Rosemary's Baby currently beats A Nightmare on Elm Street 57–43
Polanski's apartment of slow dread outlasts Freddy's dream carnage.
The Verdict Decade Duel
Rosemary eating the raw meat. Rosemary noticing her husband's sudden success. Rosemary saying "this is really happening" in the final scene — Polanski builds his horror from details so small you almost miss them, and by the time you've assembled the picture, it's too late. Craven's Elm Street gives you the picture immediately: there's a man with knives for fingers and he lives in your dreams. That directness is effective but finite. At 57 to 43, voters choose the horror that accumulates over the horror that announces itself. Rosemary's Baby is still frightening because you're never sure exactly when it became a horror film. Elm Street always knew what it was.
The Numbers
| A Nightmare on Elm Street | Rosemary's Baby | |
|---|---|---|
| Head-to-Head | 43% | 57% |
| Overall Win Rate | 48% | 47% |
| Championships | 10 | 15 |
| Avg Decision | 0.7s | 0.9s |
| Budget | $2M | $3M |
| Return | 31.7x | 10.4x |
Where This Matchup Sits
Elsewhere on the platform, Psycho reveals where they differ: Rosemary's Baby wins that matchup easily, while A Nightmare on Elm Street struggles with it.
Across tournament rounds, early-round voters and later-round voters disagree. A Nightmare on Elm Street gains momentum in deeper rounds, which suggests the more invested the voter, the more it benefits.
Commercial success and bracket appeal diverge here. A Nightmare on Elm Street was the bigger earner, but Rosemary's Baby is the film voters reach for when forced to choose.
Where to Watch
Availability may vary by region.
Want to pit Rosemary's Baby against something else?
Build your own bracket with any films you want.