Rosemary's Baby (1968)

My reaction at the end was "So that's it? THAT was the great Rosemary's Baby?". Meh. I had avoided seeing it for 50 years, and I should've made it another 50. It was long, slow, very slow, and the ending was a total letdown. After the endless build-up, I was primed for a big surprise plot twist at the end that would make me jump out of my seat. Or something that would leave me thinking and scratching my head. Or even something ambiguous that would leave me wondering what was real and what wasn't. But no. Nothing. Nada. Her suspicions were confirmed. That was it. There's no horror, no thrills, no chills, no suspense or surprises. There is, on the other hand, a host of annoying characters and several plot devices that go unexplained. WTF did she cut her hair for, other than to give Vidal Sassoon at least 2 plugs that had nothing to do with the storyline?It wasn't a total bore, but I kept pausing it to check my email and catch up on my Facebook. Oh, well. I can cross another "classic" off my list.

Polanski had already revealed a penchant for cruelty in his previous films, as well as the sadist's core belief that innocence equals victimhood and victimhood is a character defect that justifies cruelty. In "Repulsion" we get some voyeuristic fanservice of a fragile, virginal character (thanks to some careful lighting). In "Fearless Vampire Killers" we see the joke is that fearlessness has made the heroes into victims. But in "Rosemary's Baby" Polanski has created an entire film to be served up as delicious comedy to those in the know.The film needs Rosemary (think Virgin Mary, think thorns) to be innocent and weak. Sadists would see that right away as deliciously inviting. (If she were the girl at the beginning of Salo, those four monstrous men would indeed be on their feet at her pleas for help). She's in a web, and her future is already decided. That's one notable thing about this film. Her fate is already decided before the film starts, and we're just watching her approach that grim end helplessly.As one finds in transgressive cinema, or in, say, the writings of the Marquis de Sade, a sadist's fantasy would not be complete without a momentary escape for the victim. A seeming end to the madness. And we get that. Cruelty depends on crushing hope. Of course she is broken finally, and at that moment of tragedy made to submit to her captors.Her increasing hysteria is meant to be funny. Maybe to "straight" audiences -- or at least straight audiences unaware of the tropes of sadism -- this is scary. But I don't think it's really supposed to be that way.With all this going on in the background, "Rosemary's Baby" works very well on repeat viewings. It doesn't matter how down with the comedy you are. Study yields endless (bitter) fruit. And I can see why people say it's cursed. (Probably a myth.) It remains one of the most evil films ever released.Of course it also represents Polanski at a creative peak, and that's saying something. "Knife In The Water" and "Repulsion" were masterpieces in their own right, but this is a tour de force. Worth studying, for the camera, for the performances, for the atmosphere and detail -- as well as for the transgression beneath the suspense.

Hollywood would have None of that "Devil" Worship or "Heil Satan" Stuff in the Hays-Code Era. It was a Taboo. But by 1968 Attrition had set in and the Zeitgeist of the "New" Hollywood was Slowly Eroding the Previously "Forbidden" Restrictions of the "Watchdogs of Morality" Censorship Board and All "Hell" was Breaking Loose.Roman Polanski's First American Movie can be Credited for Starting the Wave of Occult Films that would become Full Blown with "The Exorcist" (1973) and "The Omen" (1976) and its Ilk.It was a Huge Hit with the Public and Critics. More of a Psychological Thriller with a Supernatural Theme than a Pure "Horror" Movie, the Tension and Creepy Atmosphere of the Characters and the Surroundings Unleashed a Relentlessly Suspenseful Picture Anchored by Mia Farrow's Endearing and Sympathetic Performance.The rest of the Cast, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon and others all made this a Believable Unbelievable Story of Modern Witchcraft in New York City. Its Captivating Milieu of a Woman Caught Between Liberation and Tradition both Socially and Spiritually.The Script, by Polanski, from a Best Seller by Ira Levin Teases with Taut Complications and Black Humor. There are Shades of Hitchcock and Val Lewton with Scenes of Hidden Meanings and Messages Lurking Everywhere.Overall, Moderns seem to have Trouble Considering this More than just a Bore, but its Slow Burn Sears the Senses and Captivates with its Considerable Suffering of Rosemary and the Forces of Evil around Her.In the End She is Stronger than She Seems and Motherly Love Notwithstanding stands Alone in Her Convictions and the Strength and Wherewithal it took to Survive the Ordeal was Considerable. Her Liberation has Crossed the Previous Boundaries of a World that may have the Answer to the Question..."Is God Dead".

Rosemary Woodhouse (superbly played with aching vulnerability by Mia Farrow) moves into a new apartment with her self-centered struggling actor husband Guy (an excellent performance by John Cassavetes). Rosemary gets pregnant and soon begins to suspect that her friendly, yet eccentric neighbors are plotting something sinister against her and her baby.Writer/director Roman Polanski firmly grounds the gripping premise in a thoroughly plausible workaday reality, makes fine use of New York City locations, and adroitly crafts a spooky, yet subtle, understated, and ambiguous atmosphere rife with dread and unease. Moreover, Polanski leaves it up to the viewer to decide if the grim events in the story are indeed actually happening or all some kind of nightmarish hallucination caused by Rosemary's mounting paranoia and troubled state of mind. In fact, what makes this film so chilling and unsettling are that the bulk of things which occur in the narrative are within the realm of possibility as well as the devastating revelation that Guy was willing to betray Rosemary by making an unholy pact with the devil in exchange for achieving the success that he desperately yearns for.Ruth Gordon won a well-deserved Oscar for her delightfully quirky and vibrant portrayal of the flaky and pesky Minnie Castevet. The rest of the cast are just as splendid: Sidney Blackmer as the dapper Roman, Maurice Evans as the amiable Hutch, Ralph Bellamy as the avuncular Dr. Sapirstein, Victoria Vetri as the ill-fated Terry, Patsy Kelly as the kooky Laura-Louise, Elisha Cook Jr. as glum realtor Mr. Nicklas, and Charles Grodin as the unhelpful Dr. Hill. Kudos are also in order for William A. Fraker's slick cinematography and Krzysztof Komeda's supremely eerie lullaby score. Essential viewing.