Product: Rosemary's Baby (El Bebe de Rosemary) [ NON-USA FORMAT, NTSC, Reg.4 Import - Latin America ] (1968)
Rating: 5.0
Extraordinary restraint and style
You watch horror films from the 1950s and 1960s and they have a curiously dated feel - ghosts rattling chains, men morphing into bats, Vincent Price. Then you watch Roman Polanski's 1968 classic "Rosemary's Baby," and it's like a gut punch. One of the creepiest films ever made and certainly one of the five greatest horror films of all time, "Rosemary's Baby" has aged well because of its extraordinary restraint and style. Polanski, making his first American film, went to great pains to create a work of subtlety, insinuation and ultimately, growing paranoia.The film is a faithful adaptation of Ira Levin's bestsellerRosemary's Babybut, more importantly, it turns a routine shocker into an examination of apartment culture, prenatal depression, women's liberation and the 1960's rejection of traditional values. Such substance in the horror genre is rare. There are really no outright shocking moments, with the exception of the unsettling dream sequences, predating similar scenes inThe Exorcistyears later. But it's the accumulation of revelations that create an unbearable atmosphere leading to the shocking conclusion.Casting was key, and rumors surrounding what could have been are part of the film's enormous legend. Robert Redford was a favorite for the role of husband Guy Woodhouse (a perfect choice), and Tuesday Weld and Jane Fonda were considered for Rosemary. But like all great films, luck is a crucial to the equation. I can't imagine anyone as Rosemary other than Mia Farrow. It's a magnificent performance, shaded with angst, sorrow and genuine love for Guy and her unborn baby. Farrow, innocent and child-like (thanks in no small part to the Vidal Sassoon haircut), conveys a complex and unique heroine. When watching the film recently, I found myself wanting to protect her.John Cassavetes, hot off the success of his Oscar-nominated role inThe Dirty Dozen, is perhaps the one weak link. He was Polanski's first choice and ultimately the performance works, I think. His mannerisms, when he embarrassingly admits to filing his nails after having had sex with a passed-out Rosemary, is great stuff. There's also a brilliant scene (a continuous shot lasting several minutes) when he argues with Rosemary following a party with younger friends. Physically, it's difficult to believe Cassavetes is the matinee idol/budding movie star his character is supposed to be. Then again, if he had traditional looks, why would he need the assistance of witches? Classic films should be studied, and each time I watch "Rosemary's Baby," I fluctuate on Cassavetes. There's an odd distance to his character. Could the drama have been stronger had we been able to understand Rosemary's absolute devotion?Casting of the supporting roles is perfect, having much to do with the film's success. Ruth Gordon is sublime as nosy neighbor Minnie Castevet and was well-deserving of the Academy Award. I also loved Sidney Blackmer and Ralph Bellamy, old veterans who convey extraordinary menace. It's a fine line Polanski walks with these characters. They are eccentric enough to be instantly identifiable (and in many ways comedic), and yet small mannerisms and physical reactions convey deep, nightmarish evil. The musical score of Krzysztof KomedaRosemary's Baby, strategically used with great reserve, further adds to the drama's disturbing nature, most notably variations of the eerie lullaby played during the credits.There are really no spoilers to give away in "Rosemary's Baby" as it is such a famous film. Newlyweds Guy and Rosemary Woodhouse move into a Gothic-like apartment in New York City with a sordid history (dead babies found in the basement, serial killers). They soon become friends with their neighbors the Castevets, an aged couple suffering from recent trauma of a step-daughter committing suicide. Much to Rosemary's puzzlement Guy, a struggling actor, becomes close friends with them. She soon becomes pregnant after a bizarre night when she passes out. Eventually, the Castevets and their elderly clique take an unusual interest in Rosemary's pregnancy. Guy supports their incursions, and is now receiving career breaks that could lead to major stardom. After multiple incidents, Rosemary begins to suspect her irritating neighbors are part of a witches coven with plans to ritually sacrifice her baby.What makes "Rosemary's Baby" so heartbreaking and ultimately terrifying is the growing paranoia Rosemary feels as the drama progresses. She is slowly falling into a trap and, as viewers exposed to the same clues, we want to help but are unable to do so. Many urban myths surround this film - Anton LaVey was a technical adviser, Polanski's wife Sharon Tate had a cameo, Rosemary's baby is shown during the final scene. All are false, though their existence is a testament to the film's power. One could argue the frightening aura has much to do with what happened later, the death of Polanski's family a year after the film's release, John Lennon's death at the Dakota where the movie was filmed, etc. There's a disturbing extra included on the DVD, a vintage "Making of" documentary. It shows Polanski kissing his wife Sharon and Farrow adopting the persona of the flower child. Personally, it gave me chills. I would have liked the famous preview of the film, the baby carriage on a lonely mountain top, to have been included. It's only the most terrifying trailer in the history of cinema.With the passage of time, as memories of terrible crimes and fate recede, we still have "Rosemary's Baby," withstanding the years as a genuine, multi-layered horror classic. And other horror films I would place in the top-five? In no particular order,Nosferatu(1922),Frankenstein (Universal Studios Classic Monster Collection)(1931),The Haunting(1963) and "The Exorcist" (1973).