The late 1960s and early 1970s were a hotbed of films that changed the industry forever. The likes of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Planet of the Apes, and A Clockwork Orange are all doing massive things for the art form.
Horror had several trailblazers during this era, but perhaps none more impressive and striking than 1968’s Rosemary’s Baby. The Roman Polanski film was one of the first mainstream horror films to really take advantage of the satanic panic and push the limits of what was acceptable on screen.
Closing in on sixty years later, the film is still being remembered by horror fans as one of the greatest ever.
Starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes, Rosemary’s Baby sees a young couple move into an apartment with the intent to start a family, only to succumb to satanic rituals performed by their elderly neighbors. By today’s standards, this is a very run-of-the-mill plot, but it must be noted how shocking this was in the 1960s.
There’s immense suspense and an overwhelming sense of dread which builds over the course of the film, and without a tacky jump scares or lazy topes. The best thing about going back to watch a trailblazer in a genre is realizing how much other films owe to them. If you enjoyed Hereditary, this is a must-watch.
Though it must be mentioned Polanski is a very detestable figure who perhaps only knows how to do horror so well because of the monstrous things he’d done. Separating the art from the artist becomes very, very difficult here, as it does for almost all of Polanski’s other movies.
Is it possible to watch his Apartment trilogy and other female-centric horror films and see the same when you know he’s been convicted of sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl? There’s an uncomfortable relationship between Polanski and horror as a genre still. Arguably, David Cronenberg overtook Polanski when it came to weird, psychosexual horror and has done it without anything nasty.
Rosemary’s Baby at 54 years old looks astonishing, regardless. Its place in horror discussion is absolutely merited as one of the genre’s finest ever. The film is currently available to stream on Hulu.