Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Roman Polanski’s gothic “Rosemary’s Baby” is the greatest paranoid horror film, wildly spinning on marriage and expectant mommy-hood with a massive
dash of brimstone, and satanic milkshakes. It sets a scene inside a
telephone booth in which nothing happens but a phone call and still drives the
panic needle to 666. That’s insanely genius filmmaking, from God and/or hell. Based on Ira
Levin’s novel and Polanski’s American writing/directing debut, “Baby” follows
waif/ housewife Rosemary (Mia Farrow, perfect) as she moves into a castle-like NYC
apartment with fledgling actor hubby (John Cassevettes, just slightly
creepy). The couple instantly befriends the eccentric old folks (Ruth Gordon
and Sidney Blackmer) next door. Soon Guy is a hit and Rosemary is pregnant.
Enter, Satan. Polanski is a shit, but he knows heart-crashing
shock is found in the mundane -– the daffy, smiling old lady serving a tasty
homemade snack. Best WTF-just-happened-?
cliffhanger ending ever. The neighbors terrify me no end: My Philly childhood
eccentric, elderly neighbors fed me odd
concoctions and drinks 24/7. I sweat bullets now, “All of them witches!?!” Who
the hell will ever know, eh? One of my Top 25. A+
Labels:
1967,
classic,
favorite,
horror,
John Cassavettes,
marriage,
Mia Farrow,
New York City,
pregnancy,
Roman Polanski,
Ruth Gordon,
Satanism,
satire,
Sidney Blackmer
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