"Le locataire" is the final film in the "Apartment trilogy", the others being "Repulsion" (1965) and "Rosemary's baby" (1968). It got bad publicity when released (Roger Ebert called it an embarressment) but turned into a cult movie over time.
In my opinion the movie is not bad, but it cenrtainly is not the best movie of the "Apartment trilogy" (that is "Rosemary's baby").
With respect to cinematography and design the film has much in common with "Rosemary's baby". The two apartment buildings breathe the same atmosphere of glory on the verge of perishing and in both cases the dominant color is brown. I was surprised to find out that Sven Nykvist was the cinematographer of "Le locataire", because I identify him almost exclusively with Ingmar Bergman. That is not entirely untrue, but he worked also with other famous directors such as Andrei Tarkovsly ("The sacrifice", 1986), Woody Allen ("Crimes and misdemeanors", 1989) and Roman Polanski.
With respect to the storyline "Le locataire" has more in common with "Repulsion". The same mix of reality and paranoia, with the latter getting the upper hand in the end. The difference however is that in "Repulsion" the reality is much more normal in the beginning, although the paranoia at the end is roughly at the same level. There is nothing outrageous in the flirtations of the amorous Colin in "Repuslion, but there sure is in the demands for silence of the neighbors of Trelkovsky (Roman Polanski) in "Le locataire". He may hardly move in his own house.
It is very understandable that Trelkovsky is droven mad by his neighbors, but the idea that they want to kill him let alone that they want to transform him into the former (female) tenant, is crazy and paranoia in its purest form.
The element of crossdressing has in all probability contibuted to the cult status of the film, but is essentialy very weak. Only the bar on the other side of the street presents Trelkovsky consistently the articles that the former tenant preferred, without taking too much notice of his own preferences. However this really is too small a subplot to base this element of the film on.
In my opinion the movie is not bad, but it cenrtainly is not the best movie of the "Apartment trilogy" (that is "Rosemary's baby").
With respect to cinematography and design the film has much in common with "Rosemary's baby". The two apartment buildings breathe the same atmosphere of glory on the verge of perishing and in both cases the dominant color is brown. I was surprised to find out that Sven Nykvist was the cinematographer of "Le locataire", because I identify him almost exclusively with Ingmar Bergman. That is not entirely untrue, but he worked also with other famous directors such as Andrei Tarkovsly ("The sacrifice", 1986), Woody Allen ("Crimes and misdemeanors", 1989) and Roman Polanski.
With respect to the storyline "Le locataire" has more in common with "Repulsion". The same mix of reality and paranoia, with the latter getting the upper hand in the end. The difference however is that in "Repulsion" the reality is much more normal in the beginning, although the paranoia at the end is roughly at the same level. There is nothing outrageous in the flirtations of the amorous Colin in "Repuslion, but there sure is in the demands for silence of the neighbors of Trelkovsky (Roman Polanski) in "Le locataire". He may hardly move in his own house.
It is very understandable that Trelkovsky is droven mad by his neighbors, but the idea that they want to kill him let alone that they want to transform him into the former (female) tenant, is crazy and paranoia in its purest form.
The element of crossdressing has in all probability contibuted to the cult status of the film, but is essentialy very weak. Only the bar on the other side of the street presents Trelkovsky consistently the articles that the former tenant preferred, without taking too much notice of his own preferences. However this really is too small a subplot to base this element of the film on.