Product: Rosemary's Baby (El Bebe de Rosemary) [ NON-USA FORMAT, NTSC, Reg.4 Import - Latin America ] (1968)
Rating: 5.0
This Isn't a Dream--This Is Really Happening!
As faithful to Ira Levin's bestseller as a movie could be, Roman Polanski's ROSEMARY'S BABY is a masterpiece of cinematic horror that draws its subtle atmosphere of psychological terror out of the superstitious underpinnings of Western Judeo-Christian culture and from the uncertainty and emotional turmoil that young women suffer during pregnancy. Using the film's young protagonist, Rosemary Woodhouse, as a sort of symbol for the common person, Polanski artfully compels the audience to buy into the ostensible security of everyday American life. Then, with only little glimpses of the true evil that can exist behind the facade of common surroundings and behind the masks of trusted acquaintances, he insidiously pushes the viewer towards the film's fearful and surrealistic crescendo.Great performances, especially from the principals, create a strong understructure for the movie's suspenseful and frightening plot. As Rosemary, Mia Farrow initially exudes both the innocence and the optimism of American youth, and later in the film, she is very effective in relaying the hysteria and paranoia of a woman who ultimately finds herself the victim of a conspiracy. John Cassavetes is also quite believable as Rosemary's driven and egocentric husband, Guy. But it is the tour-de-force performances of Ruth Gordon and Sidney Blackmer that almost steal the show. As Rosemary's smarmy Satan-worshipping neighbors, Minnie and Roman Castevet, Gordon and Blackmer create a genuine sense of subtle evil that makes it easy to believe that one's neighbors could be plotting against you! Veteran actors Ralph Bellamy and Maurice Evans also do a fine job in supporting roles.Certain aspects of the film might seem dated today, most notably the 1960s clothing styles and the Leave-It-to-Beaver depiction of a "normal" middle-class American life. But actually, this only serves to heighten the surrealism of the overall plot and thereby makes the film seem all the more bizarre and frightening. Compared to some well-known films of the era, ROSEMARY'S BABY seems to have only gotten better with age. A worthy vintage for horror fans and movie buffs alike.This DVD release seems to have been made from a fairly good print; however, it is short on bonus features and extras. No trailers or TV spots are offered, but there is a rather odd behind-the-scenes featurette. Still, the movie itself is so good, the lack of extras will hardly be noticed.