A Creepy Thriller For The Ages

Rating: 9/10 (6 March 2017)

All too many times, movies that fancy themselves "thrillers" are really nothing of the sort. They are either too gory or too short (e.g. not well thought-out) to be regarding as true classics. In the case of "Rosemary's Baby", however, director Roman Polanski crafts an epic tale that will forever stand the test of time.
For a basic plot summary, this movie tells the story of Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and husband Guy (John Cassavetes), a young couple moving into a new apartment complex. They quickly make the acquaintance of older neighbors Minnie (Ruth Gordon) and Roman (Sidney Blackmer) and seem to have forged a sort of friendship with them. When Rosemary becomes pregnant, however, she begins to expect that perhaps the friendliness of the neighbors has a sinister ulterior motive regarding a higher power at work.
This movie is so creepy (and thus ultimately such a classic) because it is so understated. The characters of Rosemary and Guy are so true-to-life in their portrayal of young, married life that the viewer cannot help but identify with them. In short, we see ourselves in them, which makes us root for (or against) the events surrounding them that much more. There is no blood or guts in this one, but rather just an atmosphere of tension that continues to build and build as the minutes tick by.
Granted, however, that this is not a film for youngsters by any means. It is very adult-themed and contains material that may truly haunt younger-than-adolescent minds. That is part of the reason why the film stands up so well, though, as it contains none of the childish "slasher/gore" mentality of most horror flicks.
Finally, "Rosemary's Baby" can also (from today's perspective) be viewed as a nice period piece. I believe Polanski must have suspected it would be looked at as such too, as many pop culture references are strategically placed throughout the flick.
Overall, this is one of the classic suspense/thriller pictures of all-time. The plot of the film (which I won't divulge here) is almost a bit clichéd now due to overuse, but this original is still as striking as I'm sure it was in the 1960s. If you like those "uncomfortable" movie experiences that might have you sleeping with a night-light for a night or two, "Rosemary's Baby" is for you.