Essie Davis' character appears frightened as she is crying and screaming, cradling her sons head as she holds onto him.

HELLHOUSE The Babadook Introduced by Jennifer Kent

  • Cinema
  • Playhouse
  • Run time: 94 minutes, plus 10 minute intro Subject to change
  • Seating map

Australia l 2014 l English l Horror | MA15+

With a special in-person introduction from Director Jennifer Kent.

Jennifer Kent’s feature debut didn’t just become one of the defining horror films of the 2010s - it became one of the most talked-about scares in modern cinema. William Friedkin, the director of The Exorcist, called it the most terrifying film he’d ever seen, comparing it to Psycho and Alien. Stephen King added his own seal of approval soon after, showing that The Babadook is the film that rattled the people who invented modern horror. It also swept three AACTA Awards, including Best Film - a movie to be feared and revered in equal measure.

Six years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is at a loss. She struggles to discipline her “out of control” six-year-old, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), a son she finds impossible to love. Samuel’s dreams are plagued by a sinister monster he believes is coming to kill them both. When a disturbing storybook called The Babadook turns up at their house, Samuel is convinced the Babadook is the creature from his nightmares. His hallucinations spiral out of control, and as he becomes more unpredictable and violent, Amelia is genuinely frightened by her son’s behaviour. But when Amelia begins to see glimpses of a sinister presence all around her, it slowly dawns on her that the thing Samuel has been warning her about may be real.

Presented by Sydney Opera House

Event details

How terrific to find a crowd-pleasing chiller that wants to do more than make you jump – to move your heart and your head, rather than just your body.

The Guardian

A superbly acted, chilling Freudian thriller.

The Guardian

By hook or by crook, don’t miss The Babadook.

The Guardian

Cast and credits

Director and writer Jennifer Kent

Amelia Essie Davis
Samuel Noah Wiseman
Claire Hayley McElhinney
Robbie Daniel Henshall
Mrs. Roach Barbara West
Oskar Ben Winspear

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Plan your visit

Address

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Getting to the venue

The Opera House is a 7-10 minute walk from Circular Quay, and is easily accessible by car, train, ferry, lightrail, bus, bike and on foot.

Location and access

Playhouse

The Playhouse is located in the north-western corner of Sydney Opera House, best accessed through the Western Foyers.

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