As a mental health professional with over two decades of experience working with families and individuals dealing with abuse, neglect, and trauma, I find “The Babadook” to be a profoundly impactful film that sheds light on the often unspoken realities of domestic life. The way Jennifer Kent weaves together themes of isolation, fear of the unknown, and the blurred lines between reality and delusion is nothing short of masterful.
For over ten years now, we’ve been haunted by the chilling presence of “The Babadook”, a horror masterpiece written and directed by Jennifer Kent. Since its release, it has stood alongside classics like “The Ring” as one of the most thrilling horror exports to captivate us. It quickly garnered both critical and commercial success.
Indeed, yes. The fear that lurks in closets and hides under beds, a common phobia among young children, was explored deeply in Jennifer Kent’s film, The Babadook. This work delved into the horror and apprehension it portrayed, but also shed light on the genuine horrors that many families face: trauma and abuse. Although it played with childhood fears and tread familiar ground, The Babadook exposed the chaos and unhappiness of a home marred by domestic abuse, triggered by trauma. In this film, the monster is a tangible entity symbolizing upheaval.
Trauma, Abuse, and the Cruel Existence of Domestic Dread
In Michael Haneke’s film “The Seventh Continent,” the director delves into the concealed aspects of a family pushed to the brink of despair, highlighting how children might react when they are in an environment that is harmful or detrimental to their well-being. Conversely, in “The Babadook,” Amelia Venek (Essie Davis), who’s grappling with the trauma from her husband’s death, struggles to balance her responsibilities as a mother to Sam (Noah Wiseman). Day-to-day life for Amelia is marked by persistent stress, whether it’s her job at an elderly care home or the ongoing challenges of raising Sam, who exhibits behavioral problems at school and creates chaos at home and in social settings.
Sam’s actions often mirror those of children who have experienced abuse or neglect at home, leading psychologists to suggest this as a possible explanation. These children frequently exhibit disruptive behavior and may seek attention elsewhere, a phenomenon known as externalizing behaviors. Potential causes for these behaviors could stem from repeated domestic abuse or mental health issues, similar to Amelia’s character, who struggles visibly with ongoing stress throughout the movie.
In the initial stages of the story, Kent sets up the domestic environment and introduces the Babadook as a pop-up book character, symbolizing the embodiment of trauma and neglect as Amelia and Sam’s family life deteriorates. Reading the book to Sam triggers more symptoms of post-traumatic stress in Amelia, while Sam displays characteristics typical of children who have been abused or neglected, asserting that the monster is real and not a figment of his imagination. The film, The Babadook, employs this monster to underscore the disarray within the household and investigate the boundary between reality and fantasy.
Isolation and a Growing Fear of the Unknown
I can’t discuss the analytical aspect of The Babadook without bringing up two horror classics that are nearly unrivaled – Repulsion and The Haunting. These films masterfully exploit confined and isolated environments, delve deep into character psyche without revealing everything, and skillfully blur the lines between reality and imagination.
The authenticity of the monster in Sam’s pop-up book, rather than just a figment of imagination, increasingly affects Amelia, causing her life to be filled with constant anxiety and fear. The technique employed by Kent in The Babadook, where Amelia’s descent into madness as she perceives the creature as real, echoes Catherine Deneuve’s portrayal in Repulsion. In Polanski’s movie, the claustrophobic setting of an apartment building is used to depict the genuine fear of human interaction and the blurring line between reality and paranoid delusions, leaving viewers uncertain if these events are actual or confined within the protagonist’s mind.
In Amelia’s case, as sleep deprivation takes its toll, she starts seeing a mysterious figure occasionally. With her constant late-night TV binges of horror films, it could be argued that these appearances might just be an influence from the movies she watches. The theme of supernatural events having a logical explanation and a character’s gradual descent into madness was a key aspect in The Haunting. This film, based on Shirley Jackson’s novel “The Haunting of Hill House” and directed by Robert Wise, focuses on the psychological exploration of various characters within a haunted house. Eleanor, the lead character, shows signs of distress prior to moving into the house and eventually loses touch with reality, leaving viewers uncertain about what is real or just a hallucination.
As Amelia and Sam’s relationship grows increasingly tumultuous, displaying signs similar to those seen in abusive relationships, viewers are left questioning whether this turbulence is merely a result of stress or if there truly exists a malevolent entity known as the Babadook. If the former scenario is indeed the case and not the latter, it can be inferred that the Babadook represents the accumulation of all events leading to the domestic strife. Many classic horror elements, whether in films or literature, have captivated audiences by exploiting the unknown and what remains unseen. The film “The Babadook” capitalizes on a fundamental childhood fear, weaves it into a backdrop of trauma and abuse, and continually challenges viewers to discern reality from fantasy and delusion.
What We’ve Learned from ‘The Babadook’
A decade since its premiere, “The Babadook” continues to stir discussions. Jennifer Kent’s movie combines the timeless childhood dread of monsters with an exploration of a mature character’s mental decline, subtly exposing behavioral patterns often seen in cases of mistreatment and negligence. Apart from alarming viewers with its graphic content, “The Babadook” delves into the grim realities of ongoing domestic horrors that persist. This film might offer valuable insights into the real-world monsters that dwell among us. “The Babadook” serves as a reminder that the true terrors lurking behind closed doors are a horror we must face. You can stream it on Netflix.
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2024-11-25 04:31