Andrzej Zulawski’s Possession is a fever dream of surreal imagery, character hysteria, and ambiguity that pushes away from an answer. 

A broken marriage devolves into a mass cataclysm of emotions from each party; shrieks like banshees envelop the room as they fight with one another, trying to understand their own realities as the reality of their deteriorating relationship begins to pervade the atmosphere. Their inner desires are manifested into unearthly creations as the film mixes its realism with bizarre imagery. The doppelgangers as well as the grotesque, tentacled monster present a dreamlike flavor to the film, serving as metaphors for a variety of interpretations – one of them being the doppelgangers representing the couple’s idealized version of themselves which paints their inherent flaws on a symbolic level. The film is never concrete with its narrative, and it works to its benefit as its penchant for ambiguity lends itself for discussion and longevity. The film’s cult status is further respected through its collection of disturbing sequences. The subway scene, that sex scene, and the outbursts of madness that the characters succumb to are prime examples of the film’s unrelenting depiction of a bleak reality. In this case, the surrealistic elements are used smartly, not indulgently. It is nightmarish enough to decorate the film’s exterior without breaking down its grounded nature, and its symbolic weight adds a level to the film’s themes.

The fantastic performances from both Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill play a big role in making the film work. Adjani and Neill work to create a representation of emotional baggage, from the delirious wife to the unhinged husband. Their shouting and fighting are expressive, feeling almost personal. The two actors mention the emotionally taxing endeavor of their roles, and it’s made clear from the animalistic and primal tendencies displayed on screen. It also works to capture Zulawski’s own traumatic divorce as many scenes in the film are taken from his memory of that time. Zulawski describes the film as “born of a totally private experience”, and it shows. There is a scene where the husband opens the door to see his son alone; this is just one of many instances that serve as a callback to Zulawski’s unfortunate divorce. The film is also then personal, and it’s in this cathartic expression of art that the film is able to stand strongly as a multi-layered piece.

Possession is a slice out of Zulawski’s life, its creation influenced by the director’s divorce that left him depressed and lost. Damaged relationships are soul-crushing, and its portrayal in the film is made all too real from someone who has been through it. Not only do shades of the film reflect the director’s own life, but the actors also manifest onto the screen the film’s raw ferocity. Possession is a film that is bubbling with personality and a uniqueness that is not often seen in film today. A work stylized by fantastical elements and hallucinatory sequences, all of it enveloped within its bleak and tangible reality.