Greatest Movies Ever Made Series ---- Rosemary's Baby

What is the greatest horror movie ever made? A controversial

question. Because, horror is a genre in which even non-film

buffs flex their muscles to tell whats the best. Movies like Exorcist,

Texas chain saw massacre, psycho, italian movie suspiria,shining,

evil dead, ringu,latest japanese horror fad etc are thrown into the

ring.So, let me refine the question. What is the greatest horror

movie without gruesome scenes,in your face camera movement

and music,'bowww' moments,'look here I am setting up a scene

where by the end of it you will crapping your pants' and treat the

audience as a complete idiot?.Then, I believe the answer is

rosemary's baby. Does it scares the bejesus out of you..may be

may be not, it depends.

The director is Roman Polanski.As usual with all the great directors,

I cant begin to tell how much I like his movies. let me just say that

he is one among the top 30 directors I admire. Great directors always

leave a signature in their movies. That was the mantra of 60's

french critics,who went on to became great directors like godard and

truffaut.Roman Polanski leaves a signature..you feel it as scene by

scene the movie progresses...His signature,for me, is the 'slow

creeping of the story', its like the slow and steady kick a costly scotch

gives,like a water drop on a chalk.But, at the same time punctuated

with some strange characters with their weird behaviour. Stickler to

details, but no grandiose self-congratulating stuff. Rosemary's baby

is not his best, if you ask me, I would say 'China town' and also 'knife

in the water' and may be, 'Fearless vampire killers'.

Mia farrow and John cassavities are the new couple who

are in search for a new apt and also trying to concieve.Weird

things starts happening after they move to the new apartment,

especially some thing is seriously wrong with their nextdoor

neighbours. One day she gets pregnant.From then onwards,

things starts to become worse..she becomes weak, alone and scared.

She has no idea how she became pregnant and gets this weird idea

that someone is going to steal her baby.No one believes her and no

one helps her.is it real? or is she goin mad?..but the good question to

ask is,'is the baby..really a baby?'..and 'What is in that closet?'

Its Mia farrow all the way.She appears weak, fragile,naive and

emotionally dependent on her husband.At some point in the movie,

all you can do is just feel really bad for her...and I think thats a great

achievement for the actress to make audience feel like that..because

in the end, a movie is always an illusion. Ruth gordon is awesome as

the creepy next door neighbour.Just pray that she is not your neighbour.

The last 30 minutes moves fast and is a great thriller, a movie onto

itself.I just wish a much tighter version..but as they say, never mess

with the director's vision.

This scene comes during the later part of the movie, where she

leaves the apartment in desperate need for help. Mia is really good

in this long scene without a cut.(No idea why the frame moves right..

may be witchcraft :)).

* Lot of great movie experiences were screwed by over-expectations

and by over-enthusiastic reviewers like me. Just sayin.