Not to be hyperbolic, but in 2014, The Babadook was part of a major shift in filmmaking that shook audiences and the horror genre to its core—and not just because it was one of the creepiest movies of the year. Up until that point, much of the era's mainstream horror was fairly straightforward, comprised of jumpscares, gore, and traditional monsters, supernatural or otherwise. The previous year had given us a slew of remakes and sequels, and we were coming off a big period when zombies were the enemy du jour. And although The Conjuring franchise had just been launched, many horror fans were still looking for something more.Enter The Babadook, writer/director Jennifer Kent's supernatural story about a widowed mother raising her young son. The titular monster shows up along with a mysterious book, peering out of the shadows in his now iconic hat and coat, face split in an eerie smile.What Kent managed to do here (and what was unique at the time) was to keep the mother and son at the forefront; it was a family drama first, and grief was the true monster. And it just happened to show up in the guise of the Babadook. This was the period that people started talking about "elevated horror." Sure, a movie could be scary—but did it explore deeper themes? Did it use horror as a tool to say something about the human experience? Were we frightened not only because of those horror elements, but also because the characters were...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Monday, 16 September