Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby (1976 TV Movie) User Reviews

Such a piece of glorious trash!

[BandSAboutMovies · 3/10 · 16 December 2019]

When audiences turned in to the ABC Friday Night Movie on October 29, 1976, they got to see the sequel to one of the biggest horror films ever. However, what they ended up watching had little to nothing to do with its inspiration, 1968's Rosemary's Baby, or the Ira Levin-written sequel Son of Rosemary.

The only actor to return from the original is Ruth Gordon as Minnie Castevet and we all know that you can't trust the combination of Old Hollywood and Satan.

Sam O'Steen, an editor on the first movie, directed this sequel. He also directed a ton of amazing films, such as Cool Hand Luke, The Graduate, Chinatown, Straight Time, Silkwood and Working Girl. He also edited perhaps the scummiest and most Italian horror movie to ever emerge from a major American studio, Amityville II: The Possession.

The movie breaks its story down into three different books.

The Book of Rosemary: A coven prepares for a ritual only to learn that Adrian, the son of Rosemary (Patty Duke, who was considered for the original movie, taking over for Mia Farrow) is missing from his room and hiding in a synagogue. Sure, the coven can hurt the rabbis, but because they're in a house of God, everyone is safe.

The next morning, Guy (George Maharis from Route 66 taking over for John Cassavetes, which is the dictionary definition of several steps down) gets a call from Roman Castevet (Ray Milland taking over for Sidney Blackmer, so at least Old Hollywood stays in the picture) and asks him to keep an eye out for his wife and child. Roman could really care less, because he's a big Hollywood star now.

While Rosemary calls him, Adrian is bullied by some kids and goes full on Daimon Hellstrom on them. Luckily, a prostitute named Marjean (Tina Louise!) saves them, but you know that she has to be a fallen woman in league with Satan. She calls a possessed bus to pick up Rosemary and drive her away from her son. Now, he belongs to the coven.

The Book of Adrian: Twenty years later, Adrian is living with his Aunt Marjean in a casino and acting up. He's played by Stephen McHattie (Hollis "Night Owl" Mason from the Watchmen movie) and he loves speeding, drinking, fighting and getting into trouble with his pal Peter (David Huffman, F.I.S.T.). As he arrives at his 21st birthday, Roman and Minnie arrive and drug him, getting him ready for his ascension to be the Antichrist, which pretty much involves him possessing a bunch of people who just want to disco dance and standing by while his father kills his best friend. Oh yeah - Broderick Crawford plays the local sheriff, which means that even more Old Hollywood is here in the service of Old Scratch.

The Book of Andrew: The coven has allowed Adrian to take the murder charge as he wakes up in a hospital. Donna Mills plays a nurse named Ellen who helps him escape. This is probably the second-best thing Ms. Mills has ever done. The first? Her epic self-help VHS tape, The Eyes Have It.

Of course, Ellen is really the granddaughter of Roman and Minnie. Even as they lose Adrian as he runs away after his father hits Ellen with his car - of course she survives - they already have the next generation of the devil all locked up. Why this happens and why we sat through this entire film is the kind of mystery that I've made this site for. After all, I've watched this epic made for TV turkey so many times that I'm embarrassed to divulge the true number.

Must see film for film students

[shanek-2 · 3/10 · 29 November 2000]

This film is a bad film but to gain any nutritional value from it I recommend watching it back to back with Rosemary's Baby.

There is a lot to learn seeing how different directors can draw different performances from the same actors playing the same characters. Observe Minnie Castevet (Ruth Gordon) and the fine work she did in the first film vs the awful rendition in this film.

It is also interesting to see how the same characters were played by different actors. Which leads me to wonder if anyone involved with the sequel were aware of the first film and did any of them watch Rosemary's Baby before making this?

If your interest in films is purely superficial then you would best avoid this one. I have a lot more to say about this film but I really don't want to go there.

