Repulsion

Similarly as in Rosemary's Baby, Roman Polanski conjures up a feeling of unease and paranoia in the space of a single apartment, though this time by even more minimalist means: in black-and-white with almost no music and only one protagonist. And though he succeeds at the highest level thanks to his directorial ideas and the great Catherine Deneuve, he also somewhat abandons the coldly didactic characteristics of his early work (for example, Cul-de-sac). Rosemary’s Baby was more emotional, which I personally prefer. (28/08/2004)

Films about a person falling apart sometimes captivate me, sometimes not at all. Repulsion managed to end half-way. Some parts of Polanski’s film are really impressive and unsettling, but by the most part is not that good. The performance of the protagonist is questionable at best, I was unable to relate to her. 6/10 (26/01/2011)

In places it is incredibly stifling, burdensome and suggestive. The trick of being able to transfer to the initially rationally functioning world the outpouring of the main heroine's sick mind works well and creates a destructive uncertainty similar to Kubrick's The Shining. Nevertheless, occasional slips of self-purpose and the impression of exaggeration slightly diminish the impact of intimate horror. I would consider excellent the interplay of the visual with the soundtrack and particularly the acting of Catherine Deneuve, whose glassy expression is perhaps the most frightening thing that Repulsion has to offer. In any case, this is a very successful attempt on the part of Polanski to connect a psychological film with horror. (08/09/2008)

That manicurist is a bit weird, and it’s not just because she puts six sugars in her coffee. A hauntingly filmed intimate unsettling borefest; which is not necessarily a negative in this case. (27/12/2012)

The filmmaking qualities and intentions are unquestionable, but Repulsion is still far from a highly evocative experience. There is a relentless subjectivisation towards a protagonist who’s similar to the later Rosemary, but that one had an excellent Mia Farrow, interesting supporting characters and an emotionally powerful, perfectionistically escalating development. Repulsion, in contrast, has the beautiful but dull Deneuve and inventive direction, but it can't quite eclipse the insanely lengthy exposition and the routine subject matter itself. The second half, however, thanks to the unpleasant soundtrack and the enormously growing sense of mental and physical isolation caused by the aforementioned subjectivisation and sophisticated camera work in relation to the bizarre environment, is a truly powerful cinematic experience that you can't just wash out from your skin. It's a pity Polanski doesn't keep that level throughout... 70% (28/09/2018)

Although this first representative of the master Polanski's "Apartment Trilogy" is almost fifty years old (!!!), its age certainly doesn't detract from its intensity, quite the contrary. Comparing Repulsion to contemporary horror or psychological thrillers is probably not appropriate, so I'll leave it by saying that Roman Polanski, with his specific minimalist approach, has once again managed to get the near maximum out of the given material. Catherine Deneuve is perfect in her role of a paranoid schizophrenic and identifying with her character is a prerequisite for final "enjoyment" of the whole film. :)) It is also worth mentioning that instead of dissecting and searching for the causes of what is happening to the main character (of course, the separation from the sister and frigidity are the obvious causes, but this is not elaborated much further), Polanski focuses more on the "action" itself and, as is his habit, on building up a paranoid atmosphere, when you really start to question what is still paranoia and what is really happening. I can't say for sure which of the three films (The Tenant, Rosemary's Baby, Repulsion) is the most frightening or the most intense, but in all cases they are very good works that get the viewer where they want to go by carefully building a thick atmosphere. Suggestive, REPULSive, and compelling. (25/10/2012)