L'Appartement 7A

Apartment 7A" is surprisingly a very strong film. The storyline stays closely aligned with the original, and the cinematography, both inside and outside the apartment, evokes strong memories of the original masterpiece.

The performances are outstanding, particularly from Dianne Wiest and Kevin McNally, who excel in their roles as the Castevets. The film features thoughtful nods to Rosemary's Baby throughout, and as a prequel, the plot is well-crafted and cohesive.

One of the highest compliments I can offer is that Apartment 7A left me eager to immediately revisit Rosemary's Baby. Together, they would make a fantastic double feature.

Serving as a prequel to Rosemary's Baby, Apartment 7A is an unnecessary outing that does create intrigue due to its connection to the 1968 horror classic but is unable to sustain it for long despite featuring a similar premise. Slow, boring & forgettable for the most part, the only element that works in its favour is the neat production design and although the cast tries to capture the nuances of the reprising characters, the performances aren't compelling enough. It is devoid of the escalating paranoia that the original captured so well, is tediously paced from start to finish, and goes full cringe in its final moments to finish as yet another dull, derivative & disappointing attempt at reviving an existing classic.

Rosemary's Baby is one of my favourite films ever, still stands strong almost half a century later. I watch it time and time again and still notice new things.

When I seen there was a prequel made I gave it no notice, proper eye roll stuff. Why? Can't they just leave a classic as is?

Anyway! Was at a loss and put it in tonight, and I actually enjoyed it. The story line was good, I loved the Easter eggs of the original... its made me want to put on the OG again ha.

I think the low score for this is unjustified, I think you need to have seen the OG for the groundwork of this story to understand it. If watched as a stand alone it would seem abit meh.

So yeh pleasantly surprised... not a patch on OG but a welcomed reimagining using the original story and characters before beloved Rosmary moved in.

On that note. I urge anybody that hasn't.... please watch ROSEMARYS BABY like now!

In 1965, the aspiring dancer Theresa "Terry" Gionoffrio (Julia Garner) moves from Nebraska to New York City expecting to win fame and fortune. However, during the rehearsal of a play, she breaks her ankle and falls in disgrace in the artistic environment. When she goes to the audition of the play "The Pale Crook", she is humiliated by the producer Alan Marchand (Jim Sturgess). Terry follows him to beg another chance and when he arrives at his apartment building, the Bramford, she feels sick and throws up. The old couple Minnie Castevet (Dianne Wiest) and Roman Castevet (Kevin McNally) help her on the street and bring her home. They do not have children and offer the apartment 7A that is empty to Terry. She moves from the house of her friend Annie Leung (Marli Siu) to the apartment at the Bramford. Soon her life progresses but she feels that there is something evil in the Bramsford.

"Apartment 7A" (2024) is a great prequel to Roman Polanski's masterpiece "Rosemary's Baby" (1968). The atmospheric plot is creepy, and Julia Garner has a great performance in the role of an ambitious young woman that intends to be successful in New York City dancing, but stumbles upon worshipers of the devil. The viewer will certainly feel sorry for the fate of Terry and there is a cliffhanger for the film by Roman Polanski. Unfortunately, it took more than fifty years to make and release this prequel. Now I will revisit "Rosemary's Baby" again to remember details from this unforgettable movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Apartamento 7A" ("Apartment 7A")

"Apartment 7A" is a 2024 psychological thriller that serves as a prequel to the iconic horror film "Rosemary's Baby." It follows Terry Gionoffrio, an aspiring actress grappling with a career-ending injury, as she moves into the infamous Bramford building.

What Works: * Strong Performances: Julia Garner delivers a compelling performance as Terry, capturing her vulnerability and growing paranoia convincingly. Dianne Wiest and Kevin McNally, as the unsettling Castevets, are suitably eerie and unsettling.

* Atmospheric Setting: The film effectively recreates the eerie ambiance of the Bramford building, with its claustrophobic corridors and unsettling undertones.

What Could Be Better: * Pacing Issues: The first half of the film feels slow-paced, struggling to build suspense and tension effectively.

* Lack of Innovation: While it pays homage to the original, "Apartment 7A" doesn't offer much new to the table. It relies heavily on familiar tropes and fails to truly capitalize on its chilling premise.

* Uneven Horror Elements: The film struggles to blend its horror elements seamlessly. Some scenes are genuinely unsettling, while others feel forced or underwhelming.

Overall: "Apartment 7A" is a decent watch for fans of "Rosemary's Baby" who are curious about the backstory. However, it ultimately fails to reach the chilling heights of its predecessor. While the performances are strong and the atmosphere is suitably eerie, the film suffers from pacing issues and a lack of originality.

Recommendation: Rent or stream it if you're a fan of the original and enjoy psychological thrillers.

Disclaimer: This is just one perspective, and individual opinions may vary.