One of the worst sequels I have ever seen!!! spoilers

[lthseldy1 · 3/10 · 22 April 2003]

For a movie that gained so much recognition and appraise this spinoff to "Rosemarys Baby" is one big mistake. It starts off that Andrew/Adrian whatever his name is because he's so confused that he doesn't know who he is anymore runs away from a cult with his mother and soon is kidnapped by a strange lady that ends up taking care of him as if she were his mother. The acting is terrible as Andrew grows up in his twenties and looks terrible with his sunken in face, never ending grin and Dukes of Hazard clothes on looks more like a drunken has been than the son of Satan. In fact thats all he does is drink and falls sloppily all over himself as he tries to come to grips with his past and the last memory of his mother driving away on a bus screaming to him. He finds a friend that seems to be an angel but he's quickly killed off and electricuted in a hillarious scene in which he looks more like a Christmas tree. Andrew gets cought and the cult with the members of the first part test him to see if he's really the Son of Satan. His dumb self fails the test and gets up off the alter glittering with myme makeup and jumps of the stage of a night club and dances like a clown on crack!!! This scene is memorable and well worth a watch. The ending is terrible and somewhat predictable considering how stupid he is in the whole movie. Do not watch this piece of trash or you will loose respect for the first part.

Bland, pointless TV sequel

[Vince-5 · 29 April 2001]

You might want to see this tepid movie of the week out of morbid curiosity, but please, don't go out of your way. First off, Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby didn't need a sequel--the haunting, ambiguous ending is supremely creepy and leaves you with something to think about. And if it did need a sequel, it certainly didn't need one as poor as this. Note the numerous inconsistencies with the original: If Adrian/Andrew was born in 1966, why is he in his twenties by 1976? Why is the Manhattan apartment building now sitting on a huge lawn? Minnie and Roman are present, but where are the other members of the original coven? And why have they now decided to refer to the coven as "the tribe"?

And of course, a talented cast is entirely wasted. Ruth Gordon, who won an Oscar as Minnie in the original, is reduced to a braying cartoon character. A semi-recreation of the Satainic rape scene is really lame. This may have been made to cash in on The Omen, as it bears more resemblance to that film than it does to Rosemary's Baby. If you want to see better execution of a similar theme, see The Devil's Daughter (1972). Cult film reviewer Michael Weldon summed up this disaster with the sarcastic question, "How about a TV sequel to Repulsion, too?" Indeed.

Ira Levin deserves an apology.

[triple8 · 1/10 · 20 February 2004]

I usually seek to find good in movies, even the bad ones.Unfortunately this movie is one where I fail miserably-and the fact that there's barely one positive review on this board shows many IMDb reviewers share my pain.

I don't usually watch sequels but I just had to see this since I love "Rosemary's Baby" so much. What a mistake that was. It simply reaffirms my belief in the fact that most sequels are lousy-though thankfully, very few are as bad as this. In fact in my mind this isn't even really a sequel, it's a satire on how bad a sequel can be. Movie recommended very highly for not viewing-at any time-ever.

Odious TV-made sequel...

[moonspinner55 · 1/10 · 23 September 2007]

Sam O'Steen, the film editor on the superlative suspense flick "Rosemary's Baby" from 1968, here directs a quickie TV-made sequel, one in which Rosemary Woodhouse (Patty Duke Astin, in for Mia Farrow) is shunted off early--and inexplicably--presumably to help flesh out the more ghoulish aspects of this flaccid story about Satan's son on Earth. Most interesting is the return of Ruth Gordon to her Oscar-winning role as Minnie Castevet (with Ray Milland well-cast as her husband, Roman), but she isn't given much to do--and looks terribly uncomfortable at being involved anyway. This script is strictly low-rent goods, and must have shamed original author Ira Levin (who went on to write his own sequel). Fairly dim and pallid, with poor photography and no suspense or scares whatsoever.

Basic Black and White

[sampleman411-1 · 2/10 · 23 April 2002]

With its few touches of surrealism, LWHTRB works as low-grade horror, but as a major follow-up statement to the original, it flounders miserably.

Things begin somewhat promising during the telefilm's opening credits... We see and hear several interesting shots and sounds: The Baby's black crib with the overhanging, inverted cross; the kitchen knife Rosemary carried into the Castevette's apartment and dropped in shock (the utensil is shown sticking out of the hardwood floor); and the emptiness of the Bramford itself, without tenants or furniture (voice-overs can be heard here from the previous film's dialog). Interesting too is the Easter Egg hunt the titular child participates in (the eggs and baskets are also black). Once the story gets rolling, it never really 'rolls'... And what happens to Rosemary when she boards that driverless bus, and is whisked away to God-knows-where?

