This horror film even scared William Friedkin, ’The Exorcist director’: “It’s the scariest, it will scare the hell out of you”

When you talk about William Friedkin (1935–2023), you’re talking about the mastermind behind “The Exorcist,” one of the greatest horror movies of all time. So it’s no small deal that this legendary American director once wholeheartedly recommended a film that terrified him just as much: “The Babadook.”

Friedkin’s ‘praise’ for “The Babadook”

Friedkin famously said, “I’ve never seen a scarier movie. It scared me just as much as it will scare you.”

That endorsement alone should be reason enough for any horror fan to check it out. The film has also been praised for its chilling creature design and the way it echoes beloved horror hits like “Insidious” and “The Conjuring.”

‘The Babadook’: how to watch and plot summary

“The Babadook” is available to stream now on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The story follows a mother and her young son, who struggles to sleep because of nightmares after his father’s death.

One day, while exploring their new home, the boy discovers a mysterious pop-up storybook, one whose pages unleash fears far worse than his dreams. Little do they know, their darkest nightmares are about to come alive...

What sets “The Babadook” apart is how it uses classic horror scares and tropes to reveal a much deeper, darker story, the very real human tragedy of a mother and son coping with trauma that will haunt them forever.

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