Title and opening

sequence analysis

of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’

(1968)

One of the first things on screen is the movie title ‘Rosemary’s Baby’. The title colour is pink, which has connotations with sweetness and femininity. As well as this, the title font is a handwritten script, further representative of these characteristics. The pink misleads the audience, as it is suggestive of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ being female, which is far from reality. The movies plot centres around manipulating both Rosemary and the audience, and so this deception plays well into the movie’s story line.

The song played is a lullaby, which is supposed to be soothing and calming, yet is actually creepy and unsettling. Soft undertones of piano, strings and wind instruments provide the basis for a comforting and relaxing piece which is juxtaposed by the irregular high pitched piano which echoes throughout the song. This therefore results in the opposite of a relaxing and calming effect, and instead makes the audience uneasy. Furthermore, Mia Farrow’s soft vocals over the instrumental enhance the sense of femininity and sweetness surrounding the sequence, although they also add to the sense of unease created by the non diegetic soundtrack.

The use of one continuous long shot to film the title sequence helps to establish the location. The shot pans across New York City, showing rooftops of buildings, painting it as grisly, lonely and dull. The shot is also effective at casting New York as being giant and alienating. The pan also helps to show a contrast between the different buildings in the city, ranging from grimy looking tower blocks to grand looking mansions. This is representative of the range of different people living and working in the city, both from higher and lower classes, and shows that anyone can succumb to its alienating nature.

Iconography is demonstrated when the pan-and-glide shot across the skyline finally settles on the prestigious Dakota Building (renamed ‘The Bramford’ in the movie). The Dakota has connotations with wealth, as it is known to be the home of New York’s aristocracy, often attracting actors, singers and writers. This illustrates the new home of the protagonist as being affluent and opulent, yet another deception as, when the characters enter the property in the following scene, this is found to be untrue.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Polanski executes the use of various techniques, such as camera shots, mise en scene, and iconography, to create a successful and unique title sequence. He also uses these to set up a key theme of manipulation and deception from the very start of the film.