Patty Duke (a poor replacement for Mia Farrow), Ray Milland and Tina Louise (as the Southwestern Whore who raises the child, "Adrian/Andrew") head this almost-star cast, with Ruth Gordon reprising her "Minnie" role.

Although not a total failure, this sequel-of-sorts should have been released in book form first, then maybe we all could have been a bit better informed... and not left totally in the dark. A fairly recent sequel novel "Son of Rosemary" (1999?) is the legitimate followup by Ira Levin himself.

An intriguing but needless sequel.

[pbolla80-67-297533 · 4/10 · 30 July 2014]

I was always curious about this sequel and I finally saw it on YouTube. There is one very good asset to this movie: it contains 4 Oscar winners: Patty Duke (1962 winner for The Miracle Worker) playing Rosemary; Ray Milland (1945 winner for The Lost Weekend) playing Roman; Broderick Crawford (winner for All the king's men) playing a sheriff; and of course last but not least, Ruth Gordon (1968 best supporting actress for the original film, Rosemary's Baby). That's pretty much it. From what I saw it has very little to do with Ira Levin's original. He certainly doesn't receive any acknowledgment in the credits. The screenwriter seems to be speculating about what happened after the first film ended. It doesn't even pickup from New York like the original film. And for any Seinfeld fans out there: if you look closely, the guy who plays Adrian later portrayed Elaine's "Svengali" psychologist/boyfriend. I gave this film one star for each Oscar winner that was in this film. They are the only good things about it.

Disjointed and low key atmospheric sequel to a horror classic

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 26 August 2016]

This belated sequel to the original hit film has been widely condemned by reviewers and fans of the original since it was first released back in 1976. I think they're being a little unfair, because this is certainly acceptable viewing and it works well in places as an atmospheric and subtle little thriller. It probably would have worked better had it not been a sequel to ROSEMARY'S BABY, a film it feels nothing like despite the return of Ruth Gordon in her skin-crawling role.

The film pulls the trick of swapping Patty Duke for a missing Mia Farrow, although it's a switch that you never really buy. The emphasis now is on the baby as a young man, with most of the running time occupied by Adrian feeling conflicted over the good and evil within him and struggling to battle the forces of evil, led by an enjoyably polite and genteel Ray Milland. Adrian is played by Stephen McHattie, who I know as an actor from the likes of 300 and A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (he was one of the coffee shop robbers in the latter) but didn't realise was acting as far back as the 1970s.

LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ROSEMARY'S BABY is episodic in places and the early sequences feel rather disjointed, although it all plays out better from the mid section onward. The ending is more than a little predictable. Overall, this feels more like an OMEN film than a sequel to ROSEMARY'S BABY, and there's no doubt that the success of THE OMEN saw it hastily written and released. As black magic thrillers from the 1970s go, though, it's a very middling genre instalment.

Did anyone really want to know the answer to this question?

[Aaron1375 · 2/10 · 11 July 2009]

The first film is somewhat good to me, I enjoyed it for the most part, but I thought it was really nothing all that special. However, when compared to this mess it looks a whole heck of a lot better. Why they felt the need to make the movie is beyond me, but they should have known it could not match the acting of the first movie when they only could get Ruth Gordon back to reprise her role. The story kind of follows Rosemary's baby around and stuff, but in reality it is kind of a mess, it does not help that the movie is a television movie and the television look shines through very well. It has more of a comedy tone to it as well which hinders it greatly, if they really felt the need to make a sequel they should have made it an R rated movie that had some nudity and gore in it. I am sure it would have still been quite bad, but at least it would have been more watchable and fun which this movie is not despite its trying to be funny. I saw this one on Monstervision and Joe Bob had nothing really good to say about it in the intro and I do not have to much to say either. I do have to say it was a sequel that should have never seen the light of day.

Look What's Happened...or don't...

