The woman arrives to a small river where she parks the car by the riverbank and opens the back door of the small Citroën.  She drags out a lifeless body from the car and dumps it in the river, which will be discovered some days later.  The identity of the body appears to be Christiane Génessier (Edith Scob). Christiane is the daughter of a famous surgeon,  Doctor Génessier (Pierre Brasseur), as he identifies her body through her disfigured face, which she acquired in a car accident.

The beginning sets up a scenario that grabs the audience by the neck with an icy grip that is ready to snap the cervical vertebrae.  This prepares the audience for what is to come with fearful anticipation that forces the audience to chip for air as if deep inhalation could disrupt the pending doom.  The score of the film enhances the uneasy atmosphere with a carnival like tune which is carefully balanced with visual cues on the screen.  The mise-en-scene also plays a significant role in the build up of anxiety and horror as it is full of symbolism.

Georges Franju directs a horrific tale regarding obsession for perfection and inhumane behavior, which is narrated through meticulous cinematography.  The camera angles, music, the use of light, and mise-en-scene visually triggers fearful emotions within the audience.  This leads the audience to experience an outmost terrific horror tale, which is rarely seen in today’s pop culture where blood, gore, and disgust rule.

DIRECTED BY

Georges Franju

COUNTRY

France / Italy

Filmography links and data courtesy of