Rosemary's Baby is
considered among the most significant horror movies and the corn stone for
satanic cinema. It was produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures and William Castle Enterprises in 1968. Rosemary’s Baby was directed and written by the
first time Hollywood director Roman Polanski and the plot structure of the film is based on a Gothic bestseller book with
the same name by Ira Levin. Rosemary’s Babe is among the horror blockbuster
movies and among the few horror movies to win an Oscar.
Rosemary’s Babe is a
film about witchcraft and Satanism but the Satanist appear to audience as older
characters and very friendly to audience. The plot structure is based on the
revelation of a conspiracy against an innocent young woman, Rosemary, who has
just married an actor Guy and they move to their new flat in New York. At the first minutes of the film
Rosemary is very happy with her new neighbors and she is invited with her
husband for a dinner by Minnie and Roman Castevet. During their dinner Rosemary
tastes a chocolate pudding and after few minutes she feels dizzy and she
sleeps.
She had a weird dream
as she is surrounded by naked chanters and her husband changes shapes between a
demonic and a human figure. Finally at the end of the dream she is rapped by a
demon. Next morning Rosemary is covered with scratches and she needs to visit a
doctor.
Rosemary starts to
realize that her environment is not so friendly as it seems, she believes that
there is something dangerous very well hidden behind the mask of politeness and
friendliness. Rosemary learns she is pregnant but she is in pain and she starts
loosing weight. The Castevets recommend to Rosemary Dr. Sapirstein who advise
her to drink a herbal mixture and he tells Rosemary to not worry.
Hutch is former
landlord and Rosemary’s friend, he visits her and he worries because the
appearance of Rosemary. Hutch wants to see Rosemary again but he doesn’t show
up at the appointment he is in coma. Rosemary is in pain and wants a second
opinion from another doctor and wants to visit another doctor, but her husband
Guy refuses to pay.
Few days later
Rosemary learns that Hutch is dead at his funeral friends of Hutch give a book
to her bought by Hutch. Rosemary reads the book and she discovers that Roman
Catsevet her friendly old neighbor is the son of black magician Adrian Marcato
and Rosemary believes that her husband participates in a coven of Magicians who
want to sacrifice her babe. Here husband Guy destroys the book. Rosemary packs
her bags and leaves she is heading to Dr. Sapirstein but she is suspicious
about him and she changes her rout to Dr. Hill another doctor recommended by
Rosemary but Dr. Hill calls Dr. Sapirstein and Guy who appear to drive her back
to her apartment, she escapes but she is soon sedated.
Next day Dr.
Sapirstein announces to Rosemary that her babe died but Rosemary doesn’t
believe him. Later she finds the entire coven gathered around her babe in the
flat of Castevets. Roman Catsevets announces to her that hers babe is the
Devil’s son.
Deeper thoughts about
Rosemary’s Baby plot structure
As I have already
mention the film is based on the novel of Ira Levin which was a huge publishing
success as the hardback stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for 41
weeks.
The main issues of
the plot structure can be recognized as the discovery by the main female
character of a betrayal. Everyone in her new life after marriage is a witch and
her husband Guy betrayed her for fame and money and finally that her bay is
Satan’s son.
Also, the main
struggle and conflict in the film is developed around the struggle of Rosemary
(main female character) to retain her sanity in an unfriendly, unknown and
alien environment.
There is also an
unanswered question left to audience to develop the Rosemary’s Babe mythology –
Will Rosemary accept the child as her own?
The main persons
behind the “Rosemary’s Baby” film
Roman Polanski wrote
and directed the film which is based on Ira Levin’s novel. The film was
produced by William Castle. Director of Photography was William A. Fraker, the
production design was mad by Richard Sylbert, art director of the film is Joel
Schiller and responsible for costumes was Athea Sylbert. The film was edited by
Sam O’ Steen and Bob Wyman. The score of the film was composed by Krzysztof Komeda and the sound was recorded by Harold Lewis.