[JasparLamarCrabb · 3/10 · 29 March 2010]

Pretty lousy made-for-TV sequel to the Roman Polanski classic. Rosemary's son Adrian has grown up and is embodied by creepy Stephen McHattie. After eliminating Rosemary (here played by Patty Duke) a coven of witches, again led by Minnie & Roman Castevets, preps Satan's son for world domination. It's not really scary and light years less macabre than its predecessor. Instead, writer Anthony Wilson and director Sam O'Steen opt for a Satan-worshiping thriller full of a lot of chanting, plenty of candles, and Ruth Gordon trying to act daffy and nasty at the same time. Gordon's the sole holdover from the original. George Maharis replaces John Cassavetes as Guy and a very hammy Ray Milland plays Roman Castevets, subbing for the late Sidney Blackmer. Newcomer McHattie is the film's only real saving grace. He's very off-kilter and looks really sinister without even doing anything. The music by Charles Bernstein is suitably creepy, but so over-used, it's ends up being intrusive rather than effective. O'Steen, who edited the earlier Polanski masterpiece, shows no flair or subtlety whatsoever.

A 70's horror acid trip. Highly recommended

[meathookcinema · 9/10 · 24 October 2019]

It's extremely brave to decide to make a sequel to a beloved horror classic. It can almost feel like some kind of suicide mission as critics and the general public alike will trot out the hackneyed old cliche of 'It's not as good as the first film!' as if this is an extremely original and perceptive line of criticism to extol.

If you do decide to make said sequel there are several routes you can take when doing this. You can either try to recreate the tone and feel of the original (Halloween 2 is an example of this and a very good sequel). You can try to make a film that has a tone and atmosphere all of it's own whilst setting the action years ahead of the events of the original film (for example, Psycho 2 is an excellent film). Then you can make a film that is completely out there and crazy. The 'made for TV sequel' to Rosemary's Baby, the masterpiece made by Roman Polanski in 1968, goes down this route. It's not often that whilst I watch a film I have a smile permanently etched onto my face at the sheer insanity I'm watching on the screen and that after the film has ended I have to take a few moments to reacclimatise myself to everyday life again whilst thinking '' And I mean that in the best possible sense.

I will try to summarise the madness contained within this gem's plot. I don't normally like to give detailed and 'scene by scene' plot outlines in my reviews but what you will read speaks for itself and sells the film perfectly.

The film starts with a voice-over précis of the final events of the original but with the voices of the new actors in this production (only one actor returns from the original film and thankfully it's Ruth Gordon who is as brilliant in this movie). In this scene Rosemary (now played by Patty Duke) discovers the baby she has given birth to but has been swiftly taken away from her. Rosemary looks at him and expresses horror at his eyes. Obviously, the dialogue here is different and not as impactful as the original.

The first part of the film is called The Book of Rosemary and concerns her taking her son (called Adrian by the Satanic coven we know and love from the original but called Andrew by her to try and distance him from the role the coven think he's destined to live) away from the clutches of the coven and running away. She seeks refuge in a synagogue knowing that if she is in a house of God then the coven can't harm her in any way. It's here that we see her press a crucifix on a chain into her son's chest only for her to later see with horror that it has seared an imprint into his skin. We then see Rosemary the next day at a bus stop making a call to her famous actor ex-husband Guy (now played by George Maharis). As she speaks to him a group of children start to taunt Adrian/Andrew and take his toy car from him. In return he turns all full-on Satan on them and they fall to the ground unconscious. A random stranger Marjean has seen the whole incident and hides Rosemary and her son in her trailer. Marjean then offers to help Rosemary and her son to get onto a bus to escape. But whilst Rosemary boards the bus, the bus doors close and it rides off with her trapped on it whilst Marjean is at the roadside with Adrian/Andrew in her arms. It becomes apparent that Marjean is in fact a follower of the coven and this was planned all along. Rosemary goes to speak to the driver of the bus but it's then revealed that there is no driver on the bus. And this is the first act of the film! Crazy doesn't describe it!

