There are a lot of really good foreign horror films out there, but I really have to mention Possession (1981). Especially since the remake is coming out next year in June... I do not have a lot of faith in the film, despite how great of an actress Margaret Qualley is. Like, we get it, she can pull off the subway scene. But who knows what creative liberties the director will take!
Possession was written and directed by Andrzej Żuławski, inspired by a painful divorce from actress Małgorzata Braunek. Essentially, the film is about the most dramatic break-up ever with political subtext, having been filmed in West Berlin. Some of his work was heavily policed by authorities, and even banned. There was a lot of stuff happening in Żuławski's life that is heavily reflected in this film. It's pretty heavy.
Isabelle Adjani is fucking insane in this film, she's a phenomenal actress. I think Margaret Qualley is awesome too, The Substance (2024) was crazy! However, Isabelle Adjani's performance was one of a kind. That's going to be very difficult to approach. On one hand, one doesn't want to completely recreate the performance. On the other hand, people will be disappointed if the performance isn't up to par. Honestly, I just don't see the point in remaking this film. I'll probably go watch it, like I went to go see The Nun II (2023) and Evil Dead Burn (2026). Did I like those films? No. But I still watched them!
Anna is possessed by something evil. It can be metaphorical or literal, depending on how you want to view it. Anna resents Mark for making up this particular version of herself in his head. "Because you say 'I' for 'me'." Anna describes the way Mark makes her feel as a person, as a partner, in a negative manner. Yet, Anna doesn't want to be alone with herself. "I am the maker of my own evil. Goodness is only some kind of reflection upon evil." Anna has lost her faith, faith in Mark, faith in reality, and faith in herself. I believe this will be a very hard scene to recreate.
I think the best thing we can do for Possession (1981) is pay tribute to it through references. The First Omen (2024) did a scene that references Anna's "miscarriage" and I thought it was intriguing. In The First Omen, Margaret, our main character, becomes pregnant with the Antichrist's child. In this particular scene, the fetus grows to full term and is ready to be delivered. As above, so below. It's a chilling film, I don't recommend it if you're sensitive to forced pregnancies, religion, abortion, etc. But it's a great horror film.
Possession (1981) is such an experience. I think it should be the only version to exist, in my humble opinion. The film is extremely relevant to the time period and location it was filmed in. I don't think it will be fair to compare Margaret Qualley's performance to Isabelle Adjani's. I don't want to see Qualley's creative liberties because Adjani's performance already exists. Why touch something that's already perfect? Also, I am so sick of all of these remakes. Cheap, souless cash grabs. We need new shit, new stories, and new people. No hate to Qualley!!
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