afore mentioned masterpieces, he is also fond of making low-key movies that are of a more personal nature. "Le Locataire", or "The Tenant", is one of those movies; a horror/suspense story about paranoia and obsession that is among his best works and probably among the best horror movies ever done.

Polanski himself plays Telkovsky, a young man looking for an apartment in France. When he finally finds one, he discovers that it is empty because the previous tenant, Simone Choule, attempted to kill herself by jumping out of the window. After Simone dies of the injuries, Trelkovsky begins to become obsessed with her, to the point of believing that her death was caused by the rest of the tenants in the building.

While sharing the same claustrophobic feeling of his other "apartment-themed" films ("Repulsion & "Rosemary's Baby"); this film focuses on the bizarre conspiracy that may or may not be entirely in Trelkovsky's head, the catastrophic effects the paranoia has on his mind, and the bizarre obsession he has with the previous tenant.

Trelkovsky's descend into darkness is portrayed perfectly by Polanski. While at first his performance seems odd and wooden, slowly one finds out that Polanski acts that way because Trelkovsky is meant to be acted that way; as a simpleton with almost no life, who traps himself in this maddening sub-world that happens to be inhabited by a collection of bizarre people. The supporting actors really gave life to the people in the building creating memorable characters that are very important for the success of the film.

Also, the beautiful cinematography Polanski employs in the film helps to increase the feeling of isolation, and gives life to the beautiful building that serves as cage for Trelkovsky. The haunting images Polanski uses to convey the feeling of confusion and madness are of a supernatural beauty that makes them both frightening and attractive.

If a flaw is to be found in the film, is that it is definitely a bit slow at first. this may sound like a turn-off but in fact the slow pace of the beginning works perfectly as it mimics Trelkovsky's own boring life and how gradually he enters a different realm. Also, the convoluted storyline is definitely not an easy one to understand due to the many complex layers it has. However, more than a flaw, it is a joy to face a thought-provoking plot like this one.

While "The Tenant" may not be for everyone, those interested in psychological horror and surreal story lines will be pleased by the experience. "Le Locataire" is really one of Roman Polanksi's masterpieces. 10/10

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Le locataire (1976)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Huge Disappointment mnewlands
Original language? JayBee-66
Was polanski in gauze in the first hospital scene? egosheep
The ending SPOILERS mv_mc
Which Kung-fu movie? jahsonic
Anyone find Polanski VERY attractive as Trelkovsky? Pearl_Jade
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