October has come and gone, but just because “spooky season” is over doesn’t mean we can’t continue watching horror movies. In fact, director Ari Aster would agree — for him, horror is more about existential themes than jump scares. His emergence and popularity in the horror scene over the past few years has shown these themes becoming more present in the genre.
Aster has been making short films since 2011, but he rose to prominence with his two recent projects, Hereditary (2018) and Midsommar (2019). Hereditary is about a family coping with a series of traumatic deaths, and Midsommar is centered on a relationship breakup during a trip abroad. There are more typical horror elements involved, but they are not at the heart of the film’s theme. About Hereditary, producer Lars Knudsen has said that “if you remove all the horror from Hereditary, the film still works as a family drama. At its core, that’s what it’s about.” The same can be said about Midsommar, but in terms of relationship drama. This is what makes Aster’s films unique: the elements that classify his movies in the horror genre are built around themes which are more universal.
Aster does a masterful job with symbols in both movies, twisting and wringing them out to get the best use out of them, always connecting them back to what is at the heart of the movie. From satanic writings on the wallpaper of the house and jewelry with the Paimon symbol on it in Hereditary to subtle hints to bears and the May Queen in Midsommar, every detail helps to build up to the climax. As a result, both Hereditary and Midsommar become movies where you pick up on more nuances upon every rewatch. While both movies are not overtly connected to each other, Aster plays them off of each other through contrast. Both movies include cults for example, but the Paimon-worshippers of Hereditary have a more sinister feel to them than the white-smocked, flower-wearing Harga. And while much of Hereditary is cast in shadow, Midsommar takes place in a part of the world at a time of the year where the sun never sets.
Yet despite all of this, Aster doesn’t consider himself to be a horror movie director. He has stated that “there are so few horror films that for me live up to what the genre can do.” This is also in part because in recent years, the genre has been dominated by remakes and franchises. Now we see that changing with directors such as Aster and Jordan Peele (Get Out and Us) who are using the genre to address societal problems and psychological tendencies. Aster says that the genre “demands catharsis, and so you have to find the catharsis” (Bishop, The Verge). In both Hereditary and Midsommar, he shows his commitment to pushing his films to reach that point (albeit some disturbing scenes that will definitely shock any first-time viewer). The combination of the catharsis with the centering around relatable themes are what make his movies stick long after leaving the theater.
What’s next for Aster, then? Especially with uncertainties to the film industry because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s hard to say for sure. There have been recent rumors of a new project: “a surrealist horror film set in an alternate present” that looks to center around similar themes of family (Raup, The Film Stage). Whatever his future trajectory ends up becoming, Aster is sure to bring a nuanced direction and subtle symbolism wherever he goes.
References
Bishop, Bryan. “How Hereditary Director Ari Aster Became an Unlikely Horror Hero.” The Verge, 7 June 2018. https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/7/17427554/hereditary-director-ari-aster-interview-toni-collette
Koresky, Michael. “Interview: Ari Aster.” FilmComment, 1 May 2018.
https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/interview-ari-aster/.
Raup, Jordan. “Joaquin Phoenix May Lead Ari Aster’s Next Film Beau is Afraid.” The Film Stage, 20 November 2020.
https://thefilmstage.com/joaquin-phoenix-may-lead-ari-asters-next-film-beau-is-afraid/.
Sharf, Zack. “Ari Aster Says ‘Midsommar’ Is Surprise Companion to ‘Hereditary,’ But Don’t Expect Paimon.” IndieWire, 16 May 2019.
https://www.indiewire.com/2019/05/ari-aster-midsommar-companion-hereditary-sequel-paimon1202141736.
Image: https://www.instagram.com/p/CCpw1LhFFsT/ user @fromariaster caption: “Happy Birthday to the freaky-genius that is #AriAster. Such a poet, such an artist.”