The second part of the film is called The Book of Adrian. It's more than 20 years later. We see Andrew/Adrian get pulled over for speeding. He later goes to a casino/nightclub that Marjean runs (described by him as his Aunt) who is alarmed by his apparently wild behaviour. She then refers to his parents as being killed in a car crash. We then see Adrian/Andrew's demonic side come to the fore as he tries to run over a biker gang. Minnie and Roman (the wonderful Gordon and Ray Millard) turn up to the casino to see Andrew/Adrian and ask him to drink one of Minnie's concoctions (echoes here of the chocolate mousse and 'health drink' from the original film) and when he falls unconscious they paint him in demonic warpaint.

It's here that I will leave the plot synopsis alone as to reveal anymore would impact on the viewers experience on watching this TV movie for the first time (just to add that there is a third act to the film called The Book of Andrew). Theres a musical interlude within this second segment where we see a far-out rock band at the casino get stage invaded by Andrew/Adrian. It's one of the freakiest scenes of the whole movie and thats really saying something!

There are never any troughs in this movie. It starts at weirdness level 11 and continues at that level until the climax.

I'm so glad that this sequel was made in the hedonistic, narcotically charged 70's as the full unbridled eccentricity of the movie could be shot with no holds barred by filmmakers who were clearly heavily medicated. Add to the mental shenanigans a brilliant darkly psychedelic soundtrack by the ever great Charles Bernstein and you have a rollicking great time. There is also some impressive cinematography that is some of the best I've seen in a TV movie. In fact, I love the idea of some Average Joe at home in his 70's American home watching this be accident. I actually think it enriched and expanded minds.

I'm so glad that this movie was made and that comes from a massive fan of the original film. If you love mental cinema, watch this. In fact, watch this back to back with the Exorcist 2: The Heretic.

I saw this on YouTube in a transfer from a very poor VHS tape. With Scream Factory releasing horror TV movies on Blu ray nowadays I hope to God (pun not intended) that they unleash this. A great transfer using a pristine print would be something to behold. This film deserves it.

Pure, unadulterated made-for-TV Doom

[GroovyDoom · 7/10 · 13 November 2009]

One of the most unique prospects for making a sequel to a beloved horror flick: a *made-for-TV* horror flick??? "Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby" was delivered in the middle of the doomy 70s, when TV movies were actually considered scary. Just ask anybody who watched Karen Black fall to the ferocious attack of an ugly wooden doll. Just like its predecessor, "LWHTRB" attempts to leave most of the supernatural happenings hinted at rather than brought out into the light. By now you've heard all about this movie's bad rep, and indeed, look at that low rating here on IMDb. It's hard to deny that the film suffers from a number of chronic illnesses, like a small-screen budget, a number of lazy performances, and a lack of special effects.

But expectations for the sequel to "Rosemary's Baby" could be the real reason this movie does not succeed. Instead of a clockwork Ira Levin plot, which was so effectively dramatized by Roman Polanski and his brilliant cast, Sam O'Steen's sequel is a full blooded 70s freak-out, complete with hallucinogenic images, an untraditional narrative, and a downbeat tone that never lets up. At times it's ludicrous and amateurish, and other times it can be engaging in spite of itself.

Divided into three chapters, the first segment deals with Rosemary and her attempts to instill a sense of good in her son, Adrian. She insists his name is Andrew, something she tells him in private, and she tells him he is good and that he should not believe the evil things the coven tells him. Although she lives with the coven and bides her time, she makes a break when they decide it's time to indoctrinate the boy by performing a ritual with him. Rosemary escapes with him and gets him away from the coven, only to wind up stranded in a desert town. A hooker named Marjean takes her in, but Marjean winds up controlled by the coven, who see fit to dispatch with Rosemary by luring her onto a driverless bus. As she's carried away, pounding in panic at the windows, the film's most compelling moment takes place, a child separated from his mother and left in the care of a stranger.

From there, the final two segments deal with Adrian as an adult, and the coven is out to activate his evil side in any way they can. Adrian feels the good qualities that Rosemary instilled in him, however, pulling him in the other direction. An attempt to endow him with the spirit of Satan fails when Adrian's friend foils the ceremony, and Adrian sees his dead body in a Christlike hallucination. Following the incident, Adrian is confined to an institution, awakening from an undetermined period of catatonia to find that he's been blamed for his friends death and locked up. A seemingly sympathetic nurse helps him to escape, but of course she has motivations of her own.

