With every October since I’ve been doing these, I’ve always made it a standard to try and include at least one older that’s celebrating its milestone anniversary. And this year, I wanted to discuss a film that’s been on my mind for the past summer, after seeing Hereditary; thinking back on that film, along with last year’s mother!, I felt since both those films shared such similar themes, I figured I might as well talk about the film that most people draw back to on: Rosemary’s Baby.
Based on the novel by Ira Levin, we follow the lives of Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy (John Cassavetes) Woodhouse, who move into a new apartment building in New York, hoping to start a family. While there, Rosemary becomes quite wary of her neighbors, especially when they and Guy start becoming more demanding of her pregnancy. Throughout the story, death and pain follow Rosemary, whether it’s through mentally attacking her or seeing the people she trusts left slowly slip away, and you feel that something isn’t right about this baby.
The producer of this film, William Castle, is often known for implementing gimmicks into his films, with the most common examples being The Tingler, 13 Ghosts, and House on Haunted Hill; he was always fixed on giving the audience the experience that really put them in the movie, such as 3D, joy buzzers in the seats, and getting theatre cast members to interact with the audience. Castle was discovering this method wasn’t going to last, and so he put a lot on the line with adapting Levin’s story, even mortgaging his house to claim film rights. However, he was unable to direct the film himself, thus the job was handed over to Roman Polanski, both as writer and director, and the result is the film we’ve had since 1968.
Being one of the earliest American films he’s done, Polanski creates this spiritual like atmosphere that feels faint to breathe, and it becomes even more evident after the (implied) rape scene; even in the beginning, you feel like the world around you that’s supposed to be normal, doesn’t exactly feel right. Accompanied by the score of Krzysztof Komeda, you really do feel yourself in a tumble into insanity. I also love the camera work by Will Fraker; the close ups he gives, especially during the climax as we follow Rosemary from behind, as well as the iconic shot of her seeing the child is iconic. The piercing eyes of Satan in this movie, portrayed by the late Clay Tanner, will stay stuck in everybody’s nightmares.
Mia Farrow is remarkable in the role, as she embodies the same reactions the audience would have, never letting it drop for a second. You really become sympathetic to her and her husband throughout this hell, and you truly feel the claustrophobia start to settle in as her husband slowly starts to leave her reach and take control of her baby; despite all the hell that went on with her behind the scenes (including sacrificing her marriage to Frank Sinatra), she truly gave her best performance, and it’s a shame she never got the Oscar nomination she had hoped for.
Ruth Gordon and Sidney Blackmer play the next door neighbors, the Castevets, who really bring this creepy, but humble presence that I haven’t really seen matched in a horror film until Get Out. Gordon especially comes off as truly the most memorable of the supporting cast, and well earning of her Academy Award. The rest of the supporting cast play the usual creepy neighborhood cults, and they all do a great job; William Castle also makes a cameo at the phone booth scene, and even Tony Curtis makes a vocal cameo.
Ever since it’s release, this movie is nightmare fuel for just about anybody who’s a parent or expecting parent, because you can never be truly prepared for what comes at you. With performances that are striking to the eyes, direction and camera work that leaves you breathless, it truly is a horror classic that has stood the test of time. And with a film with such themes as these, no film has come close to matching it...except for maybe one.
Rating: A+
Next Time: Hereditary
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