Gresh854 Being a humongous fan of Chinatown, one of my all-time favorites, I had contrived myself with massive expectations for Rosemary's Baby-which I have been anticipating for many many months-and I'm completely appalled that this film somehow, effortlessly exceeded them. The biggest compliment I can give this movie is that the characters provided in the story don't feel like actors/actresses portraying a part, they feel like real people attending their everyday lives. I felt like I was baselessly peeping into the lives of real people experiencing real traumatic events, and that's saying a lot since some seriously berserk stuff goes down in this film. Rosemary's Baby is doubtlessly one of the most persuasive, and unsettling dramatic thrillers I have ever gutted. It's parallels to difficult and more burdensome themes that other films wouldn't dare explore, are boldly risky yet decidedly respectable. Rosemary's Baby is the upholding standard (or literal definition) of flawless "psychological horror." Despite my considerably negative feelings towards Polanski as a person, as a filmmaker, I can give him top-credit for his masterful direction and perfect writing that can simply not be compared with against any other household name during the era in which Rosemary's Baby was released (AKA, the 60s). (Verdict: A+)

oldcrow74-881-166956 My reaction at the end was "So that's it? THAT was the great Rosemary's Baby?". Meh. I had avoided seeing it for 50 years, and I should've made it another 50. It was long, slow, very slow, and the ending was a total letdown. After the endless build-up, I was primed for a big surprise plot twist at the end that would make me jump out of my seat. Or something that would leave me thinking and scratching my head. Or even something ambiguous that would leave me wondering what was real and what wasn't. But no. Nothing. Nada. Her suspicions were confirmed. That was it. There's no horror, no thrills, no chills, no suspense or surprises. There is, on the other hand, a host of annoying characters and several plot devices that go unexplained. WTF did she cut her hair for, other than to give Vidal Sassoon at least 2 plugs that had nothing to do with the storyline?It wasn't a total bore, but I kept pausing it to check my email and catch up on my Facebook. Oh, well. I can cross another "classic" off my list.

duccshmucc Why did roman blue ball us by not showing the baby? im sick of movies made out of reaction shots where the actual story is hidden from the audience. why would i want to look at the faces of actors expressing emotions that i should supposedly be feeling by watching, but get not even get to look at what the story is. looking at horrified faces wont make me feel horror in the slightest. its just taunting watching these actors talk about some satan baby that we get to see none of. the story was decent enough and the acting was good to its credit still.

Ian Rastall Polanski had already revealed a penchant for cruelty in his previous films, as well as the sadist's core belief that innocence equals victimhood and victimhood is a character defect that justifies cruelty. In "Repulsion" we get some voyeuristic fanservice of a fragile, virginal character (thanks to some careful lighting). In "Fearless Vampire Killers" we see the joke is that fearlessness has made the heroes into victims. But in "Rosemary's Baby" Polanski has created an entire film to be served up as delicious comedy to those in the know.The film needs Rosemary (think Virgin Mary, think thorns) to be innocent and weak. Sadists would see that right away as deliciously inviting. (If she were the girl at the beginning of Salo, those four monstrous men would indeed be on their feet at her pleas for help). She's in a web, and her future is already decided. That's one notable thing about this film. Her fate is already decided before the film starts, and we're just watching her approach that grim end helplessly.As one finds in transgressive cinema, or in, say, the writings of the Marquis de Sade, a sadist's fantasy would not be complete without a momentary escape for the victim. A seeming end to the madness. And we get that. Cruelty depends on crushing hope. Of course she is broken finally, and at that moment of tragedy made to submit to her captors.Her increasing hysteria is meant to be funny. Maybe to "straight" audiences -- or at least straight audiences unaware of the tropes of sadism -- this is scary. But I don't think it's really supposed to be that way.With all this going on in the background, "Rosemary's Baby" works very well on repeat viewings. It doesn't matter how down with the comedy you are. Study yields endless (bitter) fruit. And I can see why people say it's cursed. (Probably a myth.) It remains one of the most evil films ever released.Of course it also represents Polanski at a creative peak, and that's saying something. "Knife In The Water" and "Repulsion" were masterpieces in their own right, but this is a tour de force. Worth studying, for the camera, for the performances, for the atmosphere and detail -- as well as for the transgression beneath the suspense.