Polanski's The Tenant follows Trelkovsky (played by Polanski himself) as he rents an apartment where the previous tenant committed suicide. Gradually, he begins to think that his neighbors are trying to turn him into the last tenant so that he too will kill himself. It is brilliantly suspenseful and psychologically terrifying as it crescendos to the shocking climax. And it is a refreshing treat after seeing Knife in the Water and Repulsion. He seems to have discovered cinematography, as we finally get shots where we can tell what's going on, thanks to the great Sven Nykvist. There are also some masterful camera movements and envious tracking shots (the camera once goes through a stairway railing, for example). I really liked the acting in this movie--Polanski knows what he's doing as an actor just as much as a director. Is is truly horrifying to see him not only inhabit the previous tenant's apartment, but also inherit her habits and friends. Subtly at first, then flamboyantly. The build-up works extremely well as it keeps your heart pounding ever harder, whether through anxious waiting or sexual tension. I absolutely loved the ending.
There were some problems with it as well. The first half and second half don't seem to mesh very well, almost as if they were two separate movies. The first half was a psychological thriller and the second half was a horror movie. The divide was really striking and much too sudden, taking away from my overall enjoyment. For some reason, some of the audio felt like it was dubbed over. Was English the original audio track language? I don't know. Also, there were so many side stories that neither advanced the plot nor increased the tension (like getting hit by the car and Stella's party).
This is definitely a movie other film fans will appreciate. I can see the inspirations for The Shining with the haunting imagery. Early in the movie, Trelkovsky finds a hole in the wall covered up with a cotton ball, behind which is a human tooth. Repeatedly, tenants stand in the bathroom staring up into Trelkovsky's room, keeping deathly still. And he borrows heavily from Hitchcock's best works: the doubling of elements and people in Vertigo, the voyeuristic viewing of neighbors in Rear Window, and the cross-dressing and split-personality in Psycho. I think most cinephiles will appreciate this movie based on those credentials, but if it sounds interesting and you like Polanski, this is definitely one to check out.IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074811/