Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jeff "

  
  Rosemary's Baby is one of most memorable horror classics ever filmed. Roman Polanski's film is the film responsible for many of the films dealing with the devil, most notably The Exorcist and The Omen. The first time I watched this film, I thought it was overhyped. I… More
  Rosemary's Baby is one of most memorable horror classics ever filmed. Roman Polanski's film is the film responsible for many of the films dealing with the devil, most notably The Exorcist and The Omen. The first time I watched this film, I thought it was overhyped. I didn't understand why this film had gotten the praise it received . I needed to watch this film a second time to make a more definitive opinion on this film. Watching this a second time around I loved it a lot more, and thought it deserved the classic status it has received. This is a must watch for every serious horror fan. This is a film that delivers the chills that is expected. Rosemary's Baby is a powerful horror film that truly redefined the genre. The film has a terrific cast, and amazing story. The mood is tense, and atmospheric, almost surrealistic. There are only hints that there's an evil presence lurking in Rosemary's shadow, and you feel uneasy when the horror starts. This film may not appeal to everyone, but if you loved The Exorcist and The Omen, give this one a look. Roman Polanski has crafted a great film, and with a second viewing, I thought it was a definite classic of horror. Some may find this one a tad too long, but the payoff is worth it. I think that Rosemary's Baby is one of those films that you need to give at least a few viewings to really enjoy. Rosemary's Baby took a few viewings for me to really get into. What makes this film such a classic of horror is the strong elements of tense atmosphere to a memorable climax, something that is missing from today's horror films.

• Chris W

  
  I'm giving this a really good review, and a really high rating, but honestly, this film is a tad bit overrated, and not without it's flaws/nitpicks (one of them rather important). This is the best Hitchcockian thriller Hitchcock never made. One of the reasons it works so… More
  I'm giving this a really good review, and a really high rating, but honestly, this film is a tad bit overrated, and not without it's flaws/nitpicks (one of them rather important). This is the best Hitchcockian thriller Hitchcock never made. One of the reasons it works so well is because it makes the fears, paranoia, and experiences of Rosemary real and relatable to the audience, especially the women, by making the central plot point about the fears and worries of a first time mother. Subtle clues are given throughout the film as to what's going on, but, until the end, they really have it set up to where you constantly question reality, and if Rosemary's paranoia and suspicions are real, or all in her head. While there are a few shock moments throughout, they are used sparingly, letting tension boil slowly. This is the type of stuff that rarely happens in movies these days, and I really get bothered by this sometimes. The camera work and set design are terrific. Aside from a few specific details, this film really holds up after all these years. The music is quite nice, and the performances are just terrific. Farrow got robbed, and Gordon, while she did a good job, seemed a little tamer than I expected her to be. Did she deserve her Oscar? Sure, because the subtlety and nuance is what counts, but it would have been nice to see her go off the rails a bit, even if people expect it. The other performances aren't too bad either The writing is mostly good, but I wasn't always convinced by Cassavetes. Mostly the issues I have with it are the pacing. I like that things unfold gradually, but even then, a few scenes could have been tightened up here and there. The biggest issue I have is with the climax. It could have been handled much better, It seems a tad anticlimatic, and that kind of bothers me. Still though, it's not bad, just underwhelming. I feel a little weird saying this, but I kind of wished they would have had an ending that you'd see in this day and age, if that makes any sense. Because so much is done right though, I can't feel justified in giving it a lower grade. I think this film should be seen by everyone, but I know that a lot of people would have issues with this movie, mainly because of the pacing and subtlety. Maybe I'm just a bit too cynical about that, though. Do I want this to be remade? No- because then they would make all of it like a modern day film, and not just the parts that need it. One thing I wasn't expecting was the creepy and subtle dark humor. The macabreness made things that much more surreal and eerie, and that's a good thing.

• Reid V

  
  Polanski, while a very divisive figure, sure knows how to make one hell of a movie about the paranoid. Much like his previous psychological horror film Repulsion, Polanski shows one woman's descent into unbridled madness. Yet, while the audience must wrestle with whether Rosemary… More
  Polanski, while a very divisive figure, sure knows how to make one hell of a movie about the paranoid. Much like his previous psychological horror film Repulsion, Polanski shows one woman's descent into unbridled madness. Yet, while the audience must wrestle with whether Rosemary is suffering from a psychological disorder or really unearthing a plot to steal her precious newborn, one thing they do know for sure is that something is amiss in middle-class Manhattan.

