Product: Rosemary's Baby (El Bebe de Rosemary) [ NON-USA FORMAT, NTSC, Reg.4 Import - Latin America ] (1968)
Rating: 5.0
A Mother's Dread
WARNING: This film contains adult subject matter including occultism, sexuality/nudity, frightening images and some language.In 1968, a controversial director named Roman Polanski (The Fearless Vampire KillersandThe Ninth Gate) created a genuinely terrifying horror film. Rosemary's Baby was based onthe novel by Ira Levinand proved to be a classic of modern horror films. The film is propelled by an astonishing cast who seem so natural in their respective roles that you forgot how implausible the plot is. But what makes the film so frightening is the story that it tells and the way it exploits our primal fears (like the endangerment of our children).A sweet young couple, Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse, move into an old New York apartment building. As they meet their charming new neighbors they are repeatedly asked the same question: "Do you have any children?" But they think nothing of this friendly curiosity. After a young woman, who befriended Rosemary, apparently commits suicide they meet the old couple that she was staying with. At first appearance Roman and Minnie Castevet seem like a nosey, sweet geriatric couple but Rosemary's instincts tell her otherwise. On the night that she and Guy plan to conceive a child, Minnie unexpectedly sends over a dessert. After eating Rosemary feels dizzy, nauseous and finally she collapses. In her sleep she has a hallucinogenic dream, in which she's on a boat heading into a storm, surrounded by naked people chanting a strange mantra, and being raped by an inhuman creature. However this is not the first vividly surreal dream that she's had so she dismisses it as being the aftereffects of indigestion or food poisoning. When Rosemary finds out that she's pregnant, Guy immediately wants to tell Roman and Minnie. Roman and Minnie insist that Rosemary go to a new obstetrician, Dr. Sapirstein, who's a friend of theirs. Guy's acting career takes off while Rosemary grows weaker and thinner. Roman and Minnie become more involved with Rosemary and Guy after they learn of her pregnancy. It's not long before Rosemary resents the unwanted attention and this resentment leads to her distrust Roman, Minnie and their friends. After a series of strange occurrences Rosemary begins to suspect that things are not what they seem. Rosemary starts having stomach pains and Dr. Sapirstein insists that nothing is wrong. After an old friend sends her a book about witches, one of whom lived in their apartment building at the turn of the century, Rosemary becomes suspicious of her neighbors, their friends, her doctor and even Guy. Are they part of a conspiracy to use her unborn child in Satanic rituals? At first Rosemary doubts this but the pieces of the puzzle begin to come together, and the more she reads the more parallels she finds between the practices in the book and the reality she's experiencing. Is she suffering from "pre-partum" depression or is there a real reason for her to be afraid?The film is somewhat ambiguous as to whether Rosemary's lost her grip on reality or whether Satan worshippers are after her child. This is the greatest departure from the book, which clarifies that she is the victim of a diabolical plot. Other than that the film is relatively faithful to its source material. The brilliant ensemble cast adds to the story's tension. The cast includes Mia Farrow as Rosemary, John Cassavetes as Guy, Ruth Gordon as Minnie and Sidney Blackmer as Roman. Other cast members include Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy and Charles Grodin.Currently the only available DVD is a rather bare bones release. It does include a vintage documentary and a fascinating retrospective about the film's making. But that's about it for special features. The film has not been restored or remastered in any way and the audio track is only in 2.0. With this year marking the 40th anniversary of the film hopefully we can expect a more worthy DVD release, but if not this one is available at most retailers for a very reasonable price.