Possession (1981)

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Avg Rating: 4.4 / 5. Voted: 153

No one cared thus far. Do you?

AKA: The Night the Screaming Stopped
Directed by: Andrzej Zulawski
Starring: Isabelle Adjani (Anna/Helen), Sam Neill (Mark), Heinz Bennent (Heinrich), Margit Carstensen (Margit), Johanna Hofer (Heinrich’s mother)
Country: Germany
Language: English, (English Subtitles)
Runtime: 02:03:36
Genres: Bizarre, Body Modification, Self-Harm, Gruesome, Infidelity, Revenge, Family, Violence against Women

Plot – Spoilers:
Mark has just returned from either a mission, or meeting a mysterious being. Anyway, his wife Anna wants to leave him – there’s another weird man in her life apart from a strange creature she’s got hidden away. All the characters are well nutty, as is the plotline. Towards the end, one of the men who hired Mark shows off his pink socks, which the being Mark initially met with, supposedly wore. Not sure this little nugget of a clue helps understand the film any better. Anna also wears the same dress throughout, except during a ballet class. Is she or Mark totally mental, and the whole thing an extended fantasy for one of them. Not sure I cared enough to know.

Possession will probably appeal to you if you enjoy watching a movie that periodically makes you shake your head and mumble, FUCK IS GOING ON. Or if you just enjoy watching the beautiful Isabelle Adjani. There are some fascinating closeups of her, especially while being assaulted by Sam Neill. There’s also an impressive looking beast fucking her, if that’s of passing interest to you.

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Snails
Snails
July 2, 2020 9:11 pm

FUCK YESSSS! Greatest horror film of all time!

Jerry Brammen
Jerry Brammen
July 5, 2020 11:33 pm

The subway scene in this film is required viewing for all horror fans, on the same level as the shower scene in Pyscho.

Elliot Spencer
Elliot Spencer
July 6, 2020 1:26 am

Thanks admins! Top marks for all the new films as of late:)

Zero marks for this film itself tho:/
A dream like film that had the feel of a film made by a director who was tripping balls and trying (poorly) to imitate other arthouse dramas (for example those of the great Bergman, Tarkovsky, etc) that was hampered by and failed MISERABLY due to it’s completely ludicrous, absurd, bipolar acting. The subway scene had me laughing it was that bad. Asinine. Literally anybody could’ve done acting like hers in the subway. Cringeworthy is putting it mildly.

Nobody in this film acted like normal people in the least, except for the little kid. And while I realize/understand this was the directors attempt at relating his feelings of ‘exile’ due to censorship, as well as apparently him drawing inspiration from Tolstoy’s epic Anna Karenina (whatever tf that means, I couldn’t see it) etc, EVERYTHING about the characters, and therefore the movie, r completely unrelatable to me, as well as due to the over the top acting. I feel like anyone else who’s had any kind of formal acting training/experience would prbly agree as well

A pity, because it could’ve been a great film otherwise. Literally some of the worst acting I’ve EVER seen amongst the thousands of films I’ve viewed. What could’ve easily been a 7 or 8 in my book, poof, gone. I’ll give it a 3/10, for it’s unique plot at least. Creature was badass btw. Will prbly never watch again.

I fully realize I’m in the minority w giving this a 3, just my honest opinion.

I will view this directors other work, Diabel, tonight, and see if maybe Possession was just a fluke for him/me, so to speak. Thanks

Dee
Dee
July 6, 2020 2:53 am

it isn’t a horror film at all. it’s a mediocre satire with effed up themes.

JAY VS. HORROR
JAY VS. HORROR
July 16, 2020 4:36 pm

One of my Top 10. Not everyone gets it and it was intended that way. For those who dig the film it’s a masterpiece examination of the evolving and devolving relationships between Men & Women. For anyone who’s never tripped on that it’s hysterical satire. To each their own. Great upload either way.

no
no
October 13, 2020 10:19 am

the acting isn’t mediocre, it is iconic. if you think otherwise, then why are you here. Anna’s actor was pure brilliance.

Elliot Spencer
Elliot Spencer
October 16, 2020 6:13 pm

@Tim Hartmann

Thanks a TON for the link to On the Silver Globe? I kept hitting paywalls requiring membership on various rare film and European/Russian sites when I was initially trying to find it, n I’m not going to pay some site thats violating copyright to begin with, lol.

