Repulsion (1965)

A withdrawn young girl (Catherine Deneuve) working as a manicurist in London is tenuously holding on to her sanity. When her sister (Yvonne Furneaux) goes off on a holiday with her married lover (Ian Hendry), that tenuous hold begins to unravel. Directed by Roman Polanski (ROSEMARY'S BABY), this disturbing psychological "horror" film was the follow up to his international breakthrough KNIFE IN THE WATER and his first English language movie. One of Polanski's most impressive films, it also indicated that under Deneuve's great beauty was a real actress. The reason for Deneuve's psychosis is never explained but a telling family photo with her as a child provides a possible explanation. Handsomely shot in B&W by Gilbert Taylor (STAR WARS), Polanski takes his time as we oh so slowly watch Deneuve's disintegration and the subsequent tension eventually explodes into a surreal nightmare and violence. With John Fraser, Patrick Wymark, Renee Houston, James Villiers and Valerie Taylor.