‘Midsommar’ is Not Like ‘Hereditary’, But It is ‘The Wizard of Oz’ for Perverts, According to Ari Aster

If you’re expecting the new Ari Aster film Midsommar to be anything like his previous horror movie Hereditary, you should check yourself. According to Aster, his latest tale of terror for A24 is plenty scary, but audiences shouldn’t head into the theater expecting Hereditary 2.0. Instead, Aster suggests the movie is akin to The Wizard of Oz for perverts. Who wouldn’t want to see that?

Midsommar

One of my most anticipated movies of the year is Midsommar, the latest from Ari Aster, director of Hereditary. While we’ve seen a trailer for the movie, and we know it’s about a couple who travel to Sweden and encounter a pagan cult during the traditional mid-summer festivities, much of the movie is shrouded in secret. Vulture caught up with Aster this week and asked him to spill be the beans on his upcoming horror film. Aster avoided giving too much away, so you don’t have to worry about spoilers. But the filmmaker did offer up this interesting tidbit:

“It’s a breakup movie, in the same way that Hereditary is a family tragedy. It’s less overtly a horror movie, but it’s still working in that same space. It’s very macabre. But people shouldn’t go in expecting Hereditary.”

So if Midsommar isn’t like Hereditary, what is it like? According to Aster: “It’s a Wizard of Oz for perverts.”

I’m not even sure what the hell that means, but I want to see it, immediately. Aster also took time to say that he felt Toni Collette was “snubbed” by the Academy, and most award bodies, for not getting a nomination for her fantastic work in Hereditary. “It’s a horror film,” Aster said, “and those are kind of traditionally maligned by the industry.” Aster is right – I still can’t believe Collette received almost zero awards season love.

In Midsommar, “a couple travels to Sweden to visit their friend’s rural hometown for its fabled mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.” The film stars Jack Reynor, Florence Pugh, Will Poulter, Vilhem Blomgren, William Jackson Harper, Ellora Torchia and Archie Madekwe. Midsommar opens August 9, 2019.

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