The cast of
“Rosemary’s BabY”
Roman Polanski wanted
to work with old Hollywood
and friendly to audience actors and obviously many familiar faces were cast
against type as an example I can mention the fact that Satanists were all
played by friendly character actors a subversion of expectations.
Mia Farrow performs
the part of Rosemary (the main female character) was elected by Roman Polanski
because he was impressed by the star’s vulnerability and also she had the look
of the “robust, healthy, all – American girl”. Mia Farrow after “Rosemary’s
Baby” stared also in other horror pictures as “Blind Terror” (1971) and “Full Circle” (1977)
and finally she joined Woody Allen’s repertory team.
Guy is the main male
character initially Roman Polanski showed the script to Warren Beatty but he
rejected the proposal. Robert Redford was interested but Paramount Studios had
a different opinion, also Jack Nicholson was interested, but Roman Polanski
believed that he was not so recognized band known to audience at the time of
production and finally the actor and independent film director John Cassavetes suggested himself to the producer of the film William Castle and Roman Polanski
agreed.
Beyond the main
characters Ruth Gordon performs the part of Minnie Castevet, Sidney Blackmer
performs the part of Roman Castevet, Maurice Evans performs the part of Hutch,
Ralph Bellamy performs the part of Dr. Sapirstein, Angella Dorian performs the
part of Terry, Patsy Kelly plays the part of Laura Louise, Elisha Cook performs
the part of Mr Nicklas, Emmaline Henry plays the part of Elise Dunstan, Marianne
Gordon performs the part of Joan Jellicoe and also in the film participate
Philip Leeds, Charles Grodin, Hope Sumnmers, Wende Wagner, William Castle.
Cameo in the film “Rosemary’s
Babe”
The producer of the
film William Castle has a cameo as he appears outside of a phone booth and
alarms Rosemary.
The Production of the
film “Rosemary’s babe”
Initially the film
was scheduled for a 50 days shot both in New York
and Los Angeles – California. The main shots in New York took place in Bramford – New York and especially in Dakota apartment
bloc a reputedly haunted place in big apple. It’s very interesting to highlight
the fact that John Lennon was shot outside of this building on 1 December of
1980. The dream sequence and the opening sequence was shot on a watch at Play
del Ray marina near Santa Monica
California.
The initial budget of
the film was about $1,9 million but cause of four weeks delay it was finally
finished four weeks over schedule and $ 400.000 over budget.
Roman Polanski
preferred to retain some ambiguity in the film and to create a subjective focus
on the film, audience watches the film and the entire story as seen through the
eyes of Rosemary and it could have been a chain of only superficially sinister
coincidences and a product of her feverish fantasies”.
The soundtrack of the
“Roseamary’s Baby”
Krystof Komeda was a
polish doctor who used to compose music in his spare time. Roman Polanski
persuaded him to take up music and composing full time. Komeda wrote the scores
for all movies of Roman Polanski up to Rosemary Baby except the film Repulsion.
The Release of
Rosemary’s Baby
Rosemary Baby was a
huge commercial success by crossing more that $ 30 million and became one of
the most successful horror films ever. Also Rosemary’s baby is among the few
horror films to win an Oscar for second female role to 71 years old Ruth Gordon who performed the part of Minnie Castevet.
Rumors about
Rosemary’s babe
Anton La Vey founder
of the Church of Satan circulated rumors by claiming that
he was employed to perform the devil in the rape scene and as well to provide
technical expertise and advice. La Vey’s claims collapsed when crew members
deny his participation in the rape scene. Also, the composer of the film Komeda
died in 1969 and according to rumors the production of the film was cursed.
Later the producer of the film William Castle uremic poisoning and the murder
Sharon Tate’s mother, according to rumors were results of the curse.
On the following
video you can watch the trailer of the film “Rosemary’s Babe”
Elias Stoikos
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