10 great films about recluses
Created by Igor_Brynner.
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From the broody loners of gothic literature to the rugged pioneers of survivalist documentaries, recluses have long been a source of fascination for artists and audiences alike. We’ve all heaved a sigh of relief after escaping tedious company, but to leave society forever? Humans are fundamentally pack animals, so when one separates from the herd and wanders off, we can’t help but plumb the depths of their psyche for answers.
Defining a recluse isn’t as straightforward as it seems. It’s a person who lives a solitary existence, of course, but there also needs to be an element of self-determination, otherwise any old prisoner will do. Dae-su Oh in Oldboy (2004)? Prisoner. Carol in Repulsion (1965)? Recluse. The incarcerated children in Dogtooth (2009)? Prisoners. Miss Havisham of Great Expectations? Recluse. You get the idea. Prisoners and recluses have very different motivations and mindsets; conflating the two would be a mistake.
Marie Lidén’s new documentary Electric Malady is about William, a man who believes modern life – and specifically, electricity – is making him ill, and his only option for survival is to live in a log cabin deep in the Swedish woods. Whether or not William’s electrosensitivity is real or psychosomatic (something Lindén tactfully explores in the documentary), his pain is real. It’s a key theme among the films on this list, many of which feature recluses whose impetus is a push from society, rather than a pull towards solitude.
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1 new
Repulsion
1965, in 17 top lists Check -
2 new
Simón del desierto
1965 — a.k.a. Simon of the Desert, in 5 top lists Check -
3 new
Un homme qui dort
1974 — a.k.a. The Man Who Sleeps, in 3 top lists Check -
4 new
Safe
1995, in 8 top lists Check -
5 new
Alone in the Wilderness
2004, in 2 top lists Check -
6 new
Grizzly Man
2005, in 9 top lists Check -
7 new
Amongst White Clouds
2005, in 0 top lists Check -
8 new
Two Years at Sea
2011, in 1 top list Check -
9 new
Peter and the Farm
2016, in 0 top lists Check -
10 new
Saint Maud
2019, in 3 top lists
Last updated on Jun 4, 2023; source