Experience the mind-bending cult classic Possession.

Let me just say, diving into *Possession* without any prior knowledge is the way to go. Skip the trailer and even this write-up—just head over to Shudder, Criterion, or Metrograph and experience it for yourself. If you have access through your library, you can also find it on Kanopy or Hoopla. Once you’ve seen it, come back and let’s discuss in the comments. Just a heads up, this one isn’t for the faint of heart.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

*Possession* is a film that can leave you scratching your head, even if you know the plot twists. After two viewings, a few podcasts, and several articles, I still find myself puzzled by certain moments. But one thing is clear: I absolutely loved it.

The story plunges you into a disintegrating marriage set against the backdrop of the Berlin Wall, a powerful metaphor for the emotional divide between the characters—an incredibly young and striking Sam Neill as Mark, and Isabelle Adjani as Anna, who delivers one of the most haunting performances in cinema history. Watching Adjani is a rollercoaster; she oscillates between chilling detachment and frenetic energy with unsettling fluidity. It’s no wonder her experience on this film left her with PTSD.

Heinz Bennent also shines as Heinrich, the man Mark suspects Anna is leaving him for. He moves through scenes like a tipsy ballet dancer, and his delivery has a bizarre, almost Wiseau-like quality. His repeated calls of Mark’s name only add to the surreal atmosphere. In a more conventional film, his antics might seem ridiculous, but in the nightmarish world of *Possession*, he fits right in, oscillating between aggression and seduction.

Director Andrzej Żuławski not only elicits beautifully chaotic performances from his cast but also crafts live-action art. There’s a striking scene where Mark and Anna sit in a café, facing away from each other while discussing their separation—before Mark erupts in a fit of rage, sending chairs and tables flying. The cinematography captures these moments with stunning precision.

But then the film takes a turn.

What starts as a psychedelic exploration of a failing marriage morphs into a disorienting body horror experience in the latter half. It turns out Anna isn’t leaving Mark for Heinrich; instead, Heinrich is just as desperate to reclaim her. Anna is actually involved with what Anna Bogutskaya, host of *The Final Girls* podcast, describes as a “Lovecraftian fuck monster.”

This grotesque creature, with its tentacles and oozing orifices, was brought to life by Carlo Rambaldi, known for his Oscar-winning work on *Alien* and *E.T.* It feeds not just on flesh but on souls, and Anna seems to view it as a divine entity, using it to explore parts of herself that have been buried in her relationship with Mark.

When the men in her life fail to fulfill her desires, she conjures an ideal lover. What begins as a slimy creature reminiscent of the baby from *Eraserhead* eventually transforms into a doppelganger of Mark.

And then there’s the subway scene. If you’ve heard of *Possession*, it’s likely because of this moment. Adjani throws herself around a deserted tunnel, grunting, screaming, and convulsing, leaving a trail of blood on the wet concrete. Watching it is utterly exhausting; it’s three of the most intense minutes ever captured on film, and even if the rest of the movie fell flat, *Possession* would still be worth it for this scene alone.

There are countless interpretations of this film, and I’m still unsure about the ending. Did their son Bob drown himself? Is Mark’s doppelganger the antichrist? Is Helen also a doppelganger? (I think so.) What’s the deal with Heinrich’s mother? Is Anna truly possessed, or is the title’s possession about the men in her life trying to control her?

Since I first watched this film a month ago, I’ve been telling everyone I know about it. I can’t shake it from my mind or stop discussing it.