Rosemary's Baby (1968)

 Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby"

There aren't many films that have the kind of reputation of Roman Polanski's 1968 film "Rosemary's Baby." Based on the 1967 novel by Ira Levin, the film follows a young newlywed who begins to suspect that her neighbors have sinister intentions regarding her and her baby. The reputation following the film is marked by a significant change in the Hollywood film industry at the time, with the film being emblematic of a new frontier of American filmmaking.

The film centers on Rosemary Woodhouse, recently married to Guy, who moves into a large Gothic New York City apartment. The couple become acquainted with an elderly neighbor couple, Minnie and Roman Castevet, who suddenly become involved in their lives in ways Rosemary grows annoyed by. After they connect Rosemary with a selective caregiver, Rosemary's health begins to deteriorate as her pregnancy becomes impossible to bare. Rosemary begins to have indications that something far more insidious is afoot.

Of course, the viewer knows what's afoot. This is perhaps one of the more frustrating aspects of the film: the notion that we are not looking at the story through the eyes of Rosemary. Rather, we know her sinister predicament and can do nothing but watch the horrors unfold. Her inklings titillate the viewer, as we quietly urge our protagonist closer to uncovering the truth. 

Thematically, the film deals in feminist themes, along with Catholicism and the socio-political mechanisms of infiltrating an American 'normal.' From the beginning, Rosemary is trapped by the social perspective of her position as a woman. She is expected to be a housewife and mother. This designation doesn't oppress her individually as much as the concept does to the viewer. We watch as the grip on her every move and every action slowly becomes tighter and tighter. Her free will is exclusively removed.

Her decreasing lack of agency as the story unfolds is directly thematically tethered to various allegorical concepts. We continuously see Catholic imagery, which seems to illustrate, despite the satanic conclusions of the story, the perceived right of the institution to dictate individual's lives, especially women. There are also indications of a greater issue with American socio-politics and the narrow view of a family unit and how women fit into the family unit.

Beyond the horrific thrills at the center of the story, "Rosemary's Baby" is equally remarkable for its influence in American film culture. The late 1960s was a period of immense overhaul of the American studio system, and more and more filmmakers were experiencing a greater sense of independence in their work. Films were feeling less and less like the studio films audiences had grown accustomed to for the past several decades. 

This is precisely why "Rosemary's Baby" is so unique. It doesn't feel like the B-horror that are commonly disregarded as cultish non-commercial pieces. Rather, it feels like a new, exciting venture into creative independent filmmaking. This is especially enthralling given its genre particularities, which would offer a unique perspective on the concept and styles of 'horror' films.