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Repulsion (1965)

Poster 

Repulsion is a British psychological horror film which was directed in 1965 byRoman Polanski. He is considered as

His films reflect the influence of surrealism and the 1950s horror moviesespecially Repulsion which is considered as a very successful movie in thepsychological horror genre because of the fear the atmosphere evokes usingsimple cinematic techniques and limited visual effects.

The film took place in London about a belgian manicurist who seems to bedisgusted by men, reject them when they approach her and keep her 

distances. We soon find out that her fear leads her to hallucinations, beinganti social and disturbed by her surroundings.

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The camera is the conductor of Carole's emotions.Polanski puts the viewer in the head of the young lady which tells us how sheviews the world and especially her thoughts and fear of men, moreover we

learn more about her character.Many cinematic techniques have helped the film communicate the emotionsPolanski wanted to deliver, such as the slow camera movements to catch theviewer's attention and make him feel part of the action.

"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 sothan with the recent 'shockers' of late that all seem to take place within ahaunted house or have some kind of ghostly secret. The most frightening 

thing about Repulsion, Roman Polanski's first film in English (and filmed inEngland) is that everything that can terrify the audience is within the lead character's mind" (Whiplash, M 2005)

Moreover, Polanski plays with perspective to give more depth to the space,for instance the room that suddenly looks larger, which gives a feeling of danger. The cracks in the wall and the tight corridors reflect Carole'semotions: insecurity and claustrophobia.

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" Its imperfections tend to fade from memory with the passage of time,eclipsed by the haunting memory of Carole’s malaise. This is a horror movie

that is not afraid to shock, but the shocks are few and fleeting; instead,Polanski wants to get inside your head and make you feel the dementia

troubling Carole. The director has cast a light upon the inner darkness in the

twisted corners of a human mind, but instead of exposing an enlighteningtruth, he casts more shadows – shadows that persist long after the theatrecurtain has dropped and the lights have gone up " (Biodrowski, S 2009)

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Bibliography:

Whiplash, M (2005) Availabe at: http://uk.imdb.com;

http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0059646/reviews [Accessed on 11/12/2012]

McClamont, J (2009) Available at: http://ruthlessculture.com;http://ruthlessculture.com/2009/04/06/cinematic-vocabulary-the-psychotic-

break-from-repulsion-1965/ [Accessed on 11/12/2012]

Biodrowski, S (2009) Available at: http://cinefantastiqueonline.com;http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/2009/07/repulsion-1965-horror-film-review/ 

[Accessed on 11/12/2012]

Illustrations:

Poster: http://daylesanders.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/roman-polanskis-repulsion-1965-review.html

Still1: http://cinematiccorner.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/movie-of-month-june-repulsion.htm

Still2: http://mollybolder.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/roman-polanskis-repulsion-1965.html