This is not a great film, but it's definitely an unusual one. I can't think of many other hit films that were sequelized on television, although I'm sure it's been done before. But the real reason I love "Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby" are the doomy elements and the intriguing story, which really comes from left field. It avoids being obvious by being absolutely nuts.

Weak and misguided sequel to a classic movie

[Red-Barracuda · 3/10 · 15 January 2014]

It probably goes without saying but Rosemary's Baby was a film that did not need a sequel. It ends on a tense yet perfect note, to elaborate further just seems misguided. But this is the movies and this is the way things go. I am sure that the primer for this particular sequel was the massive success of The Omen which was released the same year as this one. It seems likely that some executives somewhere thought that a cash-in follow-up to Rosemary's baby would be just the ticket and while I think it was a bad idea overall to make such a film, there is nevertheless some potential for it being enjoyable if it's made with a bit of care and thought. That's the problem though because Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby is a movie that has not been made with any care or consideration whatsoever.

It is a TV movie. But this isn't any kind of excuse because I have seen several television films from the period and have found the standard to have been pretty good overall. The main problem is that it simply has a badly written screenplay. At the start Rosemary and son Adrian run away from the satanic cult. She re-locates somewhere in the Midwest but is soon removed from the scene by supernatural powers when she is taken away on a strange driver-less bus. Her son is then taken under the wing of a mysterious woman. We fast-forward in time and encounter the now adult Adrian who is now visited by the Satanists who want to see if they can unleash the evil within him.

To be honest, it's an awkwardly told story that has little focus. It's broken up into three named chapters and despite this sounding like a good idea; it's only interesting on paper and doesn't really add anything. Rosemary herself is taken out the film early on and we then focus on her son but he isn't really a very interesting character, especially when you consider he is meant to be the son of Satan. He mopes around a lot and doesn't in truth do much; while I failed to understand why the plot-line was designed to not take full advantage of him being the Devil's son instead of making him a reluctant victim who the cultists are quite prepared to kill. This film should have had him out there causing perturbation and despair! He occasionally lets his powers loose, although he doesn't seem aware of them and they don't amount to much more than glowing eyes and super-strength. He even kills a couple of kids when he is a boy, although this incident is dealt with like it's a minor incident of little importance! Also of note is a bizarre scene later on where the Satanists involve Adrian in some ceremony where he is whitened up like a mime artist. I couldn't work out the point of this scene but it was a little bit memorable at the very least.

The only cast member to return is Ruth Gordon as Minnie Castevet and she definitely adds a bit of class to proceedings. But every other character is replaced with a new actor. It's not really too surprising when you consider the TV budget though. It's overall a film that looks really bad when compared to the original movie. But, unfortunately, even as a standalone production this one is pretty bad as well.

not bad, but not good

[artizon · 22 February 2003]

I am only eleven years old, and even I think this is one of the most laughable movies ever! Patty Duke would have made a good Rosemary, if only there was another director! I know that she is a very good actress, for I saw her as a child in The Miracle Worker. I am a huge fan of the original and bidded for this movie and almost went as far as to pay 50 dollars for it. I finally found it for sixteen dollars on ebay.com. I got it and wondered why I even bothered, wasting all that energy over a very mediocre film! I heard there is a movie called Rosemary is Pregnant Again, and have wondered if it is connected in any way. I can't find it anywhere. All I know is thatthis movie will probably stay on my shelf forever until another unsuspecting victim comes in and wants to see it. Then, I can finally get rid of it! This film gets a 2/2 out of 5, for sheer dumb luck. I'd rather go watch the movie PI.

PLEASE don't look what's happenned to Rosemary's baby

[Fernando-Rodrigues · 3/10 · 1 March 2021]

It's a dumb and unnecessary sequel with satanism clichés. Extremely dull.

"I Told Ya, They Were In A Store" - HaHa

[Rainey-Dawn · 1/10 · 10 September 2019]

Best parts of the film is towards the beginning listing to the lady tell them "I told ya, there were in a store" -- I thought it was going to be a comedy-horror from that. The other fun part is about one hour into the flick when the Devil, Adrian aka Andrew, is rocking out at the party in his white clown face make-up!! Outside of those two things that were funny - the film is NOT worth watching.

