Film Review: Rosemary's Baby

Last week I discovered the brilliant student resource that is the UCA Library. I decided to take out a few films to watch over the weekend whilst at home, and wanted to take out films that I'd never bothered to watch before but had always wanted to. One of these films was Rosemary's Baby. 

This 1968 Classic horror film directed by Roman Polanski, is a simple story about a couple, Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse, who move into a New York appartment and decide to have a baby. The story seems very basic and is slow-paced, however, in true Polanski style, the horror seeps through the drama towards the end of the film, as Rosemary discovers that the baby she gives birth to is actually a re-incarnation of the Devil. 

This film is said to have inspired other classic horrors such as The Exorcist and The Omen, which is believeable. These films bridged the gap between the early Hitchcock Horror Era, to the Modern Horror that we know today.

This adaptation of Ira Levin's Novel was very successful, and pushed boundaries in the world of film and the horror genre. Watching the film in 2012 and comparing it to how it would have been seen when it was first released in 1968, there is a vast difference concerning audience perception and technical ability.

There were certain scenes that really stood out to me in the film and scenes that I thought were really advanced fro the era in which this film was made. Polanski's dream scenes are quite unusual. There is a slight psychedelic feel to the movie and the use of characters alongside story line really push this throughout the movie.

I would say this film is worth a watch and would recommend it. I was pleasantly surprised and quite enjoyed it. Stick with it, it's a bit slow at first, but soon picks up and gets your mind whirling.

Story-Telling Unit: The Meeting - Idea, Pitch & Synopsis

Story Telling Unit

The Meeting

Idea;

Two friends meet after being split because they move away to University. The two inseparable friends both moved to completely different places and this film shows the build up to them re-uniting when one visits the other. The two characters will be shown within the days leading up to the meeting and the film will highlight the loneliness that can be felt when moving away from home. Although completely opposite characters, the two friends hold a close connection and the film will depict the excitement and anticipation of meeting up with someone who you are so close with, that you haven’t seen in a long time and have missed dearly.

Title; ‘My Same’

Setting;  City Location –Journeys to meet at the train station

                 Halls of Residence                    

Style; Comedic, Emotional, Ironic, Light-Hearted

Format; Set over a week (Each day leading up to the meeting)

My Same

Pitch

Focusing on the re-uniting of two best friends, ‘My Same’ is a short film with an emotional, yet comedic style, highlighting the isolation and loneliness of separation.      

Synopsis

  ‘My Same’ is a short film which focuses on the emotion and anticipation that is brought about by separation, and the excitement and agitation felt the re-uniting of two best friends.

 

  This film introduces ‘Ryan’ and ‘Jess’. These two best friends, who are inseparable, have both moved away to different places to study.

The emotion in this film runs alongside the comedic aspects concerning the communication between these two students in the days leading up to their meeting, where Ryan visits Jess. Spanned over a week, the unusual format and style introduces the characters to the audience in a light-hearted, yet realistic way.

  ‘My Same’ highlights the relationship between these young people who are total opposite characters.  Ryan, the some-what clumsy and unorganised stereotypical teenager, travels to meet Jess, the organised perfectionist. Both at the age of 19, these two characters have grown up in each others pockets, knowing each other better than anyone else.

  The film will also show the difference between the two, the way in which they now live, the lifestyle the lead and how they are total opposite in their personalities and character.

Using these two characters allows this film to depict the irony that exists between them and how two different  people can be so close and hold such a connection with one-another.

 

                       

Story Telling Unit - PIRANHA (Pre-Writing)

Title – Piranha

Genre – Drama

Idea –

‘Piranhas’ are the new generation of gold-diggers. These are women who take advantage of older, richer men for their money. Our film will highlight the issues connected to this and will show the effects this can have on the people concerned.

Characters –

Robert – City Banker, 50-60, boring, receding hairline, bulging waistline with a fat wallet. Going through a mid-life crisis (causing arguments between himself and his wife)

Christine – Robert’s wife. 50-60. Magazine editor, Writes for women’s magazine aimed at the older lady. Grey perm, dresses sophisticated but older than she is.

Vivienne – The ‘Piranha’. Robert’s secretary. Looking for an older rich man to take advantage of. 20-30. Blonde, big busted, takes the stereotype of the naughty secretary. Flirty, manipulative and ruthless.

Oliver and Jess – Robert and Christine’s children. Ages 15 & 17. In private education, looking to go to University. Under pressure from their parents to do well and succeed in their education.

Theme –

Piranha is a cautionary tale to warn potential victims about how these women work and the ways in which they operate. Vivienne has planned to lure in an already vulnerable Robert, away from his family life and home. Robert is taken by her charm and sees this opportunity as an easy way out from his hectic lifestyle. Little does he know, Vivienne is secretly only after his fortune. Robert leaves his wife and decides to file for a divorce so that he can marry his new lover. Christine and the children stay in the family home whilst Robert and Vivienne move in together. Vivienne plans to become pregnant and succeeds. After a year together and the birth of their child, the couple split and Robert finds himself having to pay at least £4,000 a year in support for the child which leaves him on his own, losing not only his lover but his wife and children as a result.

Setting –
• The Bank – Roberts Office
• The Family Home – Mayfair Town House
• Top London Hotel – This is where Robert and Vivienne retreat to after work
• Docklands Apartment – New Home of Robert and Vivienne after the divorce from Christine.

STORY TELLING UNIT - 'Spaced' - Synopsis

'Spaced' is a new thirty minute sitcom based on 5 distinct flatmates. the two main characters, Tim and Daisy bring a centre point to the series with other characters around them, building stories and getting themselves into some-what sticky situations. The series focuses on the progressive relationships that the characters build with one another, whether its romance or friendship. These relationships are not only focused on Tim and Daisy, but the other characters too.


Set in an urban, city location Tim and Daisy stumble upon each other and form a friendship. this leads to them moving in together, even if they do have to lie about being together as a couple. Other characters include Marsha, the laid-back land-lady, Mike, Tim's military mad best buddy and Brian, the slightly eccentric neighbour.


Centring on their everyday life adventures, the series takes references from pop-culture media and the easy-to-watch comedy format enables its audience to take their own views on how they percept the comedy aspects noted within the episodes. The realism created is also shadowed by the surreal feel and the Sci-fi elements referred to. Introducing the characters as individuals allows the series to build background history concerning each character without losing connections to the two main protagonists.


The situations that the characters find themselves in and the events of often unlucky and misfortunate decisions brings relevance to the present day lives of the audience, building relationships with not only the characters but the audience as well, meaning the audience have a greater sympathy for the characters and the situations they find themselves in. 


This steady paced, authentic new series combines drama, romance and slap-stick style antics aimed at the '20-something' audience adds a light-herted twist to everyday situations. The realism created is also shadowed by the surreal feel and the Sci-fi elements referred to. 

'Spaced' - The Pitch

'Spaced' is a new 30 minute sit-com about 5 distinct flatmates with an urban setting and a slapstick style, focusing on progressive relationships and life adventures

Life Project

Never in my life had I buttered bread to music until making our Life video! Though it seems stupid, we thought of an object that would last about 3 minutes, and we thought a 'sandwich!' We seriously underestimated how long 3 minutes was! Pretty sure after 45 seconds, we we're panicking! The video was planned but changes were made! Now we all know how difficult it is to end on an exact time limit aswell! Watching the other videos and how professional they were really impressed me and definitely would use in camera editing again and know that you can come up with some real good footage! Really looking forward to making the trailer and writing the script for our meeting project! Just want to get it underway! :)