A Zulawski masterpiece
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Possession
jriddle73 — 17 years ago(April 19, 2008 09:52 PM)
Back in 1980, Polish director Andrej Zulawski had an idea for a movie. Trying to sum it up, he probably made it sound overly "arty" and convoluted so he simplified his pitchhe told an American distributor it was about a beautiful girl who gets beep by an octopus. What's even more astonishing about that tale is that the distributor bought it and ponied up part of the money Zulawski needed to make the picture. The result was POSSESSION, starring Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill.My cinematic studies were rather extensive last yearprobably a few hundred movies, in allbut POSSESSION was one of the absolute best I saw all year, and one of the most intense movies I've
ever
seen. I felt utterly drained after watching it. It's exhausting, to be sure, but in a good way.
The aforementioned "octopus" wasn't really an octopus but it was a monster with a lot of arms, and it did beep Isabelle Adjani. The movie isn't "about" that, though. It's actually a very intense, visceral study of the disintegration of a once-functional marriage. Art reflected lifePOSSESSION was made right after the traumatic collapse of Zulawski's own marriage. His film offers an excruciatingly detailed and unflinching map of the emotional landscape of two people whose relationship has disintegrated and left them in absolute agony, their lives in pieces, and the two of them trapped in a sort of emotional limbo. They can't stand to be together. They can't stand to be apart. Isabelle Adjani, lost in her pain and seemingly verging on madness, gives birth to a monster, a literal physical representation of her emotional state. At first, it's in a constant state of evolution. She sequesters it away, cares for it, nurtures it, and yes, is beep by it, until it finishes its last transformation. That transformation is a major plot twist. It's the sort of thing I should have seen coming, but totally missed until the big reveal at the end. It is said that a picture speaks a thousand words. The reveal near the end of this ups the word-count substantially.
And that isn't even the end, yet. Zulawski sees the end of this relationship as something akin to the end of the world. And, in the movie, this is literally the case.
(How's
that
for a hook?)
Zulawski shot and edited the film in a raw, frenetic style. The camera, as agitated and unstable as the characters, is forever moving, moving, moving, covering most of the interaction between the two leads in tight, claustrophobic shots that bore in so closely we can almost count the pores in their faces. Adjani, in particular, has a remarkable face for film, and Zulawski makes perhaps the best use of it of any of her directors over the years. For their part, Neill and Adjani are just excellent, and in a pair of extraordinarily demanding parts that could have been disastrous in lesser hands (and, one suspects, would have sent most thespians running home, crying for momma). Adjani was unnerved, even horrified, by the intensity of the film, dubbing it "psychological pornography." The Cannes Film Festival awarded her Best Actress for her work on it.
POSSESSION is rather long, just over two hours. Back in the mid-'80s, it was released on video in the U.S. in a substantially butchered versionthe distributors apparently tried to re-edit it into something like an exploitation film. Needless to say, it quickly died (I can't even imagine who would have come up with such a project, or how they'd have gone about it). Luckily, at the dawn of DVD, good ol' Anchor Bayback before they'd become a recurring joke/tragedy themselvescame along and saved it, releasing it in its complete form in the U.S. for the first time, accompanied by a very good Zulawski commentary track. I bought this one virtually blind last year, having read a single laudatory review that told almost nothing of the plot. I'm very glad I did.
In a sign of how badly Anchor Bay has stumbled since selling out to Starz, POSSESSION has been allowed to go out of print and stay that way for quite some time. But they do offer us ROSEANNE: THE COMPLETE 5th SEASON! A real monster, to be sure, but one that beep us, instead of Isabelle Adjani.
"The Dig"
http://cinemarchaeologist.blogspot.com/2008/12/possession-1981.html -
jriddle73 — 17 years ago(April 24, 2008 07:07 AM)
I really like, and appreciate what you have to say on Possession.
Thank you. I do try.
Upon seeing it, I was really astonished that the movie isn't much better known. It's quite good, and deserves a bigger audience than it has gotten, and even as I discovered it, it had been allowed to go out of print. -
BeautyAddiction101 — 17 years ago(April 24, 2008 05:12 PM)
I had remembered always seeing the artwork on the vhs back in the day when I was a kid. My parents were always astonished that I was drawn to sexually charged femme fatale esque genres. I never got to see it, then I went nuts for Isabelle Adjani after seeing her in Adele H. and Camille Claudel, and La Reine Margot so I had to track Possession down. I purchased the region 1 Anchor Bay release on dvd for like 50 dollars, and have had a passionate love affair for the film ever since. I especially love the lines about faith and hope. It really is a shame that the film is not so known. It and Ken Russells The Devils are among my most favorite of films. I even have framed mint posters of each in my entertainment room. It makes for a very complicated relationships I find. It seems other women are most incapable of interest in my taste of films and men are disturbed by it. Oh well, popularity is the epitome of mediocrity. I did however really enjoy your candid dialogue.