I suggest passing this film - it really is awful.

1/10

One of the worst movies ever made.

[DeadGene · 1/10 · 21 February 1999]

I kept watching it because it seemed like the plot was going somewhere. When it ambiguously got there I was very disappointed. I'm going to tell you what really happened in the next sentence. But maybe I won't. Maybe I'll just imply something will happen. The writers lacked any imagination. This is not even a "B" movie - it's a made for TV "B" movie.

Hated the original, but this is even WORSE!

[preppy-3 · 2/10 · 28 April 2004]

I think "Rosemary's Baby" is the most overrated horror film out there. Not scary, interesting or much of anything. It's reasonably well-directed and Ruth Gordon was wonderful but that's about it. But this sequel makes it look like "Gone With the Wind"!

I caught this on TV back when I was 14. Unfortunately, I still remember it. From what I remember Rosemary's baby Andrew is now grown up and the coven wants him to start taking over (the world that is). But there are forces trying to stop it...and Andrew is having doubts himself...

I'm giving this a 2 for a few reasons: Gordon is in this (and still very good); Stephen McHattie was actually pretty good as Andrew and there is one spooky moment at the beginning with Rosemary (Patty Duke) being "kidnapped" by a bus...with no driver.

Other than that it's dull, silly and needless. The original didn't NEED a sequel! Ira Levin's book followup in 1999 wasn't much better.

Tune in for the beginning with Duke...then tune out. Not worth the effort.

Pooh

[jacobjohntaylor1 · 1/10 · 8 May 2015]

Look what happens when a crappy movie like Rosemary's Baby is more popular then it deserves to be. The end up making sequel. One that is better then the original but mind you not mush better. This is pretty bad. It has an awful ending. It is badly written. It is not scary. Don't wast your money. Don't see this movie. It is pooh. A big pile of think pooh. The first one is no better. In fact it is worst. Life is to short for a movie this bad. The son of Satan is now a man. And most chose to be good or evil. This could have been a good movie. If it was not so badly written. I don't how the first one could have been good. But this one could have been. But it is not. Do not see it.

POOR EXCUSE FOR A HORROR CLASSIC-PART II

[bbrasher1 · 1/10 · 12 February 2001]

If you thought "ROSEMARY'S BABY" was bad, this one isn't much better. Easily one of the worst movies ever made, like it's lame predecessor, it goes nowhere fast.

Rating: 1/2* out of *****

Somewhere out there is a decent follow-up to "Rosemary's Baby". This is not it.

[mark.waltz · 1/10 · 12 March 2018]

Every time somebody screamed out "Adrian!" in this, I wanted to scream it back in my Sylvester Stallone voice, finding it ironic that this came out the same year as "Rocky". There is nothing decent in this follow-up to the 1968 cult classic that surely warranted a sequel, but this was obviously rushed out to grab on the supernatural atmosphere taking over Hollywood with the same year's "The Omen". Even the worst of that series was better than this film, cast with care but written with crayon. Mia Farrow wisely passed on repeating her role as Rosemary, but poor Patty Duke gets really nothing noteworthy to do as she briefly takes on the role of the woman raped by Satan and the mother of his child. Ruth Gordon is the sole returnee from "Rosemary's Baby", but other than that distinctive voice, there is no resemblance in her character of Minnie Castavette. In the original film for which she deservedly won the Oscar, Gordon was deliciously passive/aggressive in her manipulations, charming even if the evil was obvious. Ray Milland steps into the role of her husband, while Tina Louise has a major supporting role as the woman who steps in to raise Andrew/Adrian (Stephen McHattie) when Rosemary is dealt with by the Satanic cult.

