Presented by Johanna Isaacson in celebration of her new book Stepford Daughters: Weapons for Feminists in Contemporary Horror, this special screening opens with a multimedia lecture by Johanna herself on the film's themes alongside contemporary feminist theories of women's labor inside and outside of the home.
The feature debut of master filmmaker Jennifer Kent, THE BABADOOK tells the story of grieving Amelia (Essie Davis) and her lonely son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) as they discover a gothic children’s book, Mister Babadook, in their home. Samuel becomes obsessed with the titular Babadook and wears down Amelia until her exhaustion turns to monstrosity and finally possession. Can mother and son survive the trauma that stalks them? Carried by a riveting performance from Essie Davis, THE BABADOOK escalates the overwhelming life of a single mother into both campy and ghastly terror.
About Johanna Isaacson:
Johanna Isaacson writes academic and popular pieces on horror and politics. She is a professor of English at Modesto Junior College and a founding editor of Blind Field Journal. She is the author of The Ballerina and the Bull, has published widely in academic and popular journals, and runs the Facebook group "Anti-capitalist Feminists Who Like Horror Films."
In general, the Hollywood Theatre does not provide content advisories about the subject matter shown in our theatre. Films exhibited don't necessarily reflect the views of the Hollywood Theatre. Information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media and DoesTheDogDie.com.