Possession (1981)
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An international spy and his wife spiral into a violent, surreal nightmare as their marriage disintegrates in a divided Berlin.
The story
The film follows the deteriorating relationship between Mark, an international spy, and his wife, Anna, in West Berlin. After Anna requests a divorce and begins exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior, Mark struggles to navigate their crumbling marriage and the custody of their young son. As the tension escalates, the narrative takes a surreal turn, blending elements of a spy thriller with psychological and supernatural horror. The story explores the visceral pain of their separation as Anna's actions become increasingly erratic and alarming, leading to a confrontation that blurs the lines between reality and madness in a city divided by the Cold War.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Mark, an international spy, returns to West Berlin to find his wife Anna seeking a divorce and involved with another man, Heinrich. After a period of domestic turmoil and the separation of their son, Bob, the situation escalates into a bizarre, surreal nightmare. Mark encounters a woman named Helen who looks like Anna, and later confronts Heinrich. Anna's behavior becomes increasingly violent and erratic, involving a mysterious tentacled creature. The plot weaves through a series of increasingly disturbing events, including the appearance of a doppelgänger and a surreal, visceral exploration of their marital breakdown. The film culminates in a violent climax where both Mark and Anna face a tragic end. The story is set against the backdrop of the Berlin Wall, serving as a metaphor for the disintegration of their relationship and the broader political climate of the Cold War. The final scenes include a literal and symbolic explosion of their lives, ending with a haunting image of a doppelgänger and a sense of apocalyptic finality.
- First release year
- 1981
- Runtime (minutes)
- 124
- Production countries
- France; West Germany
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Andrzej Żuławski
- Writers
- Andrzej Żuławski · screenplay; Frederic Tuten · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Isabelle Adjani · Anna; Sam Neill · Mark; Heinz Bennent · Heinrich
- Genres
- psychological horror; drama; supernatural horror
- Themes
- marital breakdown; doppelgänger; identity; political division
- Tone and mood
- unsettling; hysterical; visceral; surreal
- Premise and plot tags
- body horror; spy thriller; psychological drama
- Reception
- The film received a lukewarm initial response but has since acquired a cult following and been praised for its atmosphere and performances.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 87% · scale: percentage · review count: 45; Metacritic · score: 75 · scale: 100 · review count: 10
- Production trivia
- The film was once banned as a 'video nasty' in the UK.; The music video for Massive Attack's 'Voodoo in My Blood' pays homage to a scene in the film.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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