THE BABADOOK

Australia, 2013, 92 minutes, Colour.
Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Henshall, Benjamin Winspear.
Directed by Jennifer Kent.

The first question is probably who is or what is The Babadook.

It turns out to be the character, charcoal black, in a book called Mister Babadook, the choice of the little boy in this film for some bedtime reading. He is six years old, has a propensity for monsters, a fascination and yet fear, checking in his cupboards before he goes to sleep as to whether any monsters are in his room.

His same Sam, played with extraordinary precocity and intensity by Noah Wiseman. He tells us that his father was killed in a car accident while taking his mother to the hospital for his birth, a sad thing that his birthday coincides with the death day of his father. His mother, Amelia, manages with him, loving him but finding him exasperating. She has a job in a hospital and relies on her sister, Clare, who has a daughter, Ruby, to mind Sam when things are difficult. Amelia is played by Essie Davis who gives an expert and powerful performance, ranging from normal to haunted and terrified.

Thus far, a different but ordinary life in suburban Adelaide.

Then comes the moment when Sam wants his mother to read Mister Babadook to him. This leads to some fears for the Sam, who becomes preoccupied with him, even setting up clothes and hat on the wall that look like him. The story also has quite an effect on his mother.

Amelia, in fact, is quite worn out and susceptible to fear. And the presence of the Babadook preys on her. The question is raised as to what is happening to her. Is anything happening in reality or is Amelia experiencing hallucinations, wild imagination, even projecting her fears on to her son onto others. The audience watches her collapse with apprehension, wondering what is really happening, listening to her change of voice, listening to her changes in personality, concerned about what is happening to Sam because of this behaviour.

So, it can be said, that The Babadook works well in the genre of hauntings and mental deterioration as well as a story of a child in some peril.

Jennifer Kent is a first time feature director and has done a very effective job of creating atmosphere as well as expert delineation of character. She doesn’t tie everything up clearly by the end, allowing an audience to wonder about what really happened and whether it really happened.

1. The reputation of the film? Performance? Scares and shocks?

2. How real? Dreams, imaginings, hauntings, poltergeist manifestations, hallucinations? What is real? Psychological states and manifestations?

3. The Adelaide settings, the street, the house, the interiors, the car, the school, the rooms, the basement?

4. The book, the manifestations, the growing intensity, the monstrous behaviour, voice, threats, combat? The effects?

5. How effective the gradual building up of tension, Amelia’s deterioration? Sam’s responds?

6. The opening, the dream, Amelia and Oscar in the car, going to the hospital, the accident and his death? Sam’s birthday?

7. Sam at six, precocious, his birthday being the day of his father’s death? His depending on his mother? Bedtimes stories, the big bad wolf? His choosing Mr Babadook? His searching in his room and cupboards for monsters? Talking about monsters? Building the weapons? Protecting his mother, wanting her to protect him? Destroying the monsters and the effect? With Amelia, with Clare, the playground sequence, with Ruby, her birthday party, the treehouse and his pushing her?

8. Amelia in herself, normal, but not coping well with her son, reading the stories, taking him to school, his behaviour at school and the authorities asking for him to be removed? Her work with the elderly people in the residence? Robbie, his friendship, coming to her house, the flowers and the gift? Mrs Roach, the sympathetic neighbour, friendly with Amelia? Amelia and Clare, her sister, their talking, the bond, the differences, the issue of the party, Ruby and Sam not celebrating on the same day, the party and the entertainment, Ruby pushed from the treehouse? Injuries? Amelia and her watching television, watching Mrs Roach and the television? The range of programs, becoming more horrific? Her driving, crashing the car and the driver’s response?

9. The effect, time passing, having the ice cream, Clare ringing, taking Sam to the doctor, the sedatives, the promise to go to the psychiatrist?

10. The pills, Sam reaction, sleeping? Amelia and her lack of sleep? The effect? The nightmares with the Babadook?

11. Deterioration, hallucinations, pills and sleeping to 11, Sam hungry, the meal and the glass in the food, pulling out a tooth?

12. The basement, Oscar’s things, the photos, Oscar appearing? Saying there are only 10 minutes left? The disturbances in the basement?

13. The Babadook book, text, illustrations, death, Amelia tearing it to pieces, burning it? At the door, the knocks on the door? Taking the book to the police, no evidence because she had burnt the book?

14. The night, the nightmares, the Babadook and appearances in the house, her killing it? Noises, knocks, fear, the search?

15. Babadook and his look, a projection of Amelia, Sam and his setting up the images on the wall? The change of character, Amelia swearing at her son, attacking, the knife, apology? In the basement, her tripping, the blood, the vomiting?

16. Sam and his change, fear, sleep, protection?

17. Amelia coming down, get the worms and taking them to the basement? The presence in the basement?

18. The social authorities in the visit, the return, Sam’s birthday and his speaking straightforwardly?

19. The birthday, and the film stopping? Things back to normal – or more splitting of personality and hauntings for the future?