A pretty good, faithful adaptation of the novel

Rating: 7/10 (25 January 2009)

"Rosemary's Baby", adapted & directed by Roman Polanski, is based on the classic novel of the same name by Ira Levin. In the film, a young couple move into an apartment building and are soon befriended by an elderly couple. However, when Rosemary (Mia Farrow) becomes pregnant and things do not go smoothly she begins to suspect that there may be an evil conspiracy at work.
The cast is a pretty good one, including Ruth Gordon in an Oscar-winning supporting role. Personally, I thought that Mia Farrow delivered the best performance and was an inspired choice for the role of Rosemary. The rest of the cast is solid but not really worth remarking upon.
Polanski's script sticks pretty closely to the novel both in terms of plot and dialogue. I would have rather had some variation from the novel but I'm sure that others will appreciate the script's faithfulness to the source material. Polanski's direction is ably handled as well though I wouldn't hold this film alongside later efforts like "Chinatown" & "The Pianist". I also have to admit that the score (by Krzysztof Komeda) is memorable, though it isn't quite to my tastes.
All in all, I think that this is undeniably a worthwhile horror film but I don't agree with the current top 250 rating. That being said, perhaps I would feel differently if I hadn't already read the very similar (but superior) novel upon which the film is based.