 |
| Scene from Hereditary |
In case you didn't know, A24 is one of the great purveyors of modern cinema. Since 2013, the studio has found a way to innovate independent cinema by turning each release into an event. As a result, A24 A-to-Z will be an ongoing series that looks at every release from the studio by analyzing its production history, release, criticisms, and any awards attention that it might've received. Join me on a quest to explore the modern heroes of cinema by exploring every hit and miss that comes with that magnificent logo. They may not all be great, but they more than make A24 what it is and what it will hopefully continue to be for years to come.
Released: June 8, 2018
Release Number: 67
Directed By: Ari Aster
Starring: Toni Collette, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne
Plot: After the family matriarch passes away, a grieving family is haunted by tragic and disturbing occurrences, and begin to unravel dark secrets.
With the summer months heating up, it was time for A24 to do what they were best at. They needed to put out a horror movie that would hopefully draw in audiences. With previous films like It Comes at Night proving to have muddy track records, the energy behind director Ari Aster's Hereditary wasn't a guaranteed deal. Could this first-timer actually deliver the goods? Based on an incredible buzz that only continued to build upon release, the film wasn't just a hit for the studio, it was their biggest hit to date. While it didn't get Oscars, it was one of many campaigns that were raised in the wake of its rising fan base. While that may be the scariest thing that's happened after the film, what is confined within is far more terrifying and capable of being among the studio's greatest evidence that they can still surprise audiences very, very well.
The story begins with Aster as a child. Ever since he was young, he was passionate about screenwriting. He eventually came to the conclusion that he wanted to direct his own work, too. It made sense given the work that he would put into producing Hereditary. Before he even wrote the first draft, he had over 75 pages of character analyses that he used to flesh out characters. As a fan of domestic dramas, such as The Cook, The Thief The Wife, and Her Lover, he wanted to explore how a family negatively impacts each other following trauma. However, he knew that he had to sell the film, so he added a supernatural element, citing films like Carrie as an influence. He has claimed that there are 10 screenplays that he's written that he'd love to produce throughout his career. He began networking long before the film was even made, pulling in people from his studies at the American Film Institute and various resources. It was two shorts that he directed, The Strange Thing About the Johnsons and Munchausen, that got him the attention of A24 to finance the film.
His main draw was to get Toni Collette, whom he had a strong admiration for throughout his entire life. On The A24 Podcast, he interviews Collette about having a fan magazine and being obsessed with her career, notably Muriel's Wedding. The actress was less excited to jump into a horror film, believing that she was suited currently to comedies. However, there was enough persuasion to get her the script, which she immediately fell in love with. By the end of production, she would say that he was the most prepared director that she ever worked with. Given his attention to detail, even putting symbols throughout the film that reward rewatches, this makes sense. His passion shows in his work. Similar to A24's last film How to Talk to Girls at Parties, this was the cinematic debut for a Broadway actor. Milly Shapiro, who was coming off of an acclaimed run in Matilda the Musical. Shapiro and co-star Alex Wolff were forced to go out in public in character, which included Shapiro staying quiet for several hours.
Aster had plans to shoot the film during winter, but scheduling conflicts meant that they had to settle for February 2017. Because of this, Aster chose to shoot in Utah because he believed that the surrounding mountains were both beautiful and ominous. Also, he embraced the green grass of the neighborhood. The interior shots were filmed at either West High School for the school scenes and Utah Film Studios for the house shots. This was largely so that Aster could meet the rigorous shooting schedule of 32 days. It was also so that the angles of the house could be shot similar to those of the dollhouse. Aster stayed in close contact with the production designer, as both houses needed to be symmetrical so that it fits the plot. Similarly, there are spiritual shapes scattered throughout the architecture to symbolize the ancient rituals that factor into the plot. During the fire scenes, the house had to be fireproofed for extra safety. The costume designer had also previously worked on the A24 film First Reformed.