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jriddle73 — 17 years ago(April 25, 2008 07:28 AM)
I had remembered always seeing the artwork on the vhs back in the day when I was a kid. My parents were always astonished that I was drawn to sexually charged femme fatale-esque genres. I never got to see it, then I went nuts for Isabelle Adjani after seeing her in Adele H. and Camille Claudel, and La Reine Margot so I had to track Possession down.
It's probably just as well that you never saw the film back then. That VHS was probably the hacked-up version of the movie. One could make a real mess of POSSESSION by poorly editing it. I've never seen that version, but I can just imagine what it may have looked like (as I'm sure you can, as well).
Isabelle Adjani has a remarkable face for cinema. Zulawski makes very good use of it in that movie. Perhaps only Herzog's NOSFERATU is on par with POSSESSION on that score.
I purchased the region 1 Anchor Bay release on dvd for like 50 dollars, and have had a passionate love affair for the film ever since.
I got lucky and snagged AB's double feature release of it, paired with Mario Bava's SHOCK (which is also a good one). It had apparently only then gone out of print, so I got it fairly cheap.
I especially love the lines about faith and hope.
Isabelle crumbling under the gaze of that Jesus statue, so desperately searching for something, anything from it, finding nothing, and being almost overwhelmed by it. GREAT stuff.
It really is a shame that the film is not so known. It and Ken Russell's The Devils are among my most favorite of films.
Believe it or not, I've never even seen THE DEVILS, which seems a crime, because I'm a Ken Russell fan, too.
I even have framed mint posters of each in my entertainment room. It makes for a very complicated relationships I find. It seems other women are most incapable of interest in my taste of films and men are disturbed by it.
LOL! Yes, I can see them being rather alienating. I live in a small, rural townI'm probably one of the only people in the entire town with a taste for such material.
Oh well, popularity is the epitome of mediocrity.
You've got that right. It used to be that, as I got older, I got less and less interested in anything "mainstream." Now, I find that the older I get, the more overtly anti-mainstream I become. Cinema is an art best indulged by those who wish to make an art of it.
I did however really enjoy your candid dialogue.
Hey, it's always good to find a more substantive dialogue than a lot of the nonsense that goes on here on these boards. -
BeautyAddiction101 — 17 years ago(April 25, 2008 03:36 PM)
I really enjoy Shock too!
I am a bit twisted in my tastes. Most 25 year old women dont enjoy films like "Killer" or any Jess Franco and Alejandro Jodorowsky films. Especially girly ones like me. Im so a princess on the outside, but I enjoy being contrary.
You must get your hands on Ken Russells The Devils. OMG! You of all people I think would truly appreciate it. To me it is his best film, and Oliver and Vanessa's best preformances. You can find a mostly unedited version of it on Amazon from Angel Digital. Its the best we have to uncut for now. It is far more explicit than the original Warner vhs release.
Crimes Of Passion is probably my second favorite from Russell.This is the Amazon.com link for the region 2 release which I believe is the UK. It is completely unedited, and actually cheaper than the region free, and region 1 option we have here in the states. 19.95 USD
I actually think the artwork for the Region 2 UK release is better also. I own a region free player so I now own both copies and admire the region 2 release artwork more so.
Here is the link for you Tulpa.
http://www.amazon.com/Possession-Isabelle-Adjani/dp/B000AM32OY/ref=pd_bbs_4?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1209162105&sr=8-4
Kylie -
GleamingMemory — 17 years ago(April 25, 2008 08:31 PM)
And what of other Zulawski works - The Important Thing is to Love with the beautiful Romy Schneider? BTW, I have found a clip on the net of Adjani going mad in the subway station in Possession - the Cannes Film Festival version that has never been seen since, either in theatres or on video. This is the full edit where Adjani begins hissing like a cat, doubled over and up against the wall. You don't see that in the "uncut" Anchor Bay version. Here is the link: http://www.ina.fr/archivespourtous/index.php?vue=notice&id_notice=CAA8100729001
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jriddle73 — 17 years ago(April 25, 2008 10:19 PM)
I really enjoy Shock too!
