Terrifying; a timeless, paranoid classic

Rating: 10/10 (30 August 2007)

"Rosemary's Baby" centers on Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse (Mia Farrow and John Cassavettes), a young, happy couple who move into a New York City apartment building to start their life together. They are greeted by their elderly neighbors, Minnie and Roman Castevet (Ruth Gordon and Sidney Blackmer), an eccentric and friendly couple who are helpful but a bit intrusive. Rosemary and Guy plan on having a baby together, but the conception is strange and seems to have happened while Rosemary was dreaming. All the while, Minnie and Roman seem to form an unusual relationship with Guy, and begin to take over all the duties and events revolving around Rosemary's pregnancy - things that should be up to the mother. Meanwhile, Rosemary begins to lose weight, is constantly ill, and has odd pains in her stomach - things that aren't normal in a healthy pregnancy. After a series of strange events, Rosemary soon becomes convinced that Minnie and Roman are part of a Satantic cult, and that they have made some sort of exchange with Guy... a horrific exchange that involves Rosemary and her baby.
Maybe one of the greatest stories of betrayal to grace the silver screen, this adaptation from Levin's phenomenal novel is done neatly and the transfer to the screen is brilliant. The film, like the book, takes its time, but the slow-going nature gives plenty of room for formidable suspense and atmosphere.
One of the scariest things about "Rosemary's Baby" is its affect on the viewer. The paranoia, fear, claustrophobia, and foreboding that Rosemary feels channels directly to the audience, and you by proxy experience what she's experiencing. The first forty-five minutes or so seem fairly conventional, but after that the film goes into a straight downward spiral into madness, and by God do you feel it. There's a consistent sense of something not being quite right, mainly with the neighbors whose motives are questionable behind their friendly facade, and this feeling never dissipates. Within the element of the betrayal are the layers of subjects that make it a horror film— the Satanic society, the occult, strange rituals, the Antichrist, and the overall demonic subtext. It's all quite terrifying, and the contents of the plot are all sinister subjects.
The film looks amazing, as if it could have been shot just last week. Nice camera-work that is subtle and neat, but shaky and effective when needed. The settings are all truly spooky, and the Dakota is is photographed to its full Gothic effect.
Mia Farrow stars in the performance of her career as the young, naive Rosemary. All she wants is the ideal life with her husband and child, but she is swept into something more terrifying than she could ever imagine. Farrow plays the part precisely and gains plenty of sympathy from the audience. Ruth Gordon won an Oscar for her portrayal of the Woodhouse's nosy neighbor, Minnie. She's friendly and inquisitive, but we know from the start that she has ulterior motives, as well as her husband. John Cassavettes plays Guy excellently, and Sidney Blackmer is great as well as Minnie's odd husband.
As for the ending, it's a shocker, and probably the most memorable thing about the entire movie. It's something that will stick with you and that you can't easily shake, but is ambiguous enough to keep you asking questions.
Overall, "Rosemary's Baby" is a through-and-through classic. While it isn't 'scary' by conventional means, it manages to maintain a subtle, foreboding atmosphere, unnerving the audience to the point of paranoia. The performances are top-notch, and the subject matter is as shuddering as the Castevet's dark, evil intrusion into Rosemary's life. You'll spend an uncomfortable but spellbinding two hours on the edge of your seat. Isn't that what a good horror movie should do? 10/10.