Psychological horror at its best!

Rating: 10/10 (8 August 2016)

I haven't seen 'Rosemary's Baby' in well over a decade and have just finished watching it again. I had forgotten what an awesome horror thriller Roman Polanski has created here. It definitely is one of the prime examples of its genre. Sure, its buildup is rather slow by today's standards but that's just what I like to see in a good psychological horror movie. It's by no means a blood and gore movie, which many people identify with the horror genre, but rather a movie that creates the thrill and horror in your head, much like Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining' (1980) does.
On the outside, 'Rosemary's Baby' comes in the disguise of a drama and there is very little graphic horror to be found in it, except for one scene in which you get a glimpse of Satan himself, but that's pretty much it. The movie rather relies on good character development and captivating lines of well-written dialogue delivered by a cast of actors who really know how to occupy the screen. Ruth Gordon and Sidney Blackmer are perfectly cast as Rosemary's odd next-door neighbors, as is Mia Farrow in the role of the seemingly fragile Rosemary, who she plays marvelously and with great depth.
The movie sticks very closely to Rosemary and we as the audience experience the unfolding of the story from her perspective. That is one of the reasons why this movie is very relatable. Gradually, Rosemary finds more clues which indicate that some kind of witchery must be going on around her. Or is it just her mind playing tricks on her? Up until the fantastic finale, in which Sidney Blackmer really shines as the leader of the coven, vigorously screaming "Hail Satan!" from the top of his lungs, she is never quite sure, and we aren't either. That's what creates a very ominous atmosphere and makes this movie so captivating. 'Rosemary's Baby' has no need to show much to be frightening. In fact, we never even get to see the titular baby. It's all just in your head.