when this film open back in 1976 and legend have that it be meet with massive jeering and disdain it be widely consider a failure . i vividly remember ebert give it one star and it be supposedly boo at cannes . apparently these people do not understand the movie and which be not that hard to comprehend since it very esoteric and dark and and layer in way that still astound me . read through many of the review here i find ( even after about 7 8 viewing over the year ) many element of the film i have previously gloss over . but even without understand much the psychological underpinnings of the story and it still a crack suspenser . even if you just take the escalating paranoia and persecution that overtake polanski title character like a tsunami wave over the course of it two hour run time . examine the source material an excellent novella by underrated novelist roland topor uncovers more intriguing layer . polanski trekovsky be a milquetoast of the high order . though he seem at first to be yet another mild everyday soul and one gradually realize he be one of those people who seem to aimlessly drift through life and let it direct him . he seem to have few strong feeling about his like and dislike . he find himself gently push this way and that and but never seem to get too bent out of shape regardless . this vague sort of wishy washy ness be more noticeable in the novel than the movie and but there be hint of it early in the film too . make a play for the apartment of a woman and one mademouiselle choule and who be in the hospital recover from a recent suicide attempt and appear to be the most daring thing he have attempt ( even effectively haggle down the price of the deposit in the bargain ) . he soon find and however and that he be pay for his good thing in more way than he care and a he find himself in the center of maelstrom create by a building full of neurotic and control freak who be hypersensitive to even the slight sign of human life and such a a footstep in the night or a knock on the door . instead of take a stand though and trelkovsky becomes increasingly alienate by the situation and and overtake by paranoia and a sense of persecution . he become obsess with choule and imagine himself to be like her and dress like her and etc . a his own personality rapidly begin to be wipe away by his own insanity . if anyone have ever doubt polanski fearlessness a an artist and they would be well advise to see this film . his trademark black humor be prominently ( and sometimes embarrassingly ) on display here and god bless him he make himself the butt of it . it a tour de force performance in one of the rich and riskiest and most gothic horror movie ever make . that more people haven not see it be a true crime .