MovieChat Forums > Possession (1983) Discussion > Wow....it's the household of overactors ...

Wow....it's the household of overactors (!!)

posted 12 years ago by cookiela2001
16 replies | jump to latest

I'm halfway through this strange film...but I don't think I've seen a couple this overwrought since George and Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

Jeez....can you all yell a little LOUDER??

EDIT: Damn. Now the child's started in yelling, too, waking up from nightmares. Are they all going through drug withdrawal of something??

EDIT EDIT: Isabelle Adjani just started freaking out in a subway tunnel. My dog jumped off the couch because he couldn't handle it.
.

[–] StanleyVonAnderson 12 years ago

How about YOU shut the *beep* up and watch the goddamn *beep* film. If you have ADD and are too small minded to watch a film such as this, then don't *beep* watch it. I know it's a cliche, but you ought to stick to Transformers or Avatar.

*beep* philistine.

[–] cookiela2001 12 years ago

The pace in this film (the extended version) is VEEEEERRRY SLOOOOW.

It encourages the mind to wander.

.

[–] prbronx5 12 years ago

I watched it, paid attention, hated it. Absolute trash IMO.

[–] Floepsel 10 years ago

I watched it, paid attention, loved it. Absolute beauty IMO.

(sorry for that haha)

Favorite movies/year plus little review: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070235838/

[–] ethermusic1981 11 years ago

Stanley...stop being such a twat.

[–] franzkabuki 12 years ago

Yeah, these two really found their match. And breed more of their kind, too.

Burton and Taylor in Virginia Woolf were beautifully measured in their loudmouthed mania though, poetic even, if you´ll allow. Also mixing it up with equally beautifully measured quiet moments. Here, things really seem to have gotten out of hand at times.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] zachhasbro 12 years ago

i watched it and loved it so...

[–] ethermusic1981 11 years ago

Good for you.

[–] PoppyTransfusion 12 years ago

Anna/Adjani in the subway is one of the most intense and disturbing scenes I've watched on film. I'm not surprised your dog couldn't take it especially after listening to Mark/Neill's constant talk about dogs crawling under the porch to die.

Why do you refuse to remember me?

[–] Elder_Yautija 11 years ago

Ahahahah!!!!! I loved your second edit! Picturing your dog's reaction in my head had me rolling on the floor, for some reason!!

[–] luann_d29 11 years ago

In another thread, I stated that Sam Neill looked as if he just graduated from the William Shatner School of Acting ... it was that bad!

[–] yfguitarist 11 years ago

Sam Neill was terrible! Watching him chew the scenery while his wife's lover danced around was agonizing.

[–] curious_chaos 9 years ago

I do not think Neill was terrible, I think the overacting was most certainly part of Zulawski 's direction. It's part of the film's very unsettling atmosphere. Very intentional. Which therefore, makes it not terrible.

It's not easy to watch, I'll give you that. It does get easier on the 2nd and 3rd viewing though!!

[–] pjk84 9 years ago

Sure, the overacting was likely intentional... but that doesn't change the fact, that it was still absolutely ridiculous, not to mention irritating.

Throughout the film, the makers seem to have sought the most counter-intuitive ways of film making - and even story telling in itself - which easily makes Possession one of the worst and most amateurish looking professional movies I've ever seen.

It's not completely worthless, though. The hysterical overacting and overall weirdness makes it actually a pretty good backdrop for shts and giggles; if you have a bunch of pals over, getting high and drunk, it offers many a wtf/lol-moment.

On its own however, it's too slow-paced and boring (let alone non-sensical), so it probably shouldn't be the only activity to focus on.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jjk50 9 years ago

I know Adjani and Neill are good actors but the overacting in this was obviously the choice of the director to play it this way. It really became annoying after awhile.