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In Summer 2019, director Ari Aster (Hereditary) brought us a gripping horror movie, Midsommar, that unsettled audiences everywhere. The story of a couple traveling to Sweden to celebrate the titular festival quickly descended into a strange series of events that keep the audience confused and nervous throughout. The folk horror story brought viewers to the edge of their seats with pagan rituals, religious fanaticism, and complex relationships.
At the 2019 Scary Movies XII festival at the Lincoln Center in New York, Ari Aster revealed to the world the director's cut of his iconic folk horror. This nearly three-hour version of the movie adds over twenty minutes of footage including one entirely new scene investigating and clarifying Dani's (Florence Pugh) and Christian's (Jack Reynor) relationship. The added footage provides the audience with a deeper look into the horrifying cult at the center of the movie, as well as some explanation to the bizarre ritual of burning bodies. While many extended versions of movies change the overall feelings and dynamics of characters, this version seeks to deepen the characters' personalities. The audience no longer must infer the drive for each character and can instead understand more about each one.
In cooperation with A24, AMC Theaters will feature the Director's Cut of Midsommar in their "Thrills and Chills" film series this October. The event features horror movies every Wednesday at participating AMC theaters. Midsommar Director's Cut features on October 25, 2023. With Halloween just around the corner, this is the perfect time to jump back into the horrifying world of the Harga community and the thrilling Ari Aster film.
When is the 'Midsommar' Director's Cut Coming to Theaters?
This extended version of Ari Aster's iconic film revealed in 2019, will show in theaters on October 25, 2023. The film will be shown in select AMC theaters on October 25, 2023. You can find theater locations and showtimes by clicking the link here.
Is the 'Midsommar' Director's Cut Available on Streaming?
The Midsommar Director's Cut is not currently available to stream. You can watch the original version with the link below.
Watch the 'Midsommar' Director's Cut Trailer
A24 released their trailer for the Director's Cut of Midsommar on August 27, 2019. This new trailer reveals a few of the new additions for the Director's Cut. This includes over 23 minutes of new footage and an entirely new scene. The horrific gore and intense graphic nature will continue for nearly three hours in this film version.
What is the Background of the 'Midsommar' Director's Cut?
Ari Aster introduced the horror world to northern European folk culture with this film in 2019. The intensity of the visuals in the original version will persist throughout the director's cut, while new extensions to scenes add a concrete narrative to the characters. Most importantly, the main characters of Dani and Christian receive additional depth and background with the extra runtime. Their relationship, which many audience members saw as unhealthy or toxic, is made clearer to both viewers and the characters themselves. Additionally, for all the fans who could not help but wonder about the Harga community, more time is spent in this cut exploring their customs and ritual practices.
One aspect of Midsommar that Ari Aster makes abundantly clear in the director's cut ties into the underlying narrative of white supremacist cults. The Harga community gains membership with promises of acceptance and community, and the political importance of this revelation is a key aspect of the movie that Aster makes concrete in this version. Further, the additional scenes and dialogue more thoroughly discuss the nature of the Harga community's emphasis on racial purity.
Movies like the 'Midsommar' Director's Cut Streaming Now
Hereditary - If you loved the horrifying Ari Aster film, you must check out his earlier film Hereditary (2018). Starring Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense), Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects), Alec Wolff (Old), and Milly Shapiro, this thrilling horror movie studies a family in the midst of intense grief. While the death of the matriarchal grandmother shakes the dynamics of the group, strange occurrences reveal to the audience a larger, more sinister problem. As the family uncovers more details about their lost relative, the haunting mysteries of their lives slowly gain clarity before eventually coming to a head in a thrilling and deadly conclusion. The ominous pagan ritualistic vibes that entranced viewers of Midsommar started here with Hereditary.
Beau is Afraid - Continuing the focus on writer and director Ari Aster, his new film Beau is Afraid is another follow up to Midsommar Director's Cut. This 2023 tragicomedy horror film stars Academy Award-winning Joaquin Phoenix (Joker) as the titular character Beau. He is the son of a wealthy businessperson and struggles with anxiety. After missing his flight to visit his mother due to a strange accident, he learns his mother passed away in her own odd occurrence. The film then follows as Beau makes his way home to attend his mother's funeral. As he travels, the unusual events continue to haunt him, forcing him to face his deepest fears on this surreal journey. The cooperation of an accomplished director and award-winning actor promises to be an unforgettable horror tale.
The Witch - For a more historical look at horror, go no further than the 2015 film The Witch (2015). Featuring Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen's Gambit, The Menu) in her film debut as Thomasin, this film takes place in 1630s New England. When a town is ravaged by witchcraft and black magic, and possession, a family must find a way to stick together and survive. This family turns on Thomasin in response to the disappearance of their youngest child and believes she is causing the disturbing occurrences in the woods beyond their family home. Director Robert Eggers (The Northman) brings the audience back in time to an era of paranoia and witchcraft that tore apart families and attacked women across New England. The same feeling of an unsettling rural community suffering through supernatural horrors will make fans of Midsommar feel right at home in this terrifying setting.
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