Sry it took me a while to see ur link, I didn’t check the comments here for this film in a while due to not caring since I was ostracized for hating Possession;) Watched On the Silver Globe this morning and found it very unique and overall enjoyable. I thought it was brave how the director released it incomplete yet filled in the gaps w narration as well. And I definitely agree in regards to the ott acting from the second ‘savior’ astronaut, and the initial ‘mother’ astronaut as well. Reminds me of another film…? Thanks again tho, definitely was worth the watch due to it being very unique, to say the least. The few other films they have posted there I have all seen, check em out if u haven’t bc they’re all powerhouses in regards to film. Peace;)

ADMINS: THANKS for not editing out his link too, I know how u generally dislike them and do that w posted links, but am thankful u let that one slide. Much appreciated!!

Hüseyin
Hüseyin
October 25, 2020 11:47 am

Definitely my favourite film, glad to see its aa popular as ever. DIABEL is pretty great too if POSSESSION was to your taste. Really love the selection on here, so many of my favourites: INLAND EMPIRE, ARREBATO, IN A GLASS CAGE, GUMMO, TETSUO…etc.

Zed Man
Zed Man
February 27, 2021 2:35 am

On You Tube they have this at 2hrs 20. Are we missing something?

big drip
big drip
April 24, 2021 2:38 am

can’t tell whether the acting was over the top (especially the subway scene) or just right for this film.. Fascinating film nonetheless!

Edit: Adjani won the Best Actress Award for her performance at the 34th Cannes Film Festival, so apparently they liked her acting performance…

DesertFox
DesertFox
May 11, 2021 12:54 am

I came to watch this for the monster sex scene (my only complaint is that scene wasn’t long enough) only to get to the end and realize it’s like the British version of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”. At least that’s my take on it.

Farfadet Kennedy
Farfadet Kennedy
May 11, 2021 8:45 pm

u all fucking gay mmh ??? mmh???

widad
widad
June 14, 2021 6:20 pm

this has lynchian vibes

fred fat
fred fat
July 5, 2021 9:16 pm

Adjani is demented and gorgeous – whats not to like?

Aunt Jemima
Aunt Jemima
September 18, 2021 7:26 pm

Don’t waste two hours of your time watching this.

Ramin
Ramin
September 18, 2021 8:15 pm

This is ome of the weirdest movies and horror kovies i’ve seen and of the very few horror movies to actually have scared me
It is the kind of movie i didnt get anything about and in the meantime i was shocked by it and loved it as well
Same happened for eraserhead and maybe even tersuo tho they werent horrifying
Isabelle adjani’s performance is marvelous

tonyelmono
tonyelmono
September 26, 2021 8:32 am

Well that was kinda goofy. I watched it because of the much commented on monster sex scene, and the date movie was made. Monster sex did not disappoint.

TheStonedRanger
TheStonedRanger
October 28, 2021 6:56 pm

Enjoyed this more than The Exorcist, to say the least.

jen snaiws
jen snaiws
January 6, 2022 2:40 pm

feel like i need a video essay after this, i fucked with it heavy tho

FrankyTeardrop
FrankyTeardrop
July 9, 2022 10:09 am

was expecting this to just me another femcel flick (which it was for the first half, and i would have been content with) but it just kept going and holy shit i’m so glad it did. one of those blink-and-you’ll-miss-everything films, while also keeping the pacing well. leaves you with the same feeling a cronenberg would, great performances all around 10/10 thanks eum

max
max
July 10, 2022 7:47 pm

wtf ☠️☠️

max
max
July 10, 2022 7:50 pm

i’m sorry but this was the most painfully boring movie i’ve ever seen, also, wtf was the sex scene with the alien (or something, god for anna???), that was…ummm, interesting ????

Thecrusader
Thecrusader
July 26, 2022 3:15 am

Truly the greatest horror film ever made.

michaelmycock
michaelmycock
November 21, 2022 7:05 pm

this is not a horror film you fucking absolute degenerate retards

Selina Kyle
Selina Kyle
November 30, 2022 2:38 pm

Very interesting psychological sexual ‘horror’. Starts a bit slow, but it is worth waiting for the big finale.

Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus
December 24, 2022 12:50 pm

Sam Neill looks crazy in this, he’s completely different from Jurassic Park and Isabelle Adjan she was kinda hot with perky tits when she was young i wanted to fuck her