Great stuff. Bava is the cat's meow.
I am a bit twisted in my tastes. Most 25 year old women dont enjoy films like "Killer" or any Jess Franco and Alejandro Jodorowsky films.
Ha! Perhaps the Understatement of the Decade To Date. Franco has become one of my all-time favorites. I only recently got to see any of Jodorowsky's work, after reading about it for years. EL TOPO is a remarkable movie. I have the AB box set, but that's the only one I've watched so far. What do you think of Jean Rollin?
You must get your hands on Ken Russells The Devils. OMG! You of all people I think would truly appreciate it. To me it is his best film, and Oliver and Vanessa's best preformances. You can find a mostly unedited version of it on Amazon from Angel Digital. Its the best we have to uncut for now. It is far more explicit than the original Warner vhs release.
It's been on my unofficial "to see" list for yearsanything with that reputation ends up there. I've just never gotten around to it.
Crimes Of Passion is probably my second favorite from Russell.
I like Russell's work. I really loved WHORE, ALTERED STATES, and GOTHIC. THE LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM is more of a challenge, but still some incredible imagery. I think CRIMES OF PASSION is about half of a great movie. When Russell stays with Turner or Hopkins, it's excellent. Practically everything with the other fellow is just
awful
the long, long sideshows (a freakshow, at times) about his domestic life sink the movie like a stone for the duration of their running time. In my view, WHORE was much, much better. -
GleamingMemory — 17 years ago(April 26, 2008 05:33 AM)
What??? That scene is in the Region 2 release? Why not in Anchor Bay??? That is totally unfair!! So Anchor Bay lied! They claim that it is "uncut" but it really is not. Liars!! Man, I wish someone could upload the full region 2 scene of Adjani in the subway station on youtube. That was the most powerful scene I have ever seen an actor perform - NO ONE does madness like Isabelle Adjani. I have also heard that there is a frame in this scene missing - where you see two eyes from the monster appear in the blood in the the subway scene. Is that true?
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BeautyAddiction101 — 17 years ago(April 26, 2008 10:53 AM)
Paraffin5:
where you see two eyes from the monster appear in the blood in the the subway scene. Is that true?
I have never seen that.
The Subway scene and sex scene with the "whatever you call it" are a little longer. Its like a total of 3 minutes at the max.
NO ONE does madness like Isabelle Adjani
I AGREEafter I come home from work I have almost managed to beat herbut not yet.
She is my favorite actress. I think she may actually be insane though. All the more reason to love her more in my opinion. -
BeautyAddiction101 — 17 years ago(April 26, 2008 10:47 AM)
to: jriddle 73
I have seen at most maybe 2 of Jean Rollins films.Fascination & Demoniacs come to mind. Though I have been told those arent his best. Its pretty much fantastic garbage. Hmmmit is Kinda porn too sometimes. Im starting to wonder if I am maybe revealing a bit too much information about myself. Im not the next star of Story Of O, my tastes are exclusive to films. I tend to have a rather dynamic imagination so I enjoy many other genres. My passions are not limited to lesbian killers, and octopus fu**ing. Though I did have a boyfriend who in retrospect was a slimey bastard. Which Jean Rollin's film would you suggest I watch?
WHORE is GREAT! I love WHORE. I have that poster in my entertainment room too. I cant say I enjoy it better than C.O.P. though. I love Kathleen turner in that movie and it makes me laugh my ass off. I agree that the story is most interesting between Perkins and Turner, and it certainly makes it's share of mistakes. I will say this thoughout of any film I have ever seenI can identify with China Blue\Joanna most. Except im not a whore, but you can read between the lines. So my affection for her may blind me to the reality of the film.
I bought the region 4 dvd of Whore just to own on DVD. It pains me the tittle says PUTA though.
Yet I know they mean the same thing.
I enjoy Lair Of The White Worm in secret mind you. It is a mess.
Gothic, love it.
Altered States, love it.
Women In Love, love it
Any other great movies I should watch? You seem to know alot about the kind I like. Throw in a few surprises.
Kylie -
jriddle73 — 17 years ago(April 27, 2008 12:37 AM)
I have seen at most maybe 2 of Jean Rollins films.Fascination & Demoniacs come to mind. Though I have been told those arent his best. Its pretty much fantastic garbage. Hmmmit is Kinda porn too sometimes. Im starting to wonder if I am maybe revealing a bit too much information about myself. Im not the next star of Story Of O, my tastes are exclusive to films. I tend to have a rather dynamic imagination so I enjoy many other genres. My passions are not limited to lesbian killers, and octopus fu**ing. Though I did have a boyfriend who in retrospect was a slimey bastard. Which Jean Rollin's film would you suggest I watch?
