favorite movie #64 - halloween edition: rosemary's baby

Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #64 - Rosemary's Baby (1968) - Possibly my favorite horror film, Rosemary's Baby is great on so many levels. As strict horror, with it's satanist plot, as thriller, as woman's picture, as a parable of a bad marriage, as a woman's fear of pregnancy and everything it inflicts upon her body.

Newlyweds Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse score a fabulous New York City apartment. Soon after Guy gets a great acting job and Rosemary discovers that she is pregnant, and is filled with joy. But there are some things that mar her happiness — Guy gets the part after the first choice for the role has inexplicably become blind. Rosemary's dear friend Hutch suddenly sickens and dies. Her neighbors, the Castavets, although they seem to mean well, are becoming an intrusive presence in her life. And her pregnancy is not going smoothly — what is that sharp pain she keeps having, and will it hurt the baby?

Director Roman Polanski films an almost word-for-word version of the Ira Levin novel, but what brings it to life are the great performances: a fragile-looking Mia Farrow as Rosemary, a vulpine John Cassavetes as Guy, and the amazingly prosaic evil of Ruth Gordon's Minnie Castavet.

A fascinating little behind-the-scenes tidbit:

Polanski wanted to cast Hollywood old-timers as the coven members but did not know any by name. He drew sketches of how he envisioned each character, and they were used to fill the roles. In every instance, the actor cast strongly resembled Polanski's drawing. They included Ralph Bellamy, Patsy Kelly, Elisha Cook, Jr., Phil Leeds and Hope Summers. When Rosemary calls Donald Baumgart, the actor who goes blind and is replaced by Guy, the voice heard is that of actor Tony Curtis. Farrow, who had not been told who would be reading Baumgart's lines, recognized the voice but could not place it. The slight confusion she displays throughout the call was exactly what Polanski hoped to capture by not revealing Curtis' identity in advance. (from Wikipedia)

The super creepy lullaby sung by Mia Farrow was written by Krzysztof Komeda for the film. It has lyrics, although we only ever hear Rosemary sing the "La las":

Sleep safe and warm.
From my arms no power can take you.
Sleep safe and warm
Till my morning kisses awake you.
In the softness of the night,
Like a silver colored kite,
All your fears will fly and disapear
By morning's light.

La la la la
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la la la la

Loving you as I love you,
Ev'ry night your whole life through,
I'll be gently watching over you
Sleep safe and warm.

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