Composer Colin Stetson was given freedom when making the score. In fact, Aster listened to older Stetson music while writing the screenplay. Aster's only advice was to make it sound evil. The result was 85 minutes of music that he described as its own character. It was inspired by animals and water while walking around in the pitch-black night. In order to avoid potential spoilers, initial trailers played up the use of Shapiro, who was only in the first act of the film. It was to help mislead audiences from shocking revelations within the film. This proved to be a successful method that added to the horror. However, it also lead to an awkward experience in Inaloo, Australia where the trailer played in front of the family film Peter Rabbit. It was said that 40 children were present and many fled the room, receiving ticket vouchers as an apology. In America, Hereditary would join The Witch, It Comes at Night, and Free Fire as the only A24 films to be in wide release. It would be the widest at 2,964 screens. It would also perform better than expected, becoming A24's highest grossing film with $79 million internationally, beating previous record holder $78.5 million by Lady Bird. The fans would start a campaign to get Collette an Oscar nomination, claiming that she gave one of the best performances of the year.
The film was also a critical hit. On critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, it earned an 89%, making it one of the most acclaimed A24 movies of the year. Hannah Woodhead of Little White Lies lead the praise by suggesting "This is serious, glorious, edge-of-your-seat horror." Matthew Lucas of The Dispatch also loved the film by noting that it was "A truly great work of horror, an explosive and terrifying tale of shared and inherited trauma that is as emotionally devastating as it is deeply disturbing." Andrew Kendall of Stabroek of Staebroek News was more critical despite loving aspects of the film, noting that "The movie does terrify in moments, but its movement from humanistic horror to inexplicably supernatural in the last third feels unsatisfying." The film would end up on several best of the year lists, including number 13 on Indiewire's David Ehrlich's Top 25. While the film would earn several nominations and wins from various critics group, the film failed to get any major awards contention. Collette was considered to be one of the biggest Oscar snubs at the following year's nominations.
This isn't the end of Aster's work with A24. Whether it's because of the success of Hereditary or just coincidence, he is returning in 2019 with his sophomore film Midsommar. With that said, it has a lot to live up to, especially given that many consider his debut to be one of the scariest films of the decade and likely the most unnerving that A24 has ever released. With that said, it's still a powerful film with great performances and meticulous set design that gives the film an extra sense of quality. Up next is a film that finds another Oscar-nominee joining the studio's stable with a period piece that tells the story of a painter fighting over the rights for land. It may have fallen under the radar, especially compared to Hereditary, but it definitely left an impression.
Up Next: Woman Walks Ahead (2018)
With the summer months heating up, it was time for A24 to do what they were best at. They needed to put out a horror movie that would hopefully draw in audiences. With previous films like It Comes at Night proving to have muddy track records, the energy behind director Ari Aster's Hereditary wasn't a guaranteed deal. Could this first-timer actually deliver the goods? Based on an incredible buzz that only continued to build upon release, the film wasn't just a hit for the studio, it was their biggest hit to date. While it didn't get Oscars, it was one of many campaigns that were raised in the wake of its rising fan base. While that may be the scariest thing that's happened after the film, what is confined within is far more terrifying and capable of being among the studio's greatest evidence that they can still surprise audiences very, very well.
The story begins with Aster as a child. Ever since he was young, he was passionate about screenwriting. He eventually came to the conclusion that he wanted to direct his own work, too. It made sense given the work that he would put into producing Hereditary. Before he even wrote the first draft, he had over 75 pages of character analyses that he used to flesh out characters. As a fan of domestic dramas, such as The Cook, The Thief The Wife, and Her Lover, he wanted to explore how a family negatively impacts each other following trauma. However, he knew that he had to sell the film, so he added a supernatural element, citing films like Carrie as an influence. He has claimed that there are 10 screenplays that he's written that he'd love to produce throughout his career. He began networking long before the film was even made, pulling in people from his studies at the American Film Institute and various resources. It was two shorts that he directed, The Strange Thing About the Johnsons and Munchausen, that got him the attention of A24 to finance the film.