FASCINATION is my all-time favorite Rollin. Brigitte Lahaie (another astonishing screen face), decked out in riding cloak, taking out the bad guys with a long scythe. Most excellent! It seems like a series of paintings come to life, or a literal adaptation of a very good comic. I liked DEMONIACS, too, but that one is a lot more divisive, as Rollin tends to be (people don't just love him or hate himthose who love him all love him differently). I liked NIGHT OF THE HUNTED, which seems to be a minority opinion among Rollin buffs. If Nicholas Ray mated with David Cronenberg, their director offspring would probably produce something like NIGHT OF THE HUNTED. I don't care that much for THE LIVING DEAD GIRL, which also seems to put me in a minority. It's a fantastic idea, often done quite well, but its severely compromised by producer interference. LIPS OF BLOOD is probably my second favorite, and it's probably more representative of the rest of his work. If you decide to pursue Rollin, that's probably where you should go next. Rollin, like Jesus Franco, is a poet of lurid romanticism, but his emphasis is much more on the "romanticism" than the "lurid" (unlike Franco, who can do it all).
WHORE is GREAT! I love WHORE. I have that poster in my entertainment room too.
That it doesn't seem to have a larger following is rather shocking to me. It's one of the few movies in the history of the medium that managed to generate a great deal of controversy in its day while reaping very little benefit from that controversy.
I cant say I enjoy it better than C.O.P. though. I love Kathleen turner in that movie and it makes me laugh my ass off. I agree that the story is most interesting between Perkins and Turner, and it certainly makes it's share of mistakes. I will say this thoughout of any film I have ever seenI can identify with China Blue\Joanna most. Except im not a whore, but you can read between the lines. So my affection for her may blind me to the reality of the film.
I really like the movie myself, but I do think it's so strikingly uneven in the way I described it that it looks like two different directors who never met shot the different parts of it. When I first saw it, my immediate impression was that this was a great movie that came up too short for a feature, and someone decided to shoot some lousy, improvised inserts to pad it out. All of the Turner and Turner/Perkins stuff is great. GREAT dialogue. The PSYCHO riff at the end? Priceless.
I bought the region 4 dvd of Whore just to own on DVD. It pains me the tittle says PUTA though. Yet I know they mean the same thing.
Ha! A small price to pay for having it on disc. I just made a disc out of my old VHS tape. It will serve until some distributor gets on the ball. I'd like to hear Russell do commentary on it, and, last I heard, he'd fallen on hard times, and could probably use the dough.
I enjoy Lair Of The White Worm in secret mind you. It is a mess.
Really uneven as a movie, but filled with striking images. Amanda Donohoe rules the show.
Gothic, love it.
Altered States, love it.
Women In Love, love it
Haven't seen that last one. It's one of Russell's first, right?
Any other great movies I should watch? You seem to know alot about the kind I like. Throw in a few surprises.
A few random good picks, comin' right up. I'll probably come up with some (or many) you've seen, but probably not all. Give me guidance:
CRASH
Not that POS that won Best Picture a year or two ago, but David Cronenberg's study of a group of car-crash fetishists.
CEMETERY MAN
Love and death and being trapped in a horror movie as existential crisis. Great dialogue.
HARD CANDY
Saw this one only recentlya great little movie about a would-be internet predator who, pursuing his latest potential prey, finds the tables turned on him.
EUGENIE DE SADE
Jesus Franco flick with stunning Soledad Miranda as the stepdaughter of a Sadean murderous mastermind who has raised her from an infant to be his perfect companion in life and in crime.
VENUS IN FURS
Another Franco with a gang of rich degenerates being pursued by a woman they apparently murdered playing S&M games, and a jazz musician whose stuck in the middle.
VIDEODROME
Another Cronenberg, this one a signature film with the most excellent James Woods as a sleazy cable operator whose mind is manipulated by a sinister conspiracy. Definitely a -
monty-57 — 17 years ago(November 05, 2008 03:52 AM)
Another one to add to your list:
Jess Franco's SUCCUBUS (1968). Makes a nice companion piece to POSSESSION. It's also about a "possessed" woman, it doesn't make a whole lotta sense if you take the plot at face value and it was also filmed in Berlin!
