Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Truly creepy supernatural horror film that holds up better than most. Roman Polanski manages to take the familiar New York locations (especially the Dakota on Central Park West) and make them seem genuinely otherworldly. The premise -- about a young mother who begins to suspect that her husband is involved with Satanists that desire her unborn child for a ritual -- could have easily turned ridiculous if not laughable in lesser hands, but Polanski's direction and script, combined with expert acting from a fine cast, make this one a classic of its kind. Mia Farrow brings the perfect combination of vulnerability and strength to her part of the young mother dealing with forces beyond her control, and John Cassavetes does characteristically fine work as her deceptively charming husband. They are ably supported by a superb cast of character actors including Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy, Patsy Kelly and Elisha Cook Jr.

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