It's been another incredible year thus far for Blu-ray and 4K UHD releases. For your humble host, notable releases include Grindhouse Releasing's completely stacked Lucio Fulci masterpiece The Beyond (1981), Arrow films' highly desired Sergio Leone Dollars Trilogy (1966 - 1968), and Hammer entering the boutique foray with Brian Clemens's Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974) (given the relaunched company's Doctor Jekyll (2023) flopped hard in cinemas, I don't really blame them). But the icing on the proverbial cake, for many, might very well be Second Sight's forthcoming release of Andrzej Żuławski's art-house horror Possession (1981) being released this December. The UK home distribution company initially announced the film's release over two years ago. Therefore, it's become a hotly anticipated title amongst cinephiles, collectors and greedy scalpers eager to flip it.
Truth be told, Possession is a film too surreal and ambiguous to completely define by even the brainiest film analysts. However, a short and general description would suggest it being about the psychological turmoil of a marriage falling apart; becoming horror manifest with some disturbing scenes. Thematically similar to David Cronenberg's The Brood (1979); which itself, served as an allegory to the bitter breakup the Canadian auteur had recently undergone. Żuławski had the benefit of shooting in the fractured city of Cold War era Berlin, adding to the film's central theme and creating a cold and captivating back drop in the process. The Polish director also managed to amass two career defining performances out of his two leads, Sam Neill and Isabelle Adjani. The experience left them both emotionally wrecked, and in the case of Adjani, she was left feeling suicidal.
Possession is often listed as one of the greatest films of all time amongst film critics, cinephiles and turd wave feminists. Call me a philistine, but despite its quality, it wouldn't get a spot in my ten favourite horror films released that very same year:
4 comments:
Hmmm, I dunno about Friday The 13th Part 2. There's only one movie in that franchise I like and it's one of the later ones (can't remember which.)
Sack cloth Jason in Part 2 is my favourite incarnation of Crystal Lake's finest, with Ginny being one of the GOAT final girls, imo.
The Final Chapter and Jason Lives are also terrific films in the franchise.
POSSESSION is a tough film to embrace. I keep thinking that I need to keep rewatching it to fully "get it." Is that due to the director being so sophisticated or too self-indulgent (either of which can lead to bad storytelling)? The reason for the existence of the thing possessing Adjani's character is frustratingly vague. Even more frustrating are the weird behaviors of all the main characters.
I would have to agree that the ten other fright flicks on your list for the same year are more satisfying.
To be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely sure anyone can explain Possession (1981) other than maybe Andrzej Żuławski, who once described it as "a film about a woman who f**ks with an octopus", according to film critic Mark Kermode's recollection.
You're pretty much spoilt for choice for quality horror films from 1981. My Bloody Valentine, Happy Birthday to Me and Night of the Werewolf are worthy honourable mentions.
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