The Babadook has been given its own limited edition Blu-ray re-release in time for Pride Month. The usually dark and shadowy figure will now become just a bit more colorful as he marches proudly into June.
It seems an unlikely match, but since 2017, the monster from the cult horror movie has been showing up in memes across the internet that link him to the LGBTQ community, with many people sharing their humorous take on why the Babadook is a gay icon. And with Pride Month well under way, it seems that the Babadook is finally cementing that status with the announcement of the Pride-themed Blu-ray.
Online media and entertainment store Shout! Factory announced The Babadook's Pride-themed return to Blu-ray today, no doubt influenced by the popularity of the spooky character with the LGBTQ community since 2017. While the actual Blu-ray disc will offer the film transfer and extra features as before, it'll come complete with a special slip cover sporting the colors of the rainbow pride flag. Shout Factory's description of the product is below, followed by its cover art.
We’ve created a special release with participation from our fine partners at IFC Midnight: an official limited edition and numbered Pride Month-themed slipcover packaging that will be shrink-wrapped over our existing Blu-ray release. The slipcover has a gloss finish with embossed highlights.
Written and directed by Jennifer Kent, The Babadook is a 2014 Australian horror film that's gained cult status among fans of the genre. It centers on a widower and her young son as they deal with the aftermath of the death of her husband. The film breaks away from jump scares and other obvious horror tropes and deals with the human terror and fears that can plague the psyche. By producing this cover, Shout Factory hopes to “cement” the Babadook’s place in Pride iconography. That said, those who want to get their hands on this limited edition better be quick, as only 2500 will be made available. To show further support for Pride Month, a percentage of all sales of the special Babadook disc will be donated to the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
It may seem an unlikely occurrence, but the emergence of the Babadook as a gay icon is not as strange as it may seem. Initially, it was a mistake on Netflix that led to the phenomenon, with a Tumblr user spotting that the film had been listed under the LGBTQ section of the streaming service. And so, the legend began, with memes popping up all over social media, garnering more attention as it reached Twitter, with people making the links ever more fun as June - Pride Month - drew closer. While it may have initially been more of a joke than a statement, many have since drawn correlations between the film and the queer experience, particularly in its exploration of the themes such as depression, isolation, and the suppression of the authentic self. It’s not hard to see how the Babadook - a being that is trying to be seen - resonates with a community that's still fighting many prejudices and assumptions.
And so it seems that those celebrating Pride this month, many of whom may well be fans of The Babadook, will get something else to celebrate, as one of the most iconic figures of horror joins them. With the Babadook now becoming more of a gay icon than ever, it’s probably true to say that the monster is well and truly out of the closet.
Source: Shout! Factory