The horror genre has undergone one of the greatest eras of critical success in the past decade. From indie hits such as Hereditary to blockbuster behemoths like The Conjuring, storytellers have found solace in this genre that had before suffered decades of gore infused trash.
One of the best and brightest to come out of the genre was The Babadook. This Australian horror film confronted themes of grief, depression, and motherhood in a way never before seen, and signified a brand new talent in the directing field via Jennifer Kent. Some of the stories behind the scenes though are just as fascinating as the film itself.
It Had Glowing Reviews From The Director Of The Exorcist
This film blew horror and genre fans away upon release. To say that it was a critical darling would be an understatement. As of recently, the film holds a 98% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 86 score on Metacritic.
Although having the seal of approval from critics is certainly a boost, it means a bit more to gain the thumbs up from the creator of one of the most frightening films ever made. William Friedkin, director of 1973’s The Exorcist said, that he had “…never seen a more terrifying film” than The Babadook.
Jennifer Kent Had Never Directed A Feature Film Before
Upon first watching The Babadook, it comes across as a work of an accomplished director with years under their belt. The use of camerawork, color, and soundtrack signify that this is someone who is anything but an amateur.
Well, it turns out that even first-time directors can produce that level of work. While she had directed a short film preciously, Jennifer Kent had never filmed a feature film before The Babadook. She could have fooled us!
The Real-Life Origins Of The Babadook
The Babadook’s themes are very, very real, but its monstrous threat, an evil creature from a storybook, feels like a far throw from reality. One might think that the ideas behind grief and depression would have given birth to the personification and idea of the Babadook.
Surprisingly, the hulking figure actually might have stemmed from a similar scenario. When asked about where she got the idea for the Babadook, Jennifer Kent said that she was inspired by an incident of a single mother she knew. Her friend’s child claimed to have been terrorized by a monster they saw throughout the house. This set Kent’s imagination rolling, and The Babadook was born.
Lon Chaney Inspired The Design Of The Babadook
When it comes to the design of the monster, Jennifer Kent looked to the king of the monsters: Lon Chaney. Lon Chaney, the silent film actor, is remembered for bringing some of the most terrifying early film monsters to life. He portrayed the original Phantom of the Opera as well as the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
The specific role that inspired the visual look of the monster came from a lost film of Chaney’s titled London After Midnight. Chaney’s hulking shoulders, mass of hair, and tall top hat look shockingly similar to the infamous Babadook.
Jennifer Kent Was Very Conscious Not To Mistreat Noah Wiseman
To say that The Babadook is dark would be quite the understatement. The film visually is horrifying in its own right, but the thematic elements and scares are some of the most disturbing around. The casting of six-year-old Noah Wiseman presented quite the challenge for Kent because of these exact themes.
To shelter him from the horrors of the film, Kent made sure that he was only given a highly edited version of the script. His mother was also present on set during all of the filming, and he was absent from scenes which required lead Essie Davis to scream at him.
The Babadook Has A Weird Connection To World Of Warcraft
The sound design of the film is one that sends chills up one’s spine. Each creek, growl, and roar is still horrifying to think about. But, when it came to the sound design, one aspect had to be used from none other than the popular game franchise World of Warcraft.
In some scenes where The Babadook himself is in the room, a sound effect from the game can be heard. Specifically, it is the sound of some dragons in the game when one interacted with them. While knowing that makes it sound a bit silly, actually hearing it is something else entirely.
A Lot Of The Film Was Funded Via Kickstarter
When it comes to independent films, any funding is good funding. The Babadook itself had a Kickstarter fund which allowed supporters to donate to the production. This allowed for even more funds specifically for the art department on the film.
As with many fan-funded projects, contributors gained some sort of perk. For those who assisted with The Babadook, they were gifted their very own copy of the infamous book from the story, rocking nightmarish pop-up effects and all.
Noah Wiseman Was Chosen Specifically Because Of His Age
The film relied heavily on the talents of its two leads, Essie Davis, who played single mother Amelia, and Noah Wiseman, who played her difficult son Samuel. The two had to deal with some particularly difficult material and scenes, so Jennifer Kent was just as particularly specific when casting.
Her and the casting department auditioned multiple eight and nine-year-old actors for the part of Samuel but found that they lacked a certain innocence that they were looking for in the part. It was not until they brought in six-year-old Noah that they found exactly what they were looking for.
The Etymology Of Babadook
The Babadook has a name that is fairly unforgettable. It is so specific and weird that it feels like it could only come from the mind of a child. It certainly has the ring of gibberish to it. Though the specific name origins are unknown, one could look at other languages for a clue.
In Hebrew, “ba-badook” means “he is coming, for sure.” Now, there is no proof that that is what Jennifer Kent had in mind when making the film, but the meaning certainly has a ring of foreboding to it.
There Was Never Meant To Be A Sequel, And There Never Will Be
With the massive critical and audience celebration around the film, the natural Hollywood inclination would be to fund a sequel immediately. It has happened to any number of successful indie horror projects that it feels fairly normal.
Luckily, Jennifer Kent is just happy with how it is. She has gone on record stating that in making the film there was never an intention to continue the story outside the first film. In fact, she holds the rights to the film for that very reason. She feels that there should never be a sequel, and as long as she hold the rights, there never will be.
