OTD in 1968: Roman Polanski released 'Rosemary's Baby' Following the film’s release on June 11, 1968, The New York Times' Renata Adler wrote, “Miss Farrow is quite marvelous, pale, suffering, almost constantly on-screen in a difficult role that requires her to be learning for almost two hours what the audience has guessed from the start.” Kathleen Carroll of The New York Daily News added, “Miss Farrow’s special magic is her fragility. She reminds one of a fawn in captivity. What she does so remarkably well is draw sympathy to Rosemary who is herself a captive fawn, a totally helpless heroine surrounded by evil on all sides with no way out. Everyone in the audience will want desperately to help her.” On the flip side, another less enamored reviewer wrote, "this contemporary horror story about devil worship would qualify for a condemned rating [because of] the perverted use which the film makes of fundamental Christian beliefs, especially in the events surrounding the birth of Christ, and its mockery of religious persons and practices." Another piece of hate mail sent to the producer, William Castle, read, "Rosemary's Baby is filth and YOU will die as a result. Lover of Satan, Purveyor of Evil, you have sold your soul. Die. Die. Die… Bastard! Believer in Witchcraft. Worshipper at the Shrine of Satanism. My prediction is you will slowly rot during a long and painful illness which you have brought upon yourself." Go way behind the scenes of Polanski's horror masterpiece with Reel Art Press' 50-anniversary in-depth study, ‘This Is No Dream: Making Rosemary's Baby,’ featuring photographs by Bob Willoughby and text by James Munn. @reelartpress #jamesmunn #bobwilloughby #thisisnodream #rosemarysbaby #romanpolanski #horror #satanic #miafarrow #johncassavetes #otd https://www.instagram.com/artbook/p/BynU73jJqiv/?igshid=1lqjrebkb7z0l