• Graham J

  
  Polanski learned the use of tension from Hitchcock well. This landmark film takes the horror genre to the highest artistic level.

• Anthony L

  
  There is much to love about Rosemary's baby, putting the great story, fantastic acting and the beautiful Mia Farrow to one side, I loved seeing 60's New York. I digress though, this is a brilliant horror/thriller that has stood the test of time. The very thought sends… More
  There is much to love about Rosemary's baby, putting the great story, fantastic acting and the beautiful Mia Farrow to one side, I loved seeing 60's New York. I digress though, this is a brilliant horror/thriller that has stood the test of time. The very thought sends shivers down the spine but there is so much more to it than its conclusion. The little things like not being able to trust your Husband, your Doctor or your neighbours is actually a terrifying thought. It's interesting too, the fact that the husband had sex with her while she was asleep wasn't depicted as being a good thing but the fact that it is actually rape was never raised, such was the feeling of that time. I can't help but think this may of highlighted certain feelings of the day, aside from it being what it was, a horror flick. I thought Mia Farrow was fantastic but I also really thought John Cassavetes did a great job, I've been a big fan of his directing for some time but this is the best I've seen him in an acting role out of his own work. The wonderful Ruth Gordon thoroughly deserved her best supporting role Oscar too, and the whole film deserves its reputation.

• Mark W

  
  Psychological torture and terror have been a consistant theme throughout director Roman Polanski's career but few, if any, have been executed as skillfully as this adaptation of Ira Levin's bestselling novel. Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy Woodhouse (John Cassavetes) move… More
  Psychological torture and terror have been a consistant theme throughout director Roman Polanski's career but few, if any, have been executed as skillfully as this adaptation of Ira Levin's bestselling novel. Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy Woodhouse (John Cassavetes) move into a new apartment with the hope of starting a family. Shortly after their arrival they meet their new neighbours, a very friendly elderly couple named Roman (Sidney Blackmer) and Minnie Castevet (Ruth Gordon). Not before long, odd things start to happen and Rosemary has strange dreams and hears strange noises while Guy becomes remote and distant and begins to spend a lot of time with the new neighbours. Then Rosemary falls pregnant and begins to suspect that her neighbours are involved in the occult and have something to do with her poor health and her unborn child. As soon as the opening credits are rolling, Polanski already sets the eerie tone with simple use of a childlike lullaby and creepy music. He's a masterful director who's in complete control of his material and his use of surreal, dreamlike imagery coupled with muffled voices through the wall is horror genius and deeply unsettling. It's a proficiently crafted horror with the story unravelling at it's own pace, as Rosemary's grip on reality and her sanity are in question. Polanski also keeps us guessing just like the conflicted protaganist, while cranking up the suspense and paranoia deliberately but assuredly, helped by excellent performances throughout, particularly Ruth Gordon (in an Oscar winning role) and Sidney Blackmer as the creepy interfering neighbours. What's even more fascinating is the spooky coincidences that followed the film; Polanski's pregnant wife Sharon Tate was murdered - a year after the film was made - in 1969 by Charles Manson and his followers, who titled their death spree "Helter Skelter" after the 1968 song by The Beatles and this bands prominent member John Lennon would later be murdered outside the very Manhattan apartment building where Rosemary's Baby was filmed. The history and association of this film is a story in itself. A restrained, deliberately paced and intelligent psychological horror of the finest kind. It doesn't stoop to cheap shock tactics but simply chips away at the psyche of it's character, not to mention, ours aswell.

• Nicki M

  
  A rare case where I have actually upped my original rating of 4 stars to 4 and a half after a rewatch! This really is a creepy little film and well worth a watch even now. I did not previously appreciate how good Mia Farrow actually is in this. I really warmed to her 60's… More
  A rare case where I have actually upped my original rating of 4 stars to 4 and a half after a rewatch! This really is a creepy little film and well worth a watch even now. I did not previously appreciate how good Mia Farrow actually is in this. I really warmed to her 60's housewife character - so glamourous, (well, until the awful haircut), and liked the overall kitschy feel this movie had. (Although I assume it would not have been kitschy at the time). I also felt that the 60's setting works well here - I could not imagine a woman of today, if this was to be remade, just putting up with a lot of what she did (if it was to be remade now it would be heavy handed and something along the lines of "Sleeping with the enemy" satan style I would imagine!). Mia Farrow really has a naivety and sweetness to her that works well with the character. This movie is more about what you don't see than what you do. It has an overall creepiness to it once the pregnancy begins. The entire cast are excellent here - the creepy neighbours and John Casavetes as the husband. An excellent suspense/horror film. Well worth a look!

