Rosemary's Baby (#630) (Criterion Collection)[USA]

[alvoi]

Release Date: October 30, 2012
Purchase: Amazon

United States
1968
136 minutes
Color
1.85:1
English

Horrifying and darkly comic, Rosemary’s Baby was Roman Polanski’s Hollywood debut. This wildly entertaining nightmare, faithfully adapted from Ira Levin’s best seller, stars a revelatory Mia Farrow as a young mother-to-be who grows increasingly suspicious that her overfriendly elderly neighbors (played by Sidney Blackmer and an Oscar-winning Ruth Gordon) and self-involved husband (John Cassavetes) are hatching a satanic plot against her and her baby. In the decades of occult cinema that Polanski’s ungodly masterpiece has spawned, it has never been outdone for sheer psychological terror.

Disc Features:

1. New, restored digital transfer, approved by director Roman Polanski, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
2. New documentary featuring interviews with Polanski, actress Mia Farrow, and producer Robert Evans
3. Interview with author Ira Levin from a 1997 broadcast of Leonard Lopate’s public radio program New York and Company, about his 1967 novel, its sequel, and the film
4. Komeda, Komeda, a feature- length documentary on the life and work of jazz musician and composer Krzysztof Komeda, who wrote the score for Rosemary’s Baby
5. PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by critic Ed Park; Levin’s afterword to the 2003 New American Library edition of his novel; and Levin’s rare, unpublished character sketches of the Woodhouses and floor plan of their apartment, created in preparation for the novel

Three reasons:

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[pmartin252]

Special features:

New high-definition digital restoration, approved by director Roman Polanski, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition.
New interviews with Polanski, actor Mia Farrow, and producer Robert Evans.
Komeda, Komeda, a feature-length documentary on the life and work of jazz musician and composer Krzysztof Komeda, who wrote the score for Rosemary’s Baby.
1997 radio interview with author Ira Levin from Leonard Lopate’s WNYC program New York and Company on the 1967 novel, the sequel, and the film.
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Ed Park and Levin’s afterword for the 2003 New American Library edition of his novel, in which he discusses its and the film’s origins.

 

[digitalbabe]

Apparently they are changing the original aspect ratio, bah! I can't wait for this, just wish they wouldn't tinker with it, and Polanski approved this tinkering!

 

[digitalbabe]

'Sign up to be notified' link added to OP.

 

[Colombianlove41]

Yes! Took me a few screenings to appreciate this and now it's on Criterion!

 

[eerik]

Apparently they are changing the original aspect ratio, bah! I can't wait for this, just wish they wouldn't tinker with it, and Polanski approved this tinkering!

They most definitely are not changing the original aspect ratio. It will be presented in 1.85:1 which is the correct ratio.

 

[digitalbabe]

Eerik-this must have been changed then. Originally, the internet had several reports that the aspect would be changed. Glad to hear that is apparently not so.

 

[bananek]

Can't wait for this! I just hope they also do Knife in the Water (my personal Polanskis fav)

 

[tridon]

I remember liking this creepy film when I was younger. It's been a long time, though. I may have to check this out in HD. A very cool release from Criterion!

 

[pmartin252]

They most definitely are not changing the original aspect ratio. It will be presented in 1.85:1 which is the correct ratio.

From what I've read on the internet, it seems that there really isn't a correct aspect ratio. The film was made in open matte and was always shown that way on TV - to fit the screen shape 1.33. At cinemas around the world, it was shown in different ratios at different times and places. The last DVD release was in 1.78 and Criterion are releasing it in 1.85. This has been approved by the director. One movie blogger has stated that the test with this ratio will be whether we can see the steak when Mia Farrow and John Cassevettes are eating dinner at Ruth Gordon and Sydney Blackmer's apartment, or it is cut off by the masking.

Interesting stuff.

I've just ordered my copy - love this film, and can't wait to see it on Blu-ray.

 

[digitalbabe]

Can't wait for mine!

 

[yasaira1]

transfer on this is gorgeous

 

[Godzi]

Scary movie

 

[andes]

Love the artwork. Spot on! It is scary.

 

[Horhay]

Added three reasons to OP.