Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.5

Rosemary's Baby 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 14, 2023

A lot has been written about a supposed curse surrounding the production of Rosemary's Baby which according to some conspiracy theorists somehow resulted in both the horrifying murder of director Roman Polanski's pregnant wife Sharon Tate in the Manson atrocities, but also the somewhat lesser known tale of composer Krzysztof Komeda, who died under what some claim were mysterious circumstances, actually several months before Tate met her terrifying fate in August of 1969. As fanciful as some of these "theories" may be, they at least tend to point out the visceral intensity that Rosemary's Baby engendered when it was first released in 1968, and which frankly continues pretty much unabated, even if just about everyone knows what the "big secret" in the film is.

Though it hardly comes close to the visceral impact of Roman Polanski's production, a remake was attempted several years ago and I offer some background information on both source novelist Ira Levin and this particular book in my Rosemary's Baby Blu-ray review, so I won't repeat much of that data here, other than to say that if you do deign to watch the remake (hopefully after you've seen this version), and especially if you've also read Levin's book, you will note how incredibly artfully Polanski adapted the material for the screen. There has hardly ever been a more palpably angst ridden tale involving a "damsel in distress" than this story, especially since, as the title itself suggests, Rosemary is fairly quickly with child as things progress (and/or devolve, as the case may be).

The film is wonderfully stylish from the first skewed looks at the Dakota (itself often called a cursed location), and rather surprisingly, it's also undeniably slyly funny at times, especially courtesy of Ruth Gordon's Academy Award winning performance as neighbor Minnie Castevet. Still, it's the slow, steady encroachment of an undeniable feeling that something is very wrong with Rosemary's pregnancy, which leads to the film's absolutely devastating finale.

In terms of critical acclaim, Rosemary's Baby did okay if not outstandingly well for the most part, but it lit up the box office in a way that even some of producer William Castle's B-movie output never did. But that sole Oscar win (with another nomination for Polanski's adapted screenplay) may point out that there was something of a backlash to the film, even before the supposed "curse" came into play. Some of it was bizarrely aimed at Farrow, who was in the throes of breaking up with Frank Sinatra, and I'm sure there are some who feel that out of all of Farrow's performances, this is probably the one that most deserved at least a nomination. The kind of unbelievable omission of Komeda in the Best Original Score category, however, is to my mind actually unfathomable, considering how Komeda's work can so easily and brilliantly segue from cool jazz to late sixties rock (the band at the party seems to be channeling the Strawberry Alarm Clock's "Incense and Peppermints") to weird otherworldly chanting to one of the most memorable themes in movie history (see my closing comments for a little personal anecdote vis a vis that theme).

I'll offer just one brief technical analysis of Komeda's score that is only one of several available salient examples of his genius. Listen to the theme, which is eerily minor (of course), and you'll hear a repeated motif of minor seconds in the harpsichord over various chords. Those who play piano may know it's quite typical to have a minor triad where the accompaniment can offer the minor second interval between the second and minor third of any given chord (e.g. in a C minor triad, it would be a D and Eb played together), but Komeda "twists" that, and this minor second is actually between the flat second and (natural) second of any given chord (i.e., in C minor, a C# or Db against a D natural), which gives things an appropriately devilish demeanor. The Academy's oversight may be the real curse here, and it's kind of a sad one, considering how soon after the film's wrap Komeda passed.

Rosemary's Baby 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc included in this package.

Rosemary's Baby is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Paramount Pictures with an HVEC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. While admittedly minor, the correcting of the aspect ratio from the older 1080 disc's 1.78:1 framing is one of the positives here, but I'm frankly not sure many viewers coming to this version will be noticing that as much as some of the distinctly different grading that HDR and/or Dolby Vision give(s) to this presentation. The overall look of the 4K version is considerably darker than the older 1080 disc, which probably at least subliminally supports the film's (chalky?) undertone, but a lot of sequences, especially in the early going, are noticeably browner and I would argue a bit dowdier looking now when compared to the 1080 version. Some of the wide variances in densities, clarity and grain structure that have been part and parcel of previous 1080 versions are probably only exacerbated here, but cutting a bit of slack for those passing anomalies allows for a better appreciation of some decent if not overwhelming upticks in fine detail and at least a bit more shadow detail. The older 1080 disc in this package is afflicted by some really chunky yellow and near pixellated grain that can be intermittently on display (as in the opening Paramount masthead), but that deficit has been tightened in this version, if probably only incrementally.

Rosemary's Baby 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Rosemary's Baby features a Dolby TrueHD 2.0 Mono track that very effectively conveys the rather baroque sound design of the film, which can blend "everyday" ambient environmental sounds with considerably more sinister effects. Komeda's score sounds fantastic throughout, and dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and French subtitles are available.

Rosemary's Baby 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 4K UHD disc sports no supplemental content. The 1080 disc in this package offers the following bonus items:

• Rosemary's Baby - A Retrospective (SD; 16:49) offers some background and context, including comments by a host of folks like Robert Evans and Richard Sylbert. There's some fun anecdotal information about William Castle, of course.


• Mia and Roman (SD; 23:04) is an archival piece that looks like it was produced at the time of the film for promotional purposes, though it comes with some kind of bizarre sidebars. There is still some interesting behind the scenes footage and comments offered.


• Theatrical Trailer (SD; 2:50)


• 50th Anniversary Red Band Trailer (HD; 00:36)

Additionally, a digital copy is included and packaging features a slipcover.

Rosemary's Baby 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you need one final example of just what a pervasive influence Rosemary's Baby has had with sometimes unexpected demographics, herewith in true Rod Serling fashion is an anecdote submitted for your approval. In my guise as a musician, I was beset one day with a, well, demonic little boy who kept coming up to the piano and pounding on its upper registers while I was attempting to perform, with his parents thinking it was just so sweet and funny that telling him to stop was not an option. After he finally left, I launched into a version of Krzysztof Komeda's absolutely stunning Lullaby which serves as the main theme for Rosemary's Baby, not really expecting but probably still hoping someone would get the joke. Lo and behold, as I was leaving the gig, an absolutely elderly woman who was eighty or ninety if she was a day walked up to me and without offering any context, which I guess she assumed I would understand (and which I instantaneously did), said, "You know, I always preferred Mia Farrow's version to Claudine Longet's". (Lest it not be clear, there were two vocal versions released by these, um, legendary singers of the Komeda theme, and those interested can find them online with a little sleuthing.) While "mind blown" would be an understatement, that moment actually (no music pun intended) underscored a kind of subliminal appreciation I had had for years about just what an impact both Levin's original source novel and this film have had, and that influence continues unabated to this day, as evidenced not just by wannabes but also the completely boneheaded "remake" I reviewed several years ago. My hunch is the color timing here may surprise people, but with that one caveat this comes Recommended.