• Jim H

  
  The original devil-baby movie, this film is a horror classic tells the story of a young woman who is manipulated and subjugated by her husband and ultra-creepy neighbors until she carries Satan's baby to term. I watched <i>Rosemary's Baby</i> in part because it… More
  The original devil-baby movie, this film is a horror classic tells the story of a young woman who is manipulated and subjugated by her husband and ultra-creepy neighbors until she carries Satan's baby to term. I watched <i>Rosemary's Baby</i> in part because it is a canonical film in the devil movie genre, and my analysis of this genre bleeds into my academic work. I will briefly repeat my thesis here: these films reinforce the concept that evil is inherently outside of us. It nameable, definable, and recognizable, rather than the ultimate result of human folly or stupidity. Within the sub-genre of devil-baby movies, these films demonize sex and science. All of these themes are present in this film. On a strictly film level, Roman Polanski is the master of realizing what to reveal and what to conceal. His myopic concentration on Rosemary throughout the film allows her doubts to be our doubts, her suspicions ours, and ultimately her horrors ours. The clues are so well-placed that we can't be entirely sure who to trust until the evidence overwhelms us in act two. This is masterful directing; it's too bad he's a dick. Ruth Gordon, dear sweet Maude, is creepy as shit. Her performance is incredible, as she embodies this character with a commitment that we rarely see these days. I read elsewhere that <i>The Silence of the Lambs</i> was "the most feminist movie I've ever seen." The way that <i>Rosemary's Baby</i> exposes male dominance over women's reproductive systems certainly puts it in that canon. And Mia Farrow's soft, high-pitched voice and vulnerable performance make her character's rape, both literally, physically, and emotionally, all the more disturbing. Overall, this is a fantastic film, but it culturally performs in dangerous and insidious ways.

• Dan S

  
  A searing, haunting story concerning a young woman (Mia Farrow) who becomes pregnant with child, and how her paranoid suspicions concerning her neighbors and husband start to drive her insane. This is, without question, one of the best horror films ever constructed, thanks to firm… More
  A searing, haunting story concerning a young woman (Mia Farrow) who becomes pregnant with child, and how her paranoid suspicions concerning her neighbors and husband start to drive her insane. This is, without question, one of the best horror films ever constructed, thanks to firm plotting and direction by director Roman Polanski (say what you want about his personal life, the guy knows how to make movies), and a completely convincing, shattering performance from Farrow. The last fifteen minutes especially make this movie a masterpiece, when the surreal lenses are finally taken off, and we see what Hell on Earth really is.

• danny d

  
  disturbing, thought provoking, and incredibly well written, this is an example of horror done for the sake of story rather than a few simple scares. the final scene is one of the more disturbing in any film and there isnt a true hero, leaving the world in doubt which is rare for a… More
  disturbing, thought provoking, and incredibly well written, this is an example of horror done for the sake of story rather than a few simple scares. the final scene is one of the more disturbing in any film and there isnt a true hero, leaving the world in doubt which is rare for a film like this. one of the more effective horror films ever made.

• AJ V

  
  Polanski's nightmare, literally. This is a powerful, and really strange, horror movie. Every horror fan should see this, it's a classic.

• Spencer S

  
  Not so much scary as completely and utterly creepy, the main event seems to be the ending. Otherwise it's mostly a paranoia swirl with secretive husband on top. The cast was impeccable with the casting of the satanic neighbors, one of which is legendary Ruth Gordon from the… More
  Not so much scary as completely and utterly creepy, the main event seems to be the ending. Otherwise it's mostly a paranoia swirl with secretive husband on top. The cast was impeccable with the casting of the satanic neighbors, one of which is legendary Ruth Gordon from the lovely Harold and Maude. Mia Farrow, so vulnerable and innocent is a victim pure and simple, with no true ulterior storylines. Watch that ending though, and you'll understand why it's worth watching.

