I usually don’t see any good movies on television, primarily because K’s tastes have never evolved beyond Jackie Chan and monster movies.
Rosemary’s Baby
However, two weeks back, I took advantage of K’s cold medication (causing him to sleep all day before magically awakening at the start of IPL finals 🙂 ) to watch this fantastic English movie on World Movies Rosemary’s Baby.
I had heard so much about this movie (it has always been I had heard so much about this movie (it has always been touted amongst the top ten horror classics) and had always longed to see it, but somehow never got around to watching it. For horror movie fans like me, sites like hellhorror.com are good places to browse upcoming horror movies with trailers and reviews too.
I watched the movie from start to finish this time, and I was blown away by it.
The star of Rosemary’s Baby is Mia Farrow. She is a young newly-wed housewife married to an aspiring actor. They move into an apartment in a building that has a rather creepy history. Once she gets pregnant, strange things start happening. She becomes convinced that there is a plot to steal her baby from her. So, is there a plot, or is everything just her imagination? Well, you have to watch the movie to find out :).
All I can say is that I spent a pleasurable two hours :). It’s amazing how the director has increased the tension and the horror without showing any gory images whatsoever. It’s a rare feat in horror movies. Another thing I loved about the film was Mia Farrow – she acted so beautifully plus I loved the way she dressed and the way she decorated her new house. Very chic while being true to the role.
Later, I learned that this movie is based on Ira Levin’s book – Rosemary’s Baby.
Revolutionary Road
Yesterday, we happened to catch Revolutionary Road on HBO purely by chance. The movie stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in their second movie together after Titanic.
Revolutionary Road is directed by Sam Mendes (who also directed American Beauty – another favorite movie of mine). Both films have similar themes – how suburban mediocrity destroys people’s humaneness and lives. Revolutionary Road is adapted from Richard Yates’ novel of the same name.
Although I don’t quite agree with the movie in its entirety, I must say that I was engrossed by it. The story is about a young couple with two children who live in the suburbs. They are both bored and feel they have settled for mundane, domestic life and are now feeling stifled. They weave dreams in the air, making plans to go and resettle in Paris to recover their lost joie-de-vivre. Unfortunately, these plans fall flat, and their marriage falls apart underneath the strain.
This story is something I think all married couples struggle with. At some stage in our lives, we tend to put aside some dreams, and for the most part, we are okay with it. But seeing this couple struggle with these issues was very difficult to see. It was heartbreaking to see and hear the brutal and cruel words they flung at each other and see them hurt. It was made even worse because this is Kate and Leo, for god’s sake; they have always been my dream couple. How could they fight each other like this?? The ending is downbeat, unnecessarily tragic even. It need not have ended so badly.
Throughout the movie, I kept wondering why everything has to be so all or nothing? They could just as easily have gone on a short European trip. They looked like they could afford it. If moving to Paris was not an option, seeing how disappointed she was, he could have taken her on a trip. It might have been some consolation for her.
I did not understand!
That said, the acting was brilliant. Kate Winslet is so mesmerizing that I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Leo is pretty good, too, only he looks a bit too young and cute for the part. He walked away with my sympathy in certain crucial scenes only because of his pretty puppy-dog eyes.
But all said and done, the movie was terrific, and I should go ahead and read the book. Although the story will be familiar already, I hope the book will provide more background to these people.
All in all, I loved both the movies.
Note: It is a pure coincidence that these movies are based on books and set in 60s America. I never actually set out to watch them.
Rosemary’s Baby is a very good film (never read the book). I love how it’s shot – they did some nice framing and juxtaposition there. I agree Mia Farrow looks quite chic, well at least in the beginning until her character starts getting ill. I thought the ending was anticlimactic, but up until then it was very suspenseful.
Hey there! I’ve heard a lot of hype on Revolutionary Road but haven’t watched it yet. Yeah, it would be weird to see Leo and Kate in totally different roles from their previous ones in Titanic. 🙂
BTW, the colours of your layout are very nice.
True horror comes from doing something different…as evident in the Blair Witch Project.
The other angle i like is about the stories proximity to the truth or true incidents.Amityville horror is close, though not as scary.
Rev.Road. – a bit over done at times. though not on similar lines, Bridges of Madison county – [Meryl Streep/Clint Eastwood] was exemplary in the way emotions between two lovers were etched.I would recommend it as a must watch.
I loved the book Rosemary’s baby and have been wanting to see the movie ever since. Glad you liked it.
I haven’t seen or read Rosemary’s Baby (too scared!), but I will say that the book of Revolutionary Road gives a far better idea of the characters’ motivations, and the ideas they have about themselves and the world that keep them trapped in their unsatisfactory lives. The movie was very good too, though.
I never read or watched Rosemary’s Baby…not too fan of horror..have read Revolutionary Road butdidn’t watch the movie yet..though my fav stars are in there 🙂
I too didn’t get that why she had to take her own life… we all have dissapointments in our lives.. but we move on…you will like the book inspite of knowing the plot..
I think the book Rosemary’s Baby was even scarier than the movie ! I read it first then watched the movie .You know there’s a sequel to the book . Which kind of gives a closure to the first one.
Hi Nish,
I saw the photostream and liked it. I think these are pics taken during your Delhi visit. Very pretty snaps and kma looks good in whatever mood you capture her.
Hi Nish,
I saw both the movies and liked Revolutionary Road better than Rosemary’s Baby.
RB was okay except that it wasn’t scary at all and the ending was so bizarre, almost incomplete. RR was superb and Leo was simply rocking. Kate was very good but Leo was even better. He does justice to whatever character he plays. I like all his movies. Kate as the disturbed woman couldn’t have done better. Earlier, I saw To Die For and Nicole Kidman was at her gorgeous best. Recently, I have become a great fan of these English Movie Channels and I keep track on what is being screened.
I liked Revolutionary Road, though it was very depressing to watch. Leo was fabulous and I liked him even better than Kate Winslet who earned an Oscar nomination for this. Thomas Newman’s soundtrack for the film is simply gorgeous!
@Kals: I am a huge Leo fan since even before his Titanic days :), but I was surprised by overall how excellent this movie is – yes, soundtrack, direction, sets, everything. I am not the most criticial movie reviewer, but I thought that this movie deserved a lot more bouquets than it got
I didn’t like the revolutionary roads (book) much actually
Book Reviews
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