Halloween is just upon us and with it comes plenty of activities throughout Tallahassee. One event that may draw in a big crowd is the Askew Student Life Center’s showing of the summer horror flick, Midsommar. The showing will be of the unrated, director’s cut and will feature new scenes and extended footage. This exclusive screening will occur for one night only in partnership with A24.
Midsommar features the story of a couple that travels to Sweden with their friends to experience a village’s midsummer festival. However, their trip takes a sinister turn when the villagers seemingly have darker intentions for the course of the foreigner’s stay. Ari Aster, the writer and director of the film has already created a reputation for himself in the horror industry with his infamous film Hereditary. Mekado Murphy, in his article for The New York Times, describes both films as “emotional powder kegs, containing bleak moments that are difficult to erase from memory.” Midsommar has an 83 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and has critics buzzing about it possibly receiving an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
Courtesy: Mikael Kristenson on Unsplash
Released on Jul. 13 of this year, the film grossed nearly three times the budget. Eric Kohn from IndieWire described the film as “a perverse break-up movie”. The R-rated thriller was written over five years ago and went through many modifications before reaching the big screen. According to Aster, the film was NC-17 (meaning no one under the age of 17 could watch the film even with a parent present) and continued to be even after the team cut many scenes. The MPAA, Motion Picture Association of America, was sent the new versions but continued to ask for more scenes to be eliminated. It was not until many modifications later that the film was able to be rated R. The FSU ASLC screening on Oct. 30 will feature some of these previously cut scenes, giving audience members an exclusive experience of the film.
Courtesy: Lena Lindell
The film features many scenes the director intended for the audience to experience and interpret in their own manner. According to Aster, certain scenes can be viewed as either horrific or therapeutic by the audience members. Scenes that critics find most “unnerving” include these scenes were the lines of “therapeutic” practices and “disturbing” ones are blurred. The folk-horror flick has been praised for consistently keeping audiences on their toes with a persistent uneasiness that never dissipates throughout the film.
You can catch Midsommar for free with your FSU ID at the Askew Student Life Center on Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 7 PM to 10 PM. The event will feature the movie along with free prizes, merchandise, flower crowns and more. You must RSVP for the event in advance and can do so here. More information and discussions can be found on Facebook. Last but not least, you can gauge what you are about to get into if you watch the film by watching the trailer here!
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