Beautifully Unnerving

Rating: 8/10 (16 May 2013)

If I had to pick a horror flick that perfectly captures that disturbing feeling of paranoia, then 'Rosemary's Baby' would be a perfect example. It's the type of paranoia of which things are not really what they seem or if you're just thinking way in over your head by creating this make-believe scenario.
What I love about this film is that it perfectly captures this despondent atmosphere as the story progresses with the subtle nuances of the music, but to me, I think it mostly boils down to Mia Farrow's performance of Rosemary Woodhouse. She consistently conveys that paranoid feeling and you can feel her emotions when she is dealing with surroundings that are progressively provoking her suspicions, based on her perceptions.
And that is basically where the 'horror' of the movie comes from which is the mood and it takes a lot of work just to use that as the only source of causing a feeling of dread in the viewer. It perfectly falls in line with the New Hollywood genre in that it relies on subtle nuances instead of huge melodrama, surprisingly creating something that is far more effective than your average blockbuster affair. There's only some disturbing imagery, but as Rosemary grows more weary of the other characters, you can feel that same dread as well. Other than that, there are no special effects, cheap high volume scares, or fast paced horror, just outstanding performances, especially from Ruth Gordon.
Rosemary's Baby is a work of art in that it shines in creating horror that is bare and minimal, yet surprisingly still being able to retain a strong, brooding atmosphere that pulls you in and never lets you go until the end of the movie. 5/5