For 1968, this movie is a riveting shocker

Rating: 9/10 (13 August 2006)

In reviewing Rosemary's Baby, a movie that pretty much led to movies like The Exorcist, I have to think back to the year it was released. And upon realizing this, I must say that Rosemary's Baby is a horror movie in the psychological sense. There is no gore whatsoever, but none of that makes this film any less a horror movie.
I'm not even sure todays generation of horror movie goers would be able to watch a movie like Rosemary's Baby. It moves very slow and builds tension subtly, leading to the horrifying climax. There are a few shocking scenes, but nothing that would sicken anybody. Today's generation of horror movie buffs might even find Rosemary's Baby to be rather boring, but then things have changed since 1968. You do not have the same audience in 2006 that you had back then. But in watching movies, particularly horror films, for years, I can accept the horrors that Rosemary's Baby brings to the table.
Director Roman Polanski directs this movie perfectly and gets incredible performances from his cast, especially Mia Farrow (Rosemary) and Ruth Gordon (Minnie Castavet). From the beginning, this film starts with a gnawing horror that slowly builds throughout, leading to the surprising ending. It is the acting by all the participants as well as clever direction that makes all of this work wonderfully, and like I said above, it does not use gore at all to get its point across.
I see that I have not summarize the plot, but if I did, I believe it would only lessen some of the movie's surprises. Let's just say that if you are a horror movie buff, and enjoy slow build-up in your horror movies which leads to a surprising conclusion, then Rosemary's Baby is the movie for you. As I've emphasized above, this film has no explicit gore whatsoever. There are some mild violent scenes but nothing that would gross anybody out. You've got to realize this movie was released in the late 60s, and that was five years before The Exorcist. If you can accept that, and watch this movie, then maybe you will see why this movie is a cult favorite among many horror movie buffs.