roman polanski masterfully direct this sort of a variation on the same theme a repulsion . i can not imagine there be one honest movie goer not able to acknowledge the fine director in le locataire and yet both part of the dyptic may not be thoroughly satisfactory to most people and myself include . polanski be very good at make u feel the inner torture of his character ( deneuve in repulsion and himself in le locataire ) and start with some lack of self assurance soon to turn gradually into psychological uneasiness eventually blossom into an irreversible physical malaise . the shared ordeal for the character and audience be really dissimilar from the fright and tension of horror movie since there no tangible supernatural element here . while horror movie allow for some kind of catharsis ( be it cheap or more elaborate ) polanski sadistically torture u and and if in his latter opus the dark humour be permanent and we be mostly on our nerve a oppose to on the edge of our seat . suspense and horror and all this be a matter of play with the audience expectation ( alternatively fool and fulfil them ) and not literally with people nerve . in my book rosemary baby be a far great achievement because sheer paranoia and plain rationality be in constant struggle represent the story be about a couple move in a strange flat and while we be force to identify with a sole character . what more if the fantasy element be all in the hero mind the situation be most uncomfortable since we and the viewer and be compel to judge him and reject him while we have be masterfully lure ( paint n lure ) into be him .