Monster (2005)

A mother battles with her son's fear of a monster lurking in the closet, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her.

Director:

Jennifer Kent

Writer:

Jennifer Kent

Stars:

Susan Prior, Luke Ikimis-Healey, Trash Vaudeville

4 wins.

Cast

Cast overview:
Susan Prior	...	Mother
Luke Ikimis-Healey	...	Boy
Trash Vaudeville	...	Monster

Storyline

Barely coping with the everyday problems and her difficult young son who persistently insists that his disfigured rag doll threatens to gobble him up alive, an exhausted single mother is on the verge of an emotional breakdown. However, things will take a turn for the worse, when in the middle of the night, the mother will mistake a pale, yet menacing shadow for something that shouldn't exist in the apartment. Could her son be telling the truth?

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Plot Keywords:

horror directed by woman | monster | australian horror | mother son relationship | title directed by female | 

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Genres:

Short | Horror | Thriller

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Did You Know?

Trivia

This short film was later remade as The Babadook (2014).

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Quotes

Boy: Mummy, I'm killing a monster for you.

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Connections

Featured in Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema: Horror (2018)

User Reviews

Amazing Short Film

I saw this short film at the Shriekfest Film Festival in LA. In the story, a young boy believes there's a real-life monster living in his closet. At first, his mother dismisses her son's claims and thinks its his imagination running wild. The mother soon learns the haunting truth of what lies inside the closet. The director has an excellent command of the horror genre. The film is shot in grainy black and white and has a foreboding Gothic feel to it. She knows how to ratchet up the suspense, especially in the incredible staircase scene. The whole audience practically leaped out of their seats. The performances by the young boy and mother were solid and very convincing. I really liked the climatic scene in the film. The director took a different route from the usual gore fest and resolved the film in a creative and emotionally fulfilling way. Overall, its a great film that really scared the crap out of me.

Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 March 2012 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Monster

Filming Locations:

Erskineville, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

AUD30,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Maya Films, The New South Wales Film and Television Office, Young Filmmakers Fund

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Black and White