FAST SCANS

摘要

The Babadook. color. 93+ min. IFC Midnight & Shout! Factory. 2014. DVD UPC 826663157734. $14.99; Blu-ray UPC 826663159332. $24.99. The accidentally widowed mother (Essie Davis) of a high-strung youngster (Noah Wiseman) reads to him from an illustrated storybook whose monster comes alive to haunt them in Jennifer Kent's horror flick. Unlike slasher or "torture porn" pics, this widely praised thriller relies on psychological terror in lieu of gratuitous gore. While the script is burdened with too many genre cliches, the narrative stands out from most modern horror shows for making inner demons like grief and guilt an apparent explanation for the goings-on.