Possession (1981) PATREON EXCLUSIVE FIRST WATCH
Added 2025-08-08 20:00:08 +0000 UTCI was expecting an actual posession/exorcism movie - but this actually reminded me a lot of jacob's ladder - there's some puzzle pieces and symbolism that need a second watch
Comments
Way late to this reaction but something other commenters didn't mention that I think a big key to understanding what this movie is "about" on an emotional level is the context that the director had recently been exiled from then-Soviet-controlled Poland, hence the motifs of paranoia, surveillance, exploitation, broken faith, and doubling/bifurcation. As one critic put it, "not only about a divorce from a partner, but a divorce from one's birth country." One of my all-time favourite films, happy to have revisited it with you!
Lily
2025-10-04 02:09:12 +0000 UTCChrist, what an aggravating movie. There's only so much screaming I can stand. It's worse than an episode of Eastenders
Milton William Burray
2025-08-24 12:25:16 +0000 UTCI definitely want to rewatch with a closer lens this time, there's so much symbolism I love it
Alexandra Wells
2025-08-14 17:44:29 +0000 UTCStill catching up. Glad you liked my pick. You're struggling to capture the term for it being in a different caliber and like I said about Eraserhead, this isn't a horror film, it's an art-house film. And while it's not true for all art-house, they're generally meant to be treated like serious works of art like literary fiction that you're not supposed to get it all... that would be a failure on the part of the artist trying to create a work that can be studied and pored over with new secrets and interpretations (in fact, asking people to explain it kind of takes the fun out of it). In the same way scholars study literary works and debate for ages, you're supposed to be looking at this on all levels, especially when it comes to questions and statements in the film about life and experience in general, but not with one central thesis or question like say in Forrest Gump where there's the question of destiny vs chaos (and where that question isn't really explored in a thorough way). There's also a lot more to be interpreted in the grammar of the film like camera, sound, production design, etc. where they don't just serve a narrative, they often say things not existing within the script or within the events of the film. In other words, it's not like Donnie Darko or Pulp Fiction where the messages and questions are a little bit obscured, but overall, the picture can be "figured out" and explained in a relatively simple manner. Often times with films like those, the puzzle is simply an internal mechanical issue where it's just about figuring out the rules of time travel or tracking the amount of layers in a film like Inception. They still exist within traditional narrative frameworks with lots of guardrails designed to be entertaining and enjoyable to passive viewers. That's why btw, the characters act insane and in ways that aren't real to life. Realism, naturalism and logic can exist in these kinds of films, but they aren't entitled to. Lynch's characters are filled with those kinds of greater motivations that extend beyond what would happen in reality (e.g., the way everybody talks slower and sometimes about things that are unrelated). So maybe a good place to start with understanding this film is with the fact that it was made after the filmmaker's divorce. This leads us to ask what is he saying/asking about relationships? Are the idealized versions of the leads doomed to go to war forever? Are they destroying everything around them, or did the world set them up this way? I'll also say, I don't think anybody's really possessed in this film, the word has more to do with having.
Jimmie V
2025-08-14 11:40:19 +0000 UTCYou have a very good outlook when you're watching stuff, you recognize the themes or ideas even if you're confused and you want to learn and engage with it...that's the best way to watch things imo. Too many ppl dislike when they don't fully understand something, sometimes it isn't meant to be fully understood...it's meant to be felt or make you interpret on your own. Just wanna give you props and say your attitude is appreciated 🙏
TylerNorCal
2025-08-11 17:30:10 +0000 UTCI have no idea where it is coming from, I've changed the settings on my mic and I actually edit out some but something always slips through lol
Alexandra Wells
2025-08-10 11:47:38 +0000 UTCAlexx, I think your mic is under "possession". 😂I do like it though. It adds a little spooky ambience.👻
Dirk Diggler
2025-08-10 09:42:45 +0000 UTCThat was not your stomach rumbling at 42 minutes and 48 seconds.....
Shaundgb
2025-08-10 07:19:38 +0000 UTCAnother film born out of a terrible divorce. I love it but also only rewatch it every few years as it's mindfuckery is a bit much even for me. Sam Neill is a top five actor in my book. Just all around awesome at what he does. This is his personal favorite of his films. He played the antichrist in The Final Conflict the same year, but that movie was a big disappointment. Adjani acts her ass off here. I always respected her tendency to take on unique roles and challenge herself.
Truth Hound
2025-08-09 23:19:29 +0000 UTCWell... thank you to your subscribers for the recommendation. This was the 1st time I've watched this movie too. Wow! Adjani knocked it out of the park... and it's a park I doubt I'd want to revisit. Powerful stuff but morbidly unnerving.
Ronnie
2025-08-09 14:02:22 +0000 UTC
