Running Time: 104 minutes
Directed By: Roman Polanski
Written By: Gerard Brach, Roman Polanski, David Stone
Main Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, John Fraser, Yvonne Furneaux
Note: I'm going to try to tinker with the format of my reviews a little bit and make it a little bit easier on myself to bang them out. Instead of writing a plot synopsis, I'm going to attach a trailer for the film (when I can find one) and focus more on my actual opinion of the movie. I hope you like the new format and for all you reading this, please give me a little feedback, because I can always switch back to the old way of doing things.
REPULSION - APTLY NAMED
I'll start out by saying that I didn't care too much for "Repulsion" at all. Now before you go attacking me for being too close minded to find something a little different from the norm' a good thing, I'll say that I, in most cases, enjoy it when a filmmaker tries for something a little different and thinks outside the box. There was certainly an idea festering in there somewhere, beneath the mostly boring, monotonous plot. I like the idea of having a person who isn't all together there, being locked in an apartment, by herself for a few days and seeing what plays out. However, this film didn't intrigue me that much, and when you're going to think outside the box and do something a little off the wall, then certainly the first element you need is intrigue. I'm not sure if the Polanski fan in me was just expecting something more, as I have never seen this film, prior to tonight. I can't decide whether Deneuve was brilliant as the obviously mental ill loner or if her character was just really annoying and I'm leaning more toward the latter, as that was yet another element that I think was missing here, is that I didn't really care for these characters (or character, as this is pretty much a one woman show) and thus didn't care what happened to them/her.
I really have a love/hate relationship with Polanski's work, as I either seem to love the film or really despise it. On one hand you have the man who made classics like: Rosemary's Baby, The Pianist and Knife in the Water and on the other hand that same man directed The Tenant and now, Repulsion. And speaking of "Knife in the Water", I've always scratched my head and wondered why that beautiful film wasn't included in the "1001" book, and now I scratch even harder, as "Repulsion" could've easily been omitted for a better, more subtle, classic like "Knife in the Water".
With all that being said, I have this sneaking suspicion that someday, a very long time from now I'm going to think about "Repulsion" and say to myself "You know that wasn't half bad, maybe I should give it another go", and maybe...just maybe, then I'll see the greatness that Polanski intended.
RATING: 3.5/10 I gave it a few notches for innovation, unique camera angles, sound, score and for brief moments of interest, but really that's as high as I can go, in good conscience.
MOVIES WATCHED: 146
MOVIES LEFT TO WATCH: 855
September 18, 2010 2:43am
Directed By: Roman Polanski
Written By: Gerard Brach, Roman Polanski, David Stone
Main Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, John Fraser, Yvonne Furneaux
Note: I'm going to try to tinker with the format of my reviews a little bit and make it a little bit easier on myself to bang them out. Instead of writing a plot synopsis, I'm going to attach a trailer for the film (when I can find one) and focus more on my actual opinion of the movie. I hope you like the new format and for all you reading this, please give me a little feedback, because I can always switch back to the old way of doing things.
REPULSION - APTLY NAMED
I'll start out by saying that I didn't care too much for "Repulsion" at all. Now before you go attacking me for being too close minded to find something a little different from the norm' a good thing, I'll say that I, in most cases, enjoy it when a filmmaker tries for something a little different and thinks outside the box. There was certainly an idea festering in there somewhere, beneath the mostly boring, monotonous plot. I like the idea of having a person who isn't all together there, being locked in an apartment, by herself for a few days and seeing what plays out. However, this film didn't intrigue me that much, and when you're going to think outside the box and do something a little off the wall, then certainly the first element you need is intrigue. I'm not sure if the Polanski fan in me was just expecting something more, as I have never seen this film, prior to tonight. I can't decide whether Deneuve was brilliant as the obviously mental ill loner or if her character was just really annoying and I'm leaning more toward the latter, as that was yet another element that I think was missing here, is that I didn't really care for these characters (or character, as this is pretty much a one woman show) and thus didn't care what happened to them/her.
I really have a love/hate relationship with Polanski's work, as I either seem to love the film or really despise it. On one hand you have the man who made classics like: Rosemary's Baby, The Pianist and Knife in the Water and on the other hand that same man directed The Tenant and now, Repulsion. And speaking of "Knife in the Water", I've always scratched my head and wondered why that beautiful film wasn't included in the "1001" book, and now I scratch even harder, as "Repulsion" could've easily been omitted for a better, more subtle, classic like "Knife in the Water".
With all that being said, I have this sneaking suspicion that someday, a very long time from now I'm going to think about "Repulsion" and say to myself "You know that wasn't half bad, maybe I should give it another go", and maybe...just maybe, then I'll see the greatness that Polanski intended.
RATING: 3.5/10 I gave it a few notches for innovation, unique camera angles, sound, score and for brief moments of interest, but really that's as high as I can go, in good conscience.
MOVIES WATCHED: 146
MOVIES LEFT TO WATCH: 855
September 18, 2010 2:43am
Ah, Mr Polanski.. usually so easy to divide the Us from the Europeans in opinions.. but I'm with you on this one... And 'Kife in..' is, as you say, so much better. (It is in Halliwells top 1000) Not seen 'The tennant'. Loved 'Rosemary's..' Have you seen 'Ghost' yet? (I think 'Ghost writer' in the US?) Wow!
ReplyDeleteHave yet to see "The Ghost Writer", but definitely want to. Despite some non-stellar reviews, I still like him and the films of his that I like...I really like.
ReplyDelete