Ari Aster and the Horror of Culture

Within the horror genre perhaps the most overused description is 'terrifying'. Most horror movies rely on a combination of simple tension, jump scares, and gore to create fear. There are so many movies within the horror genre that follow conventions that a fairly mainstream sub-genre of meta-horror has taken hold, both in dumb comedies like The Cabin in the Woods and well respected-Oscar winning movies like Get Out. 

Because these formulaic movies are basically expected, almost all fear comes from the skill in which specific moments are executed. Terror is something else entirely. Terror is a deep feeling of unease produced by a unique combination of unknowing and familiarity. In my opinion the only art that truly achieves terror is surrealism. Surrealism is art that extends the real world in order to comment on that real world reality. In order to explain how this style achieves terror I will be using a combination of Zdzisław Beksiński and Jordan Peale.

Both of these artists are representing real life horrors, WWII and Racism, through dream realities. Zdzisław Beksiński, in particular, creates distinct dream worlds that stand outside anything else that came before it. However, these artists do not create terrifying work because it is particularly strange, rather it is the familiarity in their work that terrifies us. Both of them are taking some innate part of our mind and casting it outward. Jordan Peale allows surreal horror to represent reality. 

Taking this perspective that true horror comes from the familiar and not the strange we can approach the films of Ari Aster. 

One of the most terrifying directors ever in my opinion, Ari Aster uses cults to represent different interpersonal struggles. These stories are told through a distinctly modern lens. His cinematography is super-clear digital, very formally minded, minimalist at times, drone heavy, and overall aggressively clear. Despite this clear cinematography, events are cut to each other with dream logic. The combination of these modern aesthetics with dream like editing/structuring creates a sense of familiarity. Beyond his use of technical elements, characters are displayed to be real. While almost all horror movies use tropes to develop characters (even great horror filmmakers like Peale and John Carpenter do this), Aster develops fleshed out characters based on an understanding of common tropes within reality (this can be seen in Midsommar more than Hereditary). The characters in Midsommar are not identifiable within other movies, however we all know versions of these characters. These characters are then put into extremely strange situations. By telling the strange through the familiar Aster develops true terror. 

In Hereditary a Satanist cult attacking a family is used to represent family stifle. In Midsommar a Swedish-pagan death cult is used to represent a bad break up. Both of these movies are playing within the same basic territory of culture. By using wider culture to represent micro cultures Aster plays on our innate fear of the other. Culture is strange and specific and terrifying when looked upon closely. Essentially, Aster is creating a horror version of business hugs.  

Work Log

Monday- Made Music 

Tuesday- Made Music 

Wednesday- Finished the song for the video 

Thursday- collected YouTube clips and edited 

Friday- shoot new footage with Ed