Repulsion (re-release)

Name: Repulsion (re-release)
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Horror
Released: April 21, 2006
Duration: 105 min
Rating: 91
Cast: Catherine Deneuve

2006

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 8 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 92 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 92 Ratings

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Repulsion

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Movie Details & Credits

Royal Films International | Release Date: April 21, 2006 | Unrated

Starring: Catherine Deneuve

Summary: Roman Polanski followed up his international breakthrough Knife in the Water with this controversial tale of psychosis. Catherine Deneuve is Carol, a fragile, frigid young beauty cracking up in her London flat when left alone by her vacationing sister. She is soon haunted by specters real and imagined, and her insanity grows to a violent,Roman Polanski followed up his international breakthrough Knife in the Water with this controversial tale of psychosis. Catherine Deneuve is Carol, a fragile, frigid young beauty cracking up in her London flat when left alone by her vacationing sister. She is soon haunted by specters real and imagined, and her insanity grows to a violent, hysterical pitch. (The Criterion Collection)… Expand

Director: Roman Polanski

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Horror

Rating: Unrated

Runtime: 105 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Empire Kim Newman

If hell is in the details, Roman Polanski has captured it here in his disturbing portrait of falling into psychosis. Read full review

100

Marjorie Baumgarten

Repulsion's depiction of a young woman's dissolution into madness is one of the most harrowing mental descents ever depicted onscreen. (Reviewed 11/24/97) Read full review

100

Bosley Crowther

An absolute knockout of a movie in the psychological horror line has been accomplished by Roman Polanski in his first English-language film. (Review of Original Release) Read full review

100

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not credited)

Repulsion has often been compared to "Psycho," but Polanski's film, rather than presenting a portrait of a psychotic killer from outside, pulls the audience into the crazed individual's mind. (Review of Original Release) Read full review

100

Edward Guthmann

The cruelty of his methods aside -- and Polanski wasn't the first director to terrorize an actor for the sake of a performance -- Repulsion is a frightening, fiercely entertaining experience that holds up to time. (Review of May 1998 revival) Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Roman Polanski's first film in English (1965, 105 min.) is still his scariest and most disturbing--not only for its evocations of sexual panic, but also because his masterful employment of sound puts the audience's imagination to work in numerous ways...As narrative this works only part of the time, and as case study it may occasionally seem too pat, but as subjective nightmare it's a stunning piece of filmmaking. Read full review

Michael Atkinson

The movie's shake-and-bake mix of "reality" and crumbling subjectivity is too deliberate to be about character--it is, rather, a game of movieness, a masquerade of Grand Guignol–as-psyche, virtually a parody of the surrealist's notion of consciousness bagged and tagged on celluloid. Read full review

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User Reviews

sachineldho

Jun 12, 2019

So dark and haunting. Truly a Polanski masterpiece. Rosemary's Baby is my favorite movie of Polanski.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

JoBeGo2021

Aug 15, 2021

I need to start with the DVD box. I usually head straight for the disk but if you're stuck with the bargain basement EPI version (I highly recommend the Criterion director's cut version for a few dollars more) a few things need to be addressed. First, the blurb on the front of the box;I need to start with the DVD box. I usually head straight for the disk but if you're stuck with the bargain basement EPI version (I highly recommend the Criterion director's cut version for a few dollars more) a few things need to be addressed. First, the blurb on the front of the box; you're not a "virgin" if you've been raped. WTF. Second, the plot summary on the back of the box falsely states that her sister was leaving on vacation with a married man; I want to point out that this WAS the original plotline which included a confrontation with the married man's wife in Carol's apartment (I gleaned this by listening to Mr. Polanski's & Ms. Deneuve's commentary on the director's cut) the released version had Carol's sister (Helen, played by Yvonne Furneux) engaged & taking a sabbatical from her. OK, down to the movie itself. I was absolutely knocked out by the film the first time I saw it. In seeing this again 26 years later I spotted a few flaws. Most glaring was the scene where she kills her pursuer (Colin, played by a John Frasier). That scene required that she react spasmodically after her pursuer kicks her door in. What was put out had Ms. Deneuve practicing her golf swing … Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Trisolaran

Feb 26, 2022

A hauntingly disturbing and brilliant look into a woman's gradual descent into madness, Repulsion is a movie that is a classic slow-burn where characters and situations become increasingly twisted as time passes. It tells the story of Carol, who is a reclusive and distant young womanA hauntingly disturbing and brilliant look into a woman's gradual descent into madness, Repulsion is a movie that is a classic slow-burn where characters and situations become increasingly twisted as time passes. It tells the story of Carol, who is a reclusive and distant young woman struggling with social interactions with men, and the terrible things that begin to happen as she withdraws further into isolation.

The film focuses on small details and motifs to reveal the psyche of our main character, such as the little repeated actions and tics from her, the exasperated sounds and music that she hears, as well as the strange things that she starts noticing which may or may not be in her head. The pacing is definitely on the slower side, but I never found it boring or trite, as I feel everything succeeds in building suspense and a sense of dread in the viewer. Some of the more explicit sequences are a bit tame and unrealistic by modern standards, but I don't fault the film for that as it is a product of its time, and since it doesn’t rely on them heavily the payoff is still plenty disturbing. Considering the year this was made, it was honestly quite impressive they were able to show some of these things on screen.

Overall, definitely one of the most harrowing and memorable depictions of spiral-into-madness stories committed to film. Check it out if you are in the mood for a patient, smart psychological horror movie that slowly drags you into the claustrophobic hellscape of our main character’s mind through the course of its runtime.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

horcrux2007

Jun 6, 2015

A very disturbing and scary, although sometimes a little dull, psychological horror film about a woman who slowly goes insane while her sister is on vacation. It has a perfectly moody atmosphere thanks to the high contrast of light and shadow in the apartment, and there are a few scenes thatA very disturbing and scary, although sometimes a little dull, psychological horror film about a woman who slowly goes insane while her sister is on vacation. It has a perfectly moody atmosphere thanks to the high contrast of light and shadow in the apartment, and there are a few scenes that definitely had my clenching my seat. My biggest issue with the movie is that there are some scenes that get somewhat boring. It's a must watch if you like classic horror.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

GammyM.

Aug 8, 2009

It is fun, but reminds me of a film school exercise. Too heavy handed and even a little trite.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

beeanadou

Jun 30, 2018

Boring story line, would be better if Polanski had cut it shorter. Too evident and obvious to predict, lacks suspense and tension.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

tubeyou

Sep 10, 2020

God , this movie is overrated... More than half of the movie is pointless scenes that don't move the story forward AT ALL , like walking in the streets , sitting in a chair staring into the space... There is at least 10 minutes of her walking around in the streets of London. Why ? How isGod , this movie is overrated... More than half of the movie is pointless scenes that don't move the story forward AT ALL , like walking in the streets , sitting in a chair staring into the space... There is at least 10 minutes of her walking around in the streets of London. Why ? How is that good movie making ? There is nothing artistic or entertaining about it... It's not even filmed nice. You can literally edit 2/3 of the movie out and you won't miss anything. I think the makers simply didn't have enough material and they had to fill up the movie with "empty" scenes like walking , just to have enough runtime to meet the criteria for movie theaters. The real "action" only starts about half way into the movie , but by that time you will be bored to death already. How can this movie get such high scores is a mystery to me. Compare this movie to "Rosemary's Baby" for example , where EVERY scene is stimulating the viewer.

If you ever going to make a movie yourself and you run out of ideas and creativity... Just throw in some of good old walking. High scores guaranteed. Works everytime… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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