So for our first round we randomly started with The Entity vs. Rosemary’s Baby. Having seen neither of the films I was excited to watch both. We started with:
I didn’t know anything about The Entity before watching it, other than the two-line description given by Netflix. The movie is supposedly based on a true story (and upon quick internet investigation found that it’s based on the case of Doris Bither of Culver City, CA). The premise is that a single mother of three, Carla Moran (Barbara Hershey), is continually tormented by an invisible attacker that physically abuses and rapes her. Her family and friends at first don’t believe her, until they eventually witness the entity themselves. A psychiatrist and a team of parapsychologist try to help Carla figure out a plan to get rid of the unknown entity.
I didn’t love The Entity. In fact, I’m not even sure I liked it. While the film started off well and dives right into the story, I struggled to pay attention during the second half of the film as it trudged along to get to an ending point. I think what the film suffered from most is the passage of time and poor storytelling. I could see how the graphic nature of the rape/attacking scenes in the film could be chilling and disturbing. Also the idea of a ‘bad guy’ you can’t see could’ve really added tension. Unfortunately the overused (and quite terrible) sound effects used to let the viewer know the entity was around seems very dated and more laughable than frightening. Some other special effects also come off as cheesy or cheap, either because of technology at the time or the budget.
For me, this film didn’t scare or shock me, or even have a good enough story to hold my attention for two hours. You know it’s slow going when the most intriguing part of the film were the scenes in which the main character’s breasts are fondled by unseen hands. Admittedly, it was because we were trying to figure out how they did it (a hot air stream system).
Rosemary’s Baby (1968) directed by Roman Polanski
Somehow, I had never seen Rosemary’s Baby, so I was excited to finally watch it. Being ranked highly (and on multiple Best-of lists) I went in with the expectation of seeing a good film. I was not disappointed.
The story starts off and introduces us to Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and her struggling actor husband (John Cassavetes) as they move into a new apartment with eccentric older neighbors (Sidney Blackmer and Ruth Gordon). As the movie continues, Rosemary is thrilled to learn that she is pregnant, but as the pregnancy progresses becomes worried that her baby is in danger. She also grows to wonder if there is something strange behind her neighbor’s enthusiasm for her welfare, or if it’s all in her mind.
This was a great film and I can see why it’s considered a horror classic. The direction and story-telling was fantastic. There was mounting tension throughout the film at not knowing what was coming next and I could feel the tightness in my chest by the end of the film. Polanski does a great job manipulating the viewer into wondering whether or not the plot was in Rosemary’s head or real, giving small clues or evidence to the viewer to carry them along. I enjoyed the ending a lot, which given how poorly so many films end is saying something.
The acting was great and the character development really helped move the story along. For a movie that ran over two hours, it flowed well and didn’t feel dragged out or to long. I also liked the good use of minimal background music, and when there was some it wasn’t distracting. I thought that the “theme” song was amazing. It was haunting and memorable and I liked how it was played at the opening of the film and at the end. Also on that note, I liked that the film’s closing shots echoed the opening ones.
I was impressed with how well Rosemary’s Baby has aged – beyond some of the obvious things that age (clothing, styles, etc) the story didn’t suffer at all with the passage of time. It was still creepy and didn’t come off as cheap or outdated. I guess a well made movie will depend more on it’s ability to tell a story than visual stunts.
After having watched The Entity, I was pretty sure Rosemary’s Baby would win, because it didn’t have to be much better. What I wasn’t expecting was for Rosemary’s Baby to be as great as it was. Picking a winner was a no-brainer, and I think Rosemary’s Baby might go far in the battle.
WINNER: Rosemary's Baby
