Review for Possession

Possession

Director: Andrzej Zulawski

“ How long have... I been here?”

Introduction

As an entry on the Video Nasties list in the UK, Andrzej Zulawski's art-house psychological horror earned itself quite the reputation. Thanks to the misinformed, repressed and oppressive machinations of the puritanical institutes in Britain at that time, it was unavailable on home video until 1999. Of course, the flip-side to that, is that it became a target for buyers who otherwise may have shunned this oddity in favour of the more immediate pleasures to be found in much of the sensationally over-the-top horror features of the decade. Hence, Possession brokered a cult reputation over the years in the UK, while the European film community revelled in its controversial themes. Such controversy was not alien to director Zulawski either. The Ukraine-born Polish director saw his debut feature The Devil, banned in Poland. He was again restricted on home soil, as the authorities interfered with the production of his picture, On The Silver Globe.
Nonetheless, despite his need for continual jet-setting, and fighting the face of compromise, he remained a darling of independent European cinema, right up until his most recent work, 2000's Fidelity, starring Sophie Marceau.

Film

In Possession, Sam Neill plays Mark, a largely absentee husband to Isabelle Adjani's Anna. Mark's vague career as a spy has resulted in a bizarrely detached relationship with his wife, who demands a divorce from him, following a rather mysterious, strange series of interactions. Reluctantly, he agrees, and grants custody of their son, Bob. Mark though, finds life by himself rather tough, and begins behaving rather bizarrely. Anna, equally so, as her husband begins uncovering an affair she's been having, and the horrifying reality behind that dalliance.

It would absolutely be a detriment to this film to reveal further plot points, as it is a twisted, psychological horror that confounds, frustrates and shocks in equal measure. This is a deeply unsettling film. From scenes of Bob being found neglected, to a meltdown in a public place in which the camera itself retreats from the manic antagonist of the moment, it shocks and disorientates, only coming up for air on the most rare of occasions.

There's a real sense of dignity being lost among both of the central characters, their divide being both raw yet exaggerated. It's the intensity of Neil and Adjani's performances that helps this ring true. Isabelle Adjani in particular, is outstanding, and well deserving of the Best Actress awards she garnered at both Cannes and the Cesars. Her acting is never predictable, as Anna swings between predatory and sensitive, frightening and afraid. She's never less than compelling and her gut-wrenching efforts hold the piece together, even in its more surreal moments. An infamous scene set in the subway is particularly disturbing, and well likely polarize viewers, separating those who are absorbed by the horror of it, and those who cannot accept the reality of it.

Elsewhere, a few turns are less convincing, Heinz Bennett as Heinrich being one of them. He lurches between knowing camp, and just sheer ridiculousness in a few instances portraying this menacing, leering figure. Likewise, with other characters, they come and go in frankly baffling fashion, their memorability largely depending on the eccentricity of the actor behind the visage. However, it really is a minor quibble, as the central thrust of the story is strong as to be almost magnetic.

The opening shots are very deliberately composed, bleak and reeking of 80's oppression. Indeed, the West Berlin locations add a tremendous sense of atmosphere to the film. They're stark, desolate, and contribute enormously to the isolation conveyed by the main characters. Sam Neil's first scene occurs within a staggering piece of photography. The sense of depth and artistry in the composition being a cut above most horror imagery from the period, save for the odd piece of Fulci's imagination, or Argento's bravura ambition. This is an altogether different beast however. Andrzej Korzynski's music also contributes to the downbeat vibe, offering a rhythmic pulse of subtle sounds and suffocating alienation.

One thing is for certain, this is no mere "Video Nasty" in the conventional sense, nor is it even a straightforward horror picture. The closest contemporary to perhaps pair it with, would be Lars Von Trier's gut-wrenching Anti-Christ, one of the most disturbing pieces of cinema to emerge in the last decade. Essentially, Possession is a family drama, a film about the disintegration of a relationship. It is heavy going at times, and equally, thanks to the splatter, is not for all tastes.

Ferociously intelligent and very European, Possession is one of the most fascinating entries into the genre to emerge from the Eighties, or indeed, since.

Extras

This is a hugely impressive assortment of material culled together, often balanced out by the contributions of filmmaker and writer, Dan Bird.
There's a 35 minute interview with the director ans also a director's commentary is helped along by being in the form of a Q&A, which nicely keeps things moving rather than leaving the subject to his own devices.
Additionally, the release also contains a co-writer's commentary with Frederich Tuten.

"Repossessed", is a brief feature that compares the differences between the cut for US distribution, and the Director's preferred cut. They aren't in the slightest bit subtle!
In addition to this, brief chats with Christian Ferry (producer), and a short feature looking at how Berlin has changed since the film was shot in West Berlin prior the dismantling of the Wall, are intriguing entities in their own right.
Better still, is a 6 minute short entitled "Basha", which documents the work of Barbara Baranowska, a Polish artist. She was responsible for the creation of French posters for numerous films, such as Spielberg's Sugarland Express, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, and Twins of Evil. They're a treasure trove of artwork, and this is an invaluable (if very brief) retrospective. An interview with composer Andrzej Korzynski, is also invaluable; Korzynski collaborated with Zulawski on numerous pictures.

The main attraction of the selection however, is a 51 minute retrospective documentary entitled "The Other Side of the Wall". It's a fantastic look back at the origins of the film, which illuminates and provides some welcome context into the production, and how they key figures came together on the project.

In short, an exhaustive, fabulous collection.

Overall

Second Sight's release of Possession is a superb document of on the most troubling, intense spectacles committed to Celluloid during the 1980's.
Zulawski's film has received the treatment that it richly deserves as well here. Picture quality is generally very impressive, with exterior shots in particular looking very crisp, whilst the interior photography looks a little softer at times. Still, it's remarkable looking for a genre picture from that period. Likewise, the lossless English audio track is well balanced, booming in the more audacious scenes featuring Adjani.

Certainly, this Blu-Ray edition of a difficult, challenging, but supremely memorable work of horror, is one of the must-have HD releases of the year thus far.