DiscoverThe Sleepless Cinematic PodcastMarriage Gory: 'Possession' (1981) with Sylvie Dranoff
Marriage Gory: 'Possession' (1981) with Sylvie Dranoff

Marriage Gory: 'Possession' (1981) with Sylvie Dranoff

Update: 2025-05-28
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Madeline, Emilio, and Julian are joined by Julian’s oft-mentioned cinephile cousin Sylvie for a standalone discussion about Andrzej Żuławski’s singular film “Possession” (1981). Distinctly mixing a drama of romantic turmoil with elements of body horror, spy thrillers, and creature features, “Possession” centers on the alternatively broad and grounded performances of its two versatile lead actors, Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill, to deliver a film worthy of high accolades yet relegated to obscurity for many years, due to its transgressive content and difficulty to classify. The group break the film down through elements such as its dynamic cinematography and memorable secondary characters, in addition to finding notable comparisons to other films (the Cronenberg name looming large), considering what it's like to flail around in Berlin's U-bahn, and wondering what ever happened to calling people “Bob.”  

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Marriage Gory: 'Possession' (1981) with Sylvie Dranoff

Marriage Gory: 'Possession' (1981) with Sylvie Dranoff

The Sleepless Cinematic Podcast