114: The Babadook (2014): "Shook with the Babadook"

Welcome back to Roulette Bonanza! In part two of this special event, the wheel gave us the perfect flick to kick off spooky season—The Babadook (2014). This Australian film from director Jennifer Kent introduced one of the genre’s most haunting new baddies while earning him gay icon status. But beyond the scares and the memes, this flick set the standard for “elevated horror,” exploring complex themes of grief, motherhood, and trauma. In our latest episode of Why the Flick?, we’re unpacking all the unsettling moments, striking visuals, and the Babadook’s incredible pop-up book skills.

Resources

https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/jennifer-kent-interview-directing-the-babadook/

https://www.hammertonail.com/interviews/jennifer-kent/

https://horrorpress.com/interviews/7985/interview-you-cant-get-rid-of-the-babadook-jennifer-kent-discusses-her-feature-debut-at-10/

http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2014/11/30/interview-jennifer-kent-on-her-babadook-breakthrough-and-wha.html

https://zoebrenzel.substack.com/p/how-the-babadook-became-a-queer-icon

https://www.slashfilm.com/807216/the-age-of-the-babadooks-star-presented-a-unique-problem/