The Babadook vinyl by Waxwork Records review

If you're anything like me, you might have wondered where to get the title pop-up book after watching the Babadook. As it turns out there was a limited edition of them and have been sold out for years now. Copies can still be bought at auction sites and such, but for hundreds of dollars. After getting wind that Waxwork Records was going to release the standard for this title last year I decided that it was the best next thing to the actual book.

Here is how it rates as I see it:

Pros

• It's the freaking Babadook +1 star
• The cover visually matches that of the book +1
• We get a pop-up in the centerfold +1
• As compared with Nosferatu, the pressing is dead silent. Bravo. +1
• Separate artwork, notes from the composer and a nice splatter +.5
• Inclusion of hype sticker and some label postcards  +.25

Cons

• I got a torn inner sleeve. Not really a problem. -0 stars
• The length of the soundtrack is on the short side, but doesn't feel lacking. -0
• For the second time for a Waxwork release (out of two in my case) I find that it is really difficult to get the record in and out of the outer sleeve -.25
• The cover is non-textured. It looked as if it would come this way, but didn't. I feel this omission hurts the overall experience as they let go one of the senses, touch, which kind of was already implied. Maybe some manufacturing issues came into play, but I feel that Waxwork dropped the ball on this one. -1

After all this, however, I feel it gets half a point back for the actual music which lives up to the oniric theme and places the whole release on a more balanced footing between music and looks.

Not scientific, but fair: 4 stars

The Babadook as a metaphor for sickness

A couple of Sundays ago I went for confession with a bit of a secondary motive. For some time now, my leg has been hurting and a few other complaints began to pile on. Since I would have the father all by myself in the confessional, I thought it would not be inappropriate to ask for his prayers when the confession was over. I did so and he did agree to add me to his prayers after ascertaining the nature of my illness, that it wasn't anything life-threatening or anything. He also gave me a bit of advice: do not clash with your illness, rather make it your friend.

Later, after some reflection I saw that this mirrors the final state of affairs in the Babadook. You may not be able to get rid of it, but you can get into some sort of understanding.

In horror movies, the last surviving would-be victim, manages to fight off the menacing evil power, at least for a time, but seldom, as far as I can recall, does she stop to confront it on equal terms. In the Babadook, Amelia does so and surprisingly she isn't snuffed out as one would expect, but both accept the new state of affairs. She still doesn't like him, but that doesn't mean they can be partners. Had the book never come to her family's attention, she would still be stuck in her hopeless situation. Now, at the movie's resolution, everything has turned to the better, the  Babadook the catalyst she and her boy needed.

In Catholicism there is such a thing as redemption by suffering where one chips in, however feebly or modestly, with redemption by offering one's suffering, taking one's cross, and offering it to God. In this way, I've come to the conclusion that one indeed can become friends with one's sickness. As with the Babadook, one doesn't have to like it, but if a way out is not forthcoming, not only does one do not strengthen it by fighting it (being anxious about it), but one can reap otherworldly benefits by its acceptance. Amelia at the end of the movie intimates to Samuel that in due time he would get to see what's in the basement. Likewise for us.

The fit isn't perfect but both sickness and Babadook touch so many common points that I thought to flag them.

If you would like to know more about redemption by suffering check out episode 11  (2/18/05) of the podcast Ignition on your favorite podcast catcher.

(I use Podcast Addict)