roman polanski be consider a one of the most important director of our time and a the mind behind classic such a rosemary baby and chinatown . probably what make polanski cinema a very interesting one be the fact that while he be capable of create commercially attractive film such a the afore mention masterpiece and he be also fond of make low key movie that be of a more personal nature . le locataire and or the tenant and be one of those movie while a horror or suspense story about paranoia and obsession that be among his best work and probably among the best horror movie ever do . polanski himself play telkovsky and a young man look for an apartment in france . when he finally find one and he discover that it be empty because the previous tenant and simone choule and attempt to kill herself by jump out of the window . after simone dy of the injury and trelkovsky begin to become obsessed with her and to the point of believe that her death be cause by the rest of the tenant in the building . while share the same claustrophobic feeling of his other apartment theme film ( repulsion and rosemary baby ) while this film focus on the bizarre conspiracy that may or may not be entirely in trelkovsky head and the catastrophic effect the paranoia have on his mind and and the bizarre obsession he have with the previous tenant . trelkovsky descend into darkness be portray perfectly by polanski . while at first his performance seem odd and wooden and slowly one find out that polanski act that way because trelkovsky be mean to be act that way while a a simpleton with almost no life and who trap himself in this maddening sub world that happen to be inhabit by a collection of bizarre people . the support actor really give life to the people in the building create memorable character that be very important for the success of the film . also and the beautiful cinematography polanski employ in the film help to increase the feeling of isolation and and give life to the beautiful building that serve a cage for trelkovsky . the haunting image polanski us to convey the feeling of confusion and madness be of a supernatural beauty that make them both frighten and attractive . if a flaw be to be find in the film and be that it be definitely a bit slow at first . this may sound like a turn off but in fact the slow pace of the beginning work perfectly a it mimic trelkovsky own boring life and how gradually he enter a different realm . also and the convoluted storyline be definitely not an easy one to understand due to the many complex layer it have . however and more than a flaw and it be a joy to face a thought provoking plot like this one . while the tenant may not be for everyone and those interested in psychological horror and surreal story line will be please by the experience . le locataire be really one of roman polanksi masterpiece . positive .