• Martin S

  
  Well....Polanski has done it again (or for the first time). All actors does really great jobs. The conversations feels so real. Very good movie that still feels fresh now 42 years later. And she was right damnit... You fucking people...stay away from the baby. A nice thing about the… More
  Well....Polanski has done it again (or for the first time). All actors does really great jobs. The conversations feels so real. Very good movie that still feels fresh now 42 years later. And she was right damnit... You fucking people...stay away from the baby. A nice thing about the movie that you don't see in todays movie was that....you don't know how it's gonna end...In todays movies you know how it's gonna end....and when it doesn't end that way.....you still thought you knew...but then they screwed you...(which is fun too)...here...I had no idea.

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  Roman Polanski perfectly captures the true horror of a threat inside your own home (and body). The buildup is long and a bit tedious, but once the revelations start, 'Rosemary's Baby' is truly, truly chilling. Ruth Gordon is unsettling as neighbor-from-hell Minnie,… More
  Roman Polanski perfectly captures the true horror of a threat inside your own home (and body). The buildup is long and a bit tedious, but once the revelations start, 'Rosemary's Baby' is truly, truly chilling. Ruth Gordon is unsettling as neighbor-from-hell Minnie, while Mia Farrow is stellar as Rosemary.

• Richard C

  
  i found it rather boring in a lot of parts and i wasnt ever scared or creeped out but it was still good. B-

• jay n

  
  Unsettling chiller with Mia Farrow perfect as Rosemary. Brilliantly directed for optimum suspense.

• Conner R

  
  One of the best horror movies in my opinion. No one can accomplish suspense like Roman Polanski. This is a perfectly bizarre nightmare for a pregnant woman. It is played perfectly by Mia Farrow, who really sells the script and makes it a believable fear. What I love most is the fact… More
  One of the best horror movies in my opinion. No one can accomplish suspense like Roman Polanski. This is a perfectly bizarre nightmare for a pregnant woman. It is played perfectly by Mia Farrow, who really sells the script and makes it a believable fear. What I love most is the fact that it doesn't rely on cheap tricks or thrills to make a convincing and interesting plot. It plays with the fear of all human beings, that they will give birth to satan's child.

• Cassandra M

  
  Roman Polanski's horror classic is literally pregnant with paranoia. Mia Farrow gets an iconic cropped 'do, John Cassavetes broods Halfway through Polanski's classic psycho-horror, Rosemary (Farrow) decides to chop off her bob. Not since Delilah took to Samson's… More
  Roman Polanski's horror classic is literally pregnant with paranoia. Mia Farrow gets an iconic cropped 'do, John Cassavetes broods Halfway through Polanski's classic psycho-horror, Rosemary (Farrow) decides to chop off her bob. Not since Delilah took to Samson's barnet has a haircut signalled such a decline. It's at that moment that Rosemary's slump into madness begins. She's pregnant, she's in love with husband Cassavetes, and living in a beautiful new apartment. But a burning pain in her womb tells her something's not right. Why are her elderly neighbours so concerned? Why has hubby's career suddenly blossomed? Surely her memory of being raped by Satan was just a dream? Ira Levin's story erodes Rosemary's sanity drip by drip. A pierced ear, a foul smelling charm, a chocolate mousse with a chalky flavour, these are the unlikely fertilisers of her paranoia. In Polanski's hands their significance remains chillingly ambiguous as he explores the natural alienation of pregnancy. Truly terrifying.

• Luke B

  
  This is how you make a fucking horror movie. You make it scary rather than trying to scare the audiences. You'll find no unnecessary bumps and bangs here. Check out the freakish and fantastic dream sequences, they are almost perfectly silent yet still get deep under your skin.… More
  This is how you make a fucking horror movie. You make it scary rather than trying to scare the audiences. You'll find no unnecessary bumps and bangs here. Check out the freakish and fantastic dream sequences, they are almost perfectly silent yet still get deep under your skin. The editing in these parts are very impressive as well, creating visual illusions without special effects. It also contains some of the damned finest performances a horror film has ever seen. Gordon is perfect and plays off Blackmer very well. The theme is one of the best themes ever. It arrives in many forms, always original and powerful, though one can hardly beat Mia Farrow's vocal rendition. The film also succeeds at doing something that today's horrors seem incapable of. Releasing exposition in a timely and unobtrusive fashion. It just flows out naturally. Rosemary's Baby attacks enough of our inherent fears that it's impossible to shake. Those around us not being trustworthy, people thinking you're paranoid or crazy and attacks on the home are very simple but very real and nerve racking fears.

• Ping C

  
  I think the adjective that summarizes this film in one word is 'haunting'. One of Polanski's best.

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