Repulsion (1965)

A sex-repulsed woman who disapproves of her sister's boyfriend sinks into depression and has horrific visions of rape and violence.

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Roman Polanski (original screenplay), Gérard Brach (original screenplay) (as Gerard Brach)

Stars:

Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, John Fraser

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Catherine Deneuve	...	Carol
Ian Hendry	...	Michael
John Fraser	...	Colin
Yvonne Furneaux	...	Helen
Patrick Wymark	...	Landlord
Renee Houston	...	Miss Balch
Valerie Taylor	...	Madame Denise
James Villiers	...	John
Helen Fraser	...	Bridget
Hugh Futcher	...	Reggie
Monica Merlin	...	Mrs. Rendlesham
Imogen Graham	...	Manicurist
Mike Pratt	...	Workman

Storyline

In London, Belgian immigrant Carol Ledoux shares an apartment with her older sister Helen, and works as a manicurist at a beauty salon. Helen uses the word "sensitive" to describe Carol's overall demeanor, which is almost like she walks around in a daze, rarely speaking up about anything. When she does speak up, it generally is about something against one of those few issues on which she obsesses, such as Helen's boyfriend Michael's invasion of her space at the apartment. That specific issue may be more about men in general than just Michael's actions, as witnessed by Carol being agitated by hearing Helen and Michael's lovemaking, and she not being able to rebuff the advances effectively of a male suitor, Colin, who is infatuated with her. One of those other obsessive issues is noticing cracks and always wanting to fix them. While Helen and Michael leave on a vacation to Pisa, Italy, Carol chooses largely to lock herself in the apartment, ditching work. There, she is almost hypnotized...

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Plot Keywords:

female protagonist | mental illness | hallucination | delusion | fear of sex | 

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Taglines:

From the Award-Winning Director of "Knife In the Water"

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Catherine Deneuve claimed that in actuality, she and Carol have very different personalities.

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Goofs

The position between shots of the telephone and the envelope changes when Carol picks up the rabbit and goes to answer the phone.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mrs. Rendlesham: Have you fallen asleep?
Carol: Oh, I'm sorry.
Mrs. Rendlesham: I think you must be in love or something.

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Alternate Versions

Entertainment Programs Inc. DVD release only runs 100 minutes (despite the 105 minute running time listed on the package).

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Connections

Referenced in The Watermelon Woman (1996)

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Soundtracks

Seduzione Al Buio
Written, Arranged and Conducted by John Scott
Performed by John Scott and Chico Hamilton

User Reviews

a truly psychotic picture- one of Polanski's best

Sometimes not saying anything in a horror movie, and letting a character lose his/her mind in a setting can really get the goosebumps going, more so than with the recent 'shockers' of late that all seem to take place within a haunted house or have some kind of ghostly secret. The most frightening thing about Repulsion, Roman Polanski's first film in English (and filmed in England) is that everything that can terrify the audience is within the lead character's mind. In this case, the young Catherine Deneuve plays Carole, a part-time manicurist who spends most of her time inside of her apartment she shares with her sister. Polanski piles on the atmosphere like fudge on a sundae- we literally get thrust inside of her mind as she goes into this down-ward spiral.

It would be one thing if the film was a great success just because of Polanski's tricks with adding true fear into the audience, but Deneuve is a big factor in this too. It may be a triumph of under-acting, or even over-acting from a point of view. All through the movie she plays her paranoia and sexual frustration (if not repression) almost like a kind of doll, following orders we can't quite understand. Sometimes she interacts or sees things that are strange (i.e. a cooked and eaten rabbit; the cracks in the walls springing up), but then as the film winds into its climax, she becomes perfected into this kind of traumatized, crazed creature. She is a beautiful person who plays a not too beautiful being, but she somehow pulls it off, even better than in her role in Belle du Jour. Bottom line, if you're tired of getting disappointed with the latest horror films where unexplained phenomena in a house terrorize its main character(s), take a look at this film and see if it will leave you when you're finished with it. A+

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 October 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

Repulsion

Filming Locations:

Thurloe Place, South Kensington, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$300,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$33,174

Company Credits

Production Co:

Compton Films, Tekli British Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1