So yes, if this has a curio factor for those who wanted to see what had happened to the baby with the evil eyes, it also has it for that cast. Gordon has been turned into an obnoxious shrew, heard more than seen, and I can't believe that even Satan would put up with her caterwauling even if she is the means to an evil end. Louise does have the most interesting role, aiding Duke in a time of crisis which means her taking over his growing up, but not enough time is given for her to really develop her character. McHattie, unlike the aging Damian in "The Omen" series, isn't really believable in his horror over his destiny, and is perhaps the weakest written character in this television film. Lots of time is spent on his bad boy image, voice-overs by Gordon and Milland calling out to him in Satan's name, and a few psychedelic moments where McHattie gets more sinister as a part of the counter-culture a major part of society in the 1970's. The script is horribly developed and nothing outside of some ridiculous dialog and idiotic situations is present to really keep interest. Coming here, I was not surprised to see the low rating: I just simply expected it to be even lower, even if the reviews of the film were exactly as expected.

Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby

[kurt7825 · 10/10 · 12 June 2021]

I really liked this movie. It's really scary. Adrien seems like a good guy.

Rosemary's baby in his late 20s living in the Los Angeles area

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 24 February 2022]

Rosemary (Patty Duke) finally escapes the coven of satanists when her son is eight years-old. The story then shifts to when Adrian (Stephen McHattie) is in his late 20s living with his "Aunt" (Tina Louise) at a casino in SoCal. Meanwhile the leaders of the goat-suckers (Ray Milland & Ruth Gordon) and Adrian's father (George Maharis) are hovering nearby. Donna Mills is also on hand as a psychologist in the last act.

"Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby" (1976) is a TV sequel to the iconic film from eight years prior. It's too different to really compare since the original movie is a psychological drama/thriller (with only bits o' horror) that took place almost entirely in an old apartment building in New York City. This one's a chaotic coming-of-age television horror mixed with Los Angeles chase flick and 70's music.

It's nowhere near as bad as its reputation, but it's hampered by a slapdash, graceless style that takes time to acclimate to. A better TV movie of this sort is "Bay Coven," aka "Bay Cove" (1987).

Yet it has its highlights despite the gauche tone. For one, McHattie is effective as the protagonist and the cast is generally notable. The psychological struggle between good and evil is interesting. Plus there are entertaining bits throughout, like the band at the casino, a scrap with bikers, the music and a couple noteworthy women.

The concept naturally provokes comparisons to Marvel's The Son of Satan, aka Daimon Hellstrom, a character that debuted two years before this flick went into production. Of course it lacks the 'superhero' angle.

The movie runs about 1 hour, 37 minutes, and was shot at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

GRADE B-/C+

Cinema Snob should review this

[ericstevenson · 2/10 · 4 August 2016]

The original "Rosemary's Baby" is one of my favorite horror movies and it's great that the ending left it all ambiguous and open to interpretation. That is, until this stupid TV sequel was made. There are almost no good direct to video sequels to theatrically released movies and it looks like the same can be said for TV movie sequels to theatrically released movies. This movie is unbearably stupid and bland. It features Rosemary taking care of her child at 7 years old, but then she's lured onto a haunted bus. It's so strange because I doubt if I've ever seen a bus with no driver in a movie before, but this scene STILL came off as completely clichéd. We get lame stuff like slow motion and satanic curses.

The two main Satanists are this guy and his wife. His wife is amazingly annoying and it doesn't even seem like she's trying to be serious. So anyway, after Rosemary disappears, a cultist raises her son. They discuss having the Satanists raise him, but decide not to, because they don't want him to live a sheltered life. He ends up living a sheltered life anyway. They perform a ritual to um, turn him into a monster or something, I don't know and they give him makeup like in KISS. Someone gets electrocuted and then the guy wakes up in a hospital. Apart from the stupid story, it's completely boring and wouldn't please any horror movie fan or any movie fan for that mirror.

It seems like everything is just shot poorly. It hasn't aged well at all. I might have seen a low quality version, but it doesn't really matter. The movie ends with a woman having Rosemary's son's baby. That means we're back exactly where we were at the end of the original film. That means this entire film was completely pointless as the world doesn't end, nor is the world saved. In the original film, you never even got to see the baby at the end. This just shows how important it is to make the audience come up with their own story. We don't want to see what happens next and there's almost no way a sequel to this movie could ever be good. This actual sequel doesn't ruin the original classic, but it's still a piece of crap. *