The Babdook

[Murfreesboro]

Are you all familiar with this recent (2014) Australian horror film? I just viewed it on DVD this afternoon, having heard from my son and other young men his age how scary it is. I can't say that I found it as terrifying as the younger people did, but it is an interesting film. Has anyone else seen it?

ETA: Sorry, I just realized I mistyped the name of the movie! It should be "The Babadook." I'm not sure how to fix that in a thread title. Mods?

[Kolchak]

Never heard of it. I am familiar with Babalu by Desi Arnaz though!


Thank you, thank you! I'll be here all week!

[Murfreesboro]

I figured no one here had heard of it yet, but really, it has gotten some great reviews, and the kids find it terrifying.

The situation: A woman's husband is killed in a car crash while he is driving her to the hospital to give birth to their son. The movie starts on the eve of the child's birthday, I forget which one--7th or 8th, maybe. The woman is clearly disturbed, having never gotten over the trauma of her husband's death. The kid is pretty whacked out, too. Then he finds a spooky children's book called "The Babadook" and has her read it to him. They start being haunted by this thing, which the mother doesn't believe is real, though the child does. As the movie progresses, you begin to wonder how much is happening through supernatural events, and how much is inside the mother's mind. Some critics have regarded "The Babadook" as a metaphor or symbol for inconsolable grief.

[NeverMore]

I just found it on one of my movie channels and bookmarked it. Shall watch it, per your recommendation, next time I feel like kicking back.

[Murfreesboro]

I hope you enjoy it! I will be interested to hear what you think of it. Like I said, to me it wasn't really that scary, although most people do find it very frightening. But I thought it was intriguing, have even watched it again since I first saw it; and I watched all the behind-the-scenes bonus features, too.

[NeverMore]

Just watched it. Not really all that scary, a bit predictable, but it sure was creepy. The foreshadowing with the book was really intriguing. I totally wanted to wring that kid's neck! Good thing I'm not a mom. Overall, a good watch.

[Murfreesboro]

I know, the kid was a little brat! But then I began to feel sympathy for him when his mom started to go whack-job. And you are right, such a creepy atmosphere!

Glad you found it worth your time.

[ScarecrowJack]

I've heard of this movie and I've been tempted to see it. It sounds very interesting. The reason I hesitate is that as I grow older one of the things I find truly terrifying is the thought of losing my husband. I can imagine a little to easily just how that kind of grief can drive you to madness.

Still, it does sound like a good movie to check out.

[Murfreesboro]

There have been three horror movies my older son has recommended to me since he grew up and left home, and this was one of them. The other two were the American version of Let Me In or Let the Right One In, whichever way that title goes. The other, more recent one, was It Follows. I have not yet seen the latter. I never did see the American version of the vampire movie, though I did get the original (Norwegian?) version of it. Neither The Babadook nor Let The Right One In scared me as much as he said they scared him, but maybe that is just the difference in age.

For me, the hardest thing to watch in a horror movie is anything about the death of children. I think those movies scare us when they tap into our deepest fears, and for me at this point in my life, that is probably what I fear most.

[jadewik]

Ah, you guys beat me to this one. I heard it was good, but people recommend things to me all the time that I don't like... like zombi movies... yetch!

You'll have to get an admin to fix the post title-- mods can't edit... just delete.