This Holiday weekend, as audiences flock to their local major multiplexes to see a tiny glimpse of a movie a year away, we sincerely hope a certain film isn’t slept on. Jennifer Kent‘s horror feature The Babadook has been the subject of great acclaim (including our own) and today we are taking a look at its inspiration.
Back in 2005, Kent created the black-and-white short Monster, which tells the story of a single mother who is at odds with her son over a supposed monster in the house… that is, until she discovers it herself. If that all sounds familiar it is because it’s very much the foundation of what would be her debut nine years later.
“Monster taught me to be stubborn in the best possible way,” Kent tells SBS. “You need to listen to people when you’re developing a film because there are always things you need to hear but you can’t take on all the feedback without your film becoming a mess. Within its 10-minute run time, Monster contains the seed of The Babadook. It is a baby Babadook if you like!” To get a glimpse of her early filmmaking, check it out in full below.
The Babadook hits theaters on November 28th.
What do you think of the short?