Babadook File

One cannot discuss The Babadook without analyzing the book itself. Unlike the sleek, digital ghosts of other horror films, the Babadook’s pop-up book is vilely physical. It is made of cardboard, string, and glue. The illustrations change every time you look at them.

Strangely, The Babadook evolved a bizarre second life online. In 2017, a Netflix glitch accidentally categorized the film under "LGBTQ+ movies." The internet, being the internet, ran with it. Memes exploded: "The Babadook is gay." Suddenly, the monster was photoshopped onto pride floats. Babadook