Condo 7A’s Director Explains That Out-of-Continuity Rosemary’s Child Second

Apartment 7A hit Paramount+ final week—learn io9’s review right here—and should you’re a keen-eyed fan of Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Child, you’d have seen a scene halfway by way of Natalie Erika James’ prequel that appears to be establishing a second of direct overlap between the 2 movies. Till… it doesn’t. In a brand new interview, James defined the behind-the-scenes the reason why that occurred.

Simply in case you have been saving Condo 7A to your October film record:

The scene in Condo 7A begins off because the mirror picture of a scene in Rosemary’s Child. It’s when Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Terry (Victoria Vetri in Rosemary’s Child; Julia Garner in Condo 7A) share a nice chat within the laundry room. Rosemary and her husband have simply moved in, and he or she’s happy to satisfy one other younger lady residing within the Bramford. Terry explains she was helped out of a foul scenario by aged couple Roman and Minnie Castevet—Rosemary’s new neighbors—they usually’ve given her a spot to reside as a result of they’re simply the kindest folks ever.

Rosemary and her new good friend comply with do their laundry collectively once more as a result of the basement is creepy as hell. Tragically, nonetheless, their subsequent encounter can be their final: Rosemary and Man simply occur to be strolling previous when Terry falls to her dying from the Castevets’ condo.

In Condo 7A, nonetheless, the laundry room scene comes too early within the film for Rosemary even be on the Bramford; the earlier tenant, Mrs. Gardenia, remains to be residing in Rosemary’s future condo. (In James’ movie, we be taught much more about that plant-loving girl, and the sinister purpose she departs the constructing.) Additionally, the dialog doesn’t occur; Terry sees a blonde lady with pigtails (Rosemary earlier than her well-known pixie reduce) doing her washing, however they don’t work together.

On the finish of Condo 7A, Terry nonetheless meets her dying in the identical manner, and Rosemary and Man are as soon as once more horrified witnesses—however she is a complete stranger to them.

Talking to the Hollywood Reporter, James mentioned the fragile line she needed to stroll, drawing inspiration first from Ira Levin’s novel, but additionally, inevitably, Polanski’s movie too.

“One of many massive concerns was ensuring that there was a separation between [Apartment 7A] and the unique movie’s creators not being concerned on this one,” James informed the commerce. “So we had these discussions previous to beginning a redraft of the script. We additionally tried to reference Ira Levin’s authentic e book as a lot as we presumably may and use that as supply materials. However, on the identical time, as a result of the unique movie is so iconic, it’s form of an unavoidable comparability.”

As for that particular scene, “I used to be at all times actually acutely aware of the actual fact that there have been already so many parallels to the unique movie, and we have been making these actually acutely aware selections about utilizing the Bramford and protecting sure design options very constant,” James mentioned. “However I actually shied away from wanting to point out Rosemary’s face or any form of interplay. It felt, unusually, like a step too far to simply recast Mia Farrow, though Minnie and Roman are reimagined of their manner.”

She agreed with the THR interviewer who identified the scene happens too early within the film for the lady depicted to really be Rosemary. Initially, the director mentioned, the laundry room go to was slated to happen later within the movie, that means the timelines would have lined up extra precisely—however an enhancing alternative was made to bump it up. “So that you’re proper concerning the lack of continuity from the unique with Mrs. Gardenia nonetheless being round. Within the edit course of, there’s at all times issues that must be shifted to greatest inform the story, so, sadly, that was one of many sacrifices.”

See the scene and picture a re-re-edited model for your self: Condo 7A is now streaming on Paramount+.

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