His main draw was to get Toni Collette, whom he had a strong admiration for throughout his entire life. On The A24 Podcast, he interviews Collette about having a fan magazine and being obsessed with her career, notably Muriel's Wedding. The actress was less excited to jump into a horror film, believing that she was suited currently to comedies. However, there was enough persuasion to get her the script, which she immediately fell in love with. By the end of production, she would say that he was the most prepared director that she ever worked with. Given his attention to detail, even putting symbols throughout the film that reward rewatches, this makes sense. His passion shows in his work. Similar to A24's last film How to Talk to Girls at Parties, this was the cinematic debut for a Broadway actor. Milly Shapiro, who was coming off of an acclaimed run in Matilda the Musical. Shapiro and co-star Alex Wolff were forced to go out in public in character, which included Shapiro staying quiet for several hours.
Aster had plans to shoot the film during winter, but scheduling conflicts meant that they had to settle for February 2017. Because of this, Aster chose to shoot in Utah because he believed that the surrounding mountains were both beautiful and ominous. Also, he embraced the green grass of the neighborhood. The interior shots were filmed at either West High School for the school scenes and Utah Film Studios for the house shots. This was largely so that Aster could meet the rigorous shooting schedule of 32 days. It was also so that the angles of the house could be shot similar to those of the dollhouse. Aster stayed in close contact with the production designer, as both houses needed to be symmetrical so that it fits the plot. Similarly, there are spiritual shapes scattered throughout the architecture to symbolize the ancient rituals that factor into the plot. During the fire scenes, the house had to be fireproofed for extra safety. The costume designer had also previously worked on the A24 film First Reformed.
Composer Colin Stetson was given freedom when making the score. In fact, Aster listened to older Stetson music while writing the screenplay. Aster's only advice was to make it sound evil. The result was 85 minutes of music that he described as its own character. It was inspired by animals and water while walking around in the pitch-black night. In order to avoid potential spoilers, initial trailers played up the use of Shapiro, who was only in the first act of the film. It was to help mislead audiences from shocking revelations within the film. This proved to be a successful method that added to the horror. However, it also lead to an awkward experience in Inaloo, Australia where the trailer played in front of the family film Peter Rabbit. It was said that 40 children were present and many fled the room, receiving ticket vouchers as an apology. In America, Hereditary would join The Witch, It Comes at Night, and Free Fire as the only A24 films to be in wide release. It would be the widest at 2,964 screens. It would also perform better than expected, becoming A24's highest grossing film with $79 million internationally, beating previous record holder $78.5 million by Lady Bird. The fans would start a campaign to get Collette an Oscar nomination, claiming that she gave one of the best performances of the year.
The film was also a critical hit. On critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, it earned an 89%, making it one of the most acclaimed A24 movies of the year. Hannah Woodhead of Little White Lies lead the praise by suggesting "This is serious, glorious, edge-of-your-seat horror." Matthew Lucas of The Dispatch also loved the film by noting that it was "A truly great work of horror, an explosive and terrifying tale of shared and inherited trauma that is as emotionally devastating as it is deeply disturbing." Andrew Kendall of Stabroek of Staebroek News was more critical despite loving aspects of the film, noting that "The movie does terrify in moments, but its movement from humanistic horror to inexplicably supernatural in the last third feels unsatisfying." The film would end up on several best of the year lists, including number 13 on Indiewire's David Ehrlich's Top 25. While the film would earn several nominations and wins from various critics group, the film failed to get any major awards contention. Collette was considered to be one of the biggest Oscar snubs at the following year's nominations.
This isn't the end of Aster's work with A24. Whether it's because of the success of Hereditary or just coincidence, he is returning in 2019 with his sophomore film Midsommar. With that said, it has a lot to live up to, especially given that many consider his debut to be one of the scariest films of the decade and likely the most unnerving that A24 has ever released. With that said, it's still a powerful film with great performances and meticulous set design that gives the film an extra sense of quality. Up next is a film that finds another Oscar-nominee joining the studio's stable with a period piece that tells the story of a painter fighting over the rights for land. It may have fallen under the radar, especially compared to Hereditary, but it definitely left an impression.
Up Next: Woman Walks Ahead (2018)
No comments:
Post a Comment