I have to confess by saying that horror films, unless they're satirical, campy, and/or funny just aren't my thing. Gory horror is probably the worst because it's such a pointless assault on the senses. Psychological horror is slightly better, but it's the kind of thing I need to be in the mood for. So unfortunately I just wasn't in the mood for this when I watched Roman Polanski's Repulsion a few days ago despite acknowledging it as an accomplished work of art.
Me on a regular night.
Catherine Deneuve plays Carol, a quiet and initially unassuming pretty girl. She works at a salon, has a more worldly older sister, and is being courted by a handsome guy. But it's clear there's something off about her. She's prone to bouts of just staring into space, attention from men annoys more than it pleases, and she can barely put the effort to doing much of anything. When her sister leaves her alone to go on holiday, the character and the film devolves from there and it's all truly horrific to witness from her first accidental mishap with a customer to the purposeful slashing of her creepy landlord. The way the film makes all of this feel organic and uneasy at the same time with its claustrophobic cinematography and manic score is something to be but it's also just a genre I'm not at all enthused by.
So it's no surprise that for my pick for best shot, I picked one that was slightly less representative of the horror aspect of the film:
Best Shot
This shot just caught my eye upon first view and one can look at it as the moment before the point of no return for Carol. Here, her paramour has come to investigate what's been going on with her. He's just broken down the front door, which is why it's wide open with her across-the-hall neighbor hilariously privy to their little drama. He's trying to understand her and to tell her he just wants to be with her, but both are turned away from each other, bathed in shadows. It's then no surprise what's happens next (aka not so good for him).
