Rosemary’s Baby – Red Ribbon in New York
by Roman Polanski (1968)
The life of a young newlywed couple intertwines with that of their neighbors, in a crescendo of anxiety and horror.
Quote.
His name will be Adrian, he will destroy the powerful and overthrow their temples, redeem all the despised and seek vengeance in the name of the damned and tortured! (Roman)
Paranoia, control, and occultism.
The black cradle seen at the film’s conclusion is merely the culmination, the image that sublimates the horror. But Rosemary’s descent into the abyss is slow and gradual, a spiral that pulls everything within it.
An ambitious husband, perhaps too much so, and the move to that old building in New York, the Bramford. And then there are those neighbors, the Castevets, a bizarre and adorable elderly couple, very affectionate and ever-present. Time passes, and it becomes impossible to fully discern the line between kindness and control, between care and manipulation.
Especially when the news of your pregnancy arrives after a night plagued by disturbing visions. Paranoia grows exponentially, as does distrust. Perhaps your husband is hiding something terrible from you, perhaps he has devised a dark plan. Maybe he, together with the Castevets, poses a threat to the child you are expecting.
You start to wonder just how far he would go to achieve the fame and success he so desperately craves.
And you, Rosemary, what could you ever do to stop all this?
Considerations.
Roman Polanski directs this psychological horror based on the novel of the same name by Ira Levin.
Rosemary’s Baby – Red Ribbon in New York is considered a classic of the genre and has had a lasting impact on cinematic culture.
It has become a reference point for films dealing with occultism.
Polanski immerses the viewer in a tense and hallucinatory atmosphere. He creates tension and fear without relying on particular special effects, instead focusing on a slow and unsettling narrative.
Horror finds its lifeblood and grows in the everyday: all healthy traditional values bend before selfishness. Success, personal achievement, and fame are sought and desired at any cost. More than anything else. And Satan lurks, ready to intervene.
The home is no longer seen as a safe haven but as a claustrophobic and suffocating place, first generating paranoia and then deep terror.
Mia Farrow, in the role of the lead character, is absolutely perfect in conveying all the disbelief and vulnerability of her character.
But the entire cast is at the highest levels. Notably, Ruth Gordon, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Minnie Castevet.
Lastly, mention must be made of the unsettling musical accompaniment by the Polish genius Krzysztof Komeda.
Rosemary’s Baby – Red Ribbon in New York is considered one of the best horror films of all time.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Immerse yourself in a world of horror with Nightmares
