Rosemary's Baby- just figured out why she gets that terrrible haircut (cinema, films)
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I had a thought that I would like to share with all of my fellow horror fans.
I always wondered what the real, filmmaking reason was that in the film ROSEMARY'S BABY, Mia Farrow got that horrible, manly haircut halfway through the film. She states that she went to Vidal Sassoon, which was a trendy place at the time, but in the film her husband hates it, and the negative change in her appearance was always so striking that I always sensed and later suspected that there was something behind it on the directorial level.
Tonight, after watching the movie for the probably the 20th time, I figured it out.
In the same scene as she reveals the haircut, she starts complaining about the pain that is indicative of the fact that something is wrong with her pregnancy. Shortly thereafter, the deterioration of her appearance in more objective ways (weight, paleness) becomes a major plot point and a topic of conversation in the following scenes.
The haircut contributes to her ugly appearance and sense of un-health. I never got that before, because it is a choice made by the character and thus, counter-intuitive, showing something that she controlled when real control is being taken from her. Oddly enough, it is something that she is taking away from her husband, who is also ultimately her chief oppressor. But from a pure, cinematic point of view, her short haircut relays to us immediately on a visual and visceral level that she is not the same person now that she is pregnant.
One of my favorite films has always been ROSEMARY'S BABY. I want to urge all of my younger horror friends who have not seen it to get it for Halloween.
I was borne in 1974, years after it was made, but to this day it holds up as one of the most adult, plausible, well written, directed and acted horror films of all times. Roman Polanksi, regardless of his personal character shortcomings, is one of the greatest directors of all time, and despite not being strictly religious, there is a lot in this movie, as well as the other films in the "apartment trilogy (Repulsion, The Tenant)" that fascinates me.
'If you have not seen this masterpiece, please go out and get it.
Totally agree about the quality of the film, though I don't think I can sit through it 20 times
Never seen the other two in the trilogy. Too scared to see Repulsion, since I've seen a couple of scenes from it. Afraid it would come and haunt me later when I am alone!
Mia Farrow cut her own hair (with manicure scissors) BEFORE she did Rosemary's Baby. She had long hair while she was in the cast of Peyton Place. The show's hairdressers had to scramble with wigs and all:
Rosemary felt her independence slipping away from her; she was growing tired of the society, fashion and mores of older people like the Castavets and their friends. Rosemary getting her hair cut was a way to assert her youth - the short pixie was popular thanks to Twiggy - and independence, as well as to reinvent herself in her new role as a mother.
As for Guy. he hated her haircut; his negative reaction made her uneasy, increasing the uneasy feeling she'd had since the night she got pregnant.
If you haven't read the book, you really should.
Oh, and Mia Farrow wore a wig during the first half of the film.
Totally agree about the quality of the film, though I don't think I can sit through it 20 times
Never seen the other two in the trilogy. Too scared to see Repulsion, since I've seen a couple of scenes from it. Afraid it would come and haunt me later when I am alone!
Mia Farrow cut her own hair (with manicure scissors) BEFORE she did Rosemary's Baby. She had long hair while she was in the cast of Peyton Place. The show's hairdressers had to scramble with wigs and all:
Rosemary felt her independence slipping away from her; she was growing tired of the society, fashion and mores of older people like the Castavets and their friends. Rosemary getting her hair cut was a way to assert her youth - the short pixie was popular thanks to Twiggy - and independence, as well as to reinvent herself in her new role as a mother.
As for Guy. he hated her haircut; his negative reaction made her uneasy, increasing the uneasy feeling she'd had since the night she got pregnant.
If you haven't read the book, you really should.
Oh, and Mia Farrow wore a wig during the first half of the film.
Never know there was a trilogy. I think I've seen R.B about 12 times.
I didn't either. Now my curiosity is kicking in and of course it isn't available to stream on Netflix.
btw, I loved that apartment in the film. Also, John Cassavetes (Guy) was married to Gina Rowlands
and it was her son, Nick, who directed the Notebook and cast his mom as the older Allie.
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