Product: Rosemary's Baby (El Bebe de Rosemary) [ NON-USA FORMAT, NTSC, Reg.4 Import - Latin America ] (1968)
Rating: 5.0
Rosemary is back
Since "The Pianist" many of Roman Polanski's earlier movies have been undergoing a reappraisal and this should be no exception. Reviled at the time for its innovative use of "shocking" images and linked most unfortunately with the Charles Manson/ Sharon Stone murder, it slumbered in the basement for many years. Today it is being seen perhaps for the first time for what it is: an extremely subtle and complex analysis of the way powerful organisations can deform the mind of "ordinary" people/ or, if you prefer it, psychosis can gradually take a grip on the most normal of individuals. In this case the organisation is a witches' coven but the film can also be seen to have other religious/ political overtones. Particularly clever is the way the director keeps us guessing throughout as to what extent Rosemary (Mia Farrow) is deluded in her "paranoid" belief that her husband and neighbors are plotting against her and her unborn child. Yes, I know, put that way it sounds a pretty clear cut case, but such is Rosemary's naive honesty (and despite criticism I feel Mia Farrow was an inspired choice for this film) that we continue to believe, against all the odds, that she is the innocent victim.Polanski staunchly refused throughout the film to indulge in gratuitous "horror film" excesses. There is no vomiting and the final scene in which Rosemary for the first time sees her "demonic" baby is positively Shakespearean in its restraint, with the baby merely being described by the characters (can you imagine) as opposed to seen.Throughout this film it is the mind rather than the stomach that is working. It's a great movie and well worth revisiting. Certainly I could not see any modern director remaking it successfully. A true piece of Kafka.