Review of Rosemary's Baby (1968) by Monsieur R — 02 Oct 2010

I am going to make a lot of enemies with this revised review as I just re-watched this film after years had gone by. The following has my updated comments in ( ). After that, I go into the updated review in the present.

While this film had something lacking for me, personally, I must watch it again as a cult classic following assures me to do. (I did watch this film again after years had gone by, and unfortunately I didn't find it any more appealing than the first time.).

It seems all the people around Rosemary have a special SATANIC interest in her child, born of Satan himself. (update: after years since seeing this film again, a bunch of naked old Satanic neighbors does not enhance my enjoyment. People end up being dead and not sure why).

Ruth Gordon won an Oscar for her role as a over the top next door neighbor in this classic chiller.

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Ok, here is my updated review of this film after seeing it once again after years have gone by. It is not terribly impressive, creative by all means yes.

I think the problem is not with the film, but rather I can not get to like Mia Farrow. (don't be offended by my comments from here on, but this is the unvarnished truth of my take of this film).

Her personality to me is so unattractive and unappealing that I tend to gag. She is so meek and child like. She comes off to me as a twit. An air headed twit! A gal that constantly has to be adored or catered to, to be happy. I knew a gal like this for a long time and got sick of trying to make her feel adored. Honestly, get real.

For the first half of this film I was unimpressed by the dream scenes, cut aways from the film's story line. I didn't understand it the first viewing and I don't get it years later. I was never really scared, thrilled or threatened. This is NOT the Exorcist folks. It operates more on the mental level whereas the Exorcist had both physical and mental levels of Satanism.

The obscession with having a baby in the first half of the film is tiring to me. What couple marks on a calender when they will have a baby? The husband does just that, after meeting with the neighbor's husband, a son of a witch.

So after meeting with this older neighbor couple, he decides the time is right to get serious about a baby. His interest in being with the couple gives you the idea he is a Satan worshiper too. He gets his career wishes answered and gives his baby to the cult of Satan worshipers.

This is a bizarre offering from Pulanski and many call it genius. I thought very briefly of giving this a rotten, but on further reflection decided Rosemary's Baby was one of those truely unusual and landmark films. I can't decide to give it a 100% just yet.