‘This Is No Dream; Making Rosemary’s Baby’
Text by: James Munn
Special Photographer: Bob Willoughby
From: Reel Art Press, 2018
206 pages, hardcover. LOTS of photos!
♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Black Hearts (=love it)
The legend behind the making of a horror classic!
Fans of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ have waited 50 years for a collectible item to be made available to the general movie going public – beyond maybe a poster, or the blue ray DVD with it’s extra features. But all good things come to those who wait! Finally, we are offered a feast that lingers on our favorite devil movie. Famed Director Roman Polanski’s faithful cinematic version of Ira Levin’s bestselling novel was released in 1968. Now, just in time for the golden anniversary of this diabolical classic, Reel Art Press presents us with a treasure of a book guaranteed to carry the merely curious and the serious film fan behind the scenes of this landmark cinematic production.
The book itself is a large quality hardcover of over 200 pages that spills over with marvelous color, and black and white, pictures by lauded film set and celebrity photographer Bob Willoughby. Quite a fair number of these pictures are seen here for the first time! As Polanski’s voyeuristic lens recorded a classic suspense horror thriller for the ages, Willoughby’s camera caught the intimate on-the-set moments of it’s making.
Mia Farrow and Ruth Gordon on the set of Rosemary’s Baby. Photo: Bob Willoughby. Reel Art Press.
The text by James Munn takes us on an insider’s journey through the film’s production, from it’s start as the novel was picked up for film rights even before it had barely reached the bestseller list, through it’s troubled production plagued by tensions – both economical and emotional (Good Lord! The drama!), to it’s momentous popular release during the time of a major cultural revolution in American society, and to the aftermath of it’s wide influence ever since. We are given lots of information and insight from those who were there or directly involved, and encounter the amazing personalities – Roman Polanski, William Castle, Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon and more – that contributed to this tremendously influential film.
John Cassavetes. photo: Bob Willoughby. Reel Art Press.
Reel Art Press has done a fantastic service in the quality artistic presentation of the photos and text. Fans of Rosemary’s Baby, satanic cinemaphiles, and those interested in the workings of the film industry will all find this book of fascinating interest as much for it’s insights as for it’s delicious photography. A must-have treasure for any serious Rosemary’s Baby devotee in your life. A coffee table art book Minnie and Roman Castevet would adore! Would make a great Christmas present!
Link to video ad for the book :
This Is No Dream; making Rosemary’s Baby
From the back cover of ‘This Is No Dream, making Rosemary’s Baby’ from Reel Art Press.
ΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨΨ
Read our interview with Rosemary’s Baby cast alumnus Ernest Harada:
An Interview with Ernest Harada: Celebrating 50 years of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’
Or some of our other articles on Rosemary’s Baby:
13 Ways You Can Celebrate “Rosemary’s Baby’s 50th Anniversary”
All of Them Witches: A”Who’s Who” in Rosemary’s Baby
‘Rosemary’s Baby’: Raped by The Shadow
Sympathy for the Devil: The Sublime Satanism of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’
Devil In The Details 