Director Roman Polanski made his Hollywood debut in 1968 with Rosemary’s Baby, a psychological thriller so thoroughly creepy that it has since ascended into the pop culture superconsciousness. Some films just seem to hit a nerve. The film has been re-released to DVD and Blu-ray this week from the archivists at the Criterion Collection, with the usual suite of film-nerd extras.
For the uninitiated (heh), Rosemary’s Baby is quite literally a cult classic. Its depiction of a secret Satanic coven kicked off a decade of diabolical thrillers like The Exorcist and The Omen. Mia Farrow stars as Rosemary Woodhouse, a sweet and naïve newlywed who has recently moved to New York City with her husband Guy (John Cassavetes), a struggling actor.
The young couple soon make the acquaintance of their elderly neighbors, Minnie and Roman Castavet, played by Sidney Blackmer and a wily Ruth Gordon. On the off-chance that you’re unfamiliar with what happens next, I’ll leave off with the plot points. Suffice it to say that Rosemary does indeed deliver a baby, although the paternity is in some dispute.
Check out the original 1968 trailer — they don’t make ’em like this anymore:
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