Thank you to everyone for being so patient with me. I'm keeping this sticky for the inevitable list of corrections. I sincerely hope you enjoy. Hargalaten as a standalone on Felicia's channel: ruclips.net/video/BN8_nc3PUpk/видео.html Extras and Amendments: 1. Rubi Row also apparently literally means 'bloodline' - thanks to @TheMarauderOfficial for that one 2. Allusions between Terri's eye and Odin's sacrifice (need to add which commenter suggested that) 3. The Yellow St Johns Wort in the leadup to the commune is very 'yellow brick road' - thanks to Siobhan O'Connor for that one, I love it and it feels spot on. 4. Multiple people have commented that St Johns Wort is a natural anti-depressant, thank you to all of them 5. My pronunciation of 'Tooele County' and 'Nike'. I was going off American pronunciations I've seen (I think Fargo being one) for Tooele, they were apparently wrong also. My apologies to the people of Tooele. As for Nike - in the UK the brand is just pronounced like that. I do understand that 'Nik-E' is how you pronounce the name of the Greek goddess but it's just not how we pronounce it in the UK. 6. There is a typo at 3:32:42 Gautreks Saga is most definitely not 2nd Century it's 13th Century, my apologies! More to come and sorry I haven't replied to everyone yet, it's been a busy few days and I'm so excited to read all your comments!
@@lorentzt.5750 it’s already up on RUclips, the video before this one on my channel! Sadly RUclips nuked it upon upload due to the content (which is fair) so it didn’t get pushed out to anyone, but you can go listen whenever you want!
It's hard, if not possible, to rush perfection. I can't speak for all, but your attention to detail, thoughtful approach, and putting in the research, that made me subscribe. I wouldn't want you to push out "content", that's lazy, half assed and boring, imo. I come to this channel for quality. If anything, I apologize for not being able to support you and your channel more. It deserves all the monies and views. Anyways, looking forward to watching this, thank you, cheers.
My bf is already getting ready to listen to all the interesting facts I’ll learn from this video about Scandinavian folklore for months after I watch it
Little fun fact: the actor that plays Dan (the old man who jumps from the cliff) is believed to have influenced shojo anime and manga to some extend. He was very popular in the 70's and 80's in Japan, when he was a teenager/young adult and had a lot of female fans who admired him for his soft features and androgynous looks. It is believed that his popularity influenced the way male love interest in manga and anime aimed at young girls were drawn. There is a documentary about him called "the most beautiful boy in the world".
I've watched this video 3 times since it came out, and last night I finally decided to watch the movie to see if I could come away with anything not mentioned here. What hit me was how many times we hear unanswered cries for help: Dani wailing in grief in Christian's arms, while he looks distant and robotic. The baby screaming for its mother all through the night. Even Josh trying to scream after being bashed with the mallet, but only able to make a moaning wheeze. The way the Harga echo your screams back to you is like a perversion of empathy. Just empty mirroring, without substance. And it's only when Dani is completely broken by the lack of care in her life that she responds to this as if it's actual support. They're _not_ helping her. They're telling her what she wants to hear. And now that I'm typing all of this, I'm remembering that friend she spoke to on the phone who was actually trying to empower her and validate her worry for her sister, but Dani just kept shutting her down because it _wasn't_ what she wanted to hear. Thinking about it now gives me chills.
I don’t know. I would totally live there. I find their empathy has substance. It’s probably not the popular opinion. I wish I had the time to make a six hour Midsommar cult apologist video. :) I thought the baby was just making regular baby noises. I thought it was to show the communal living of it all.
@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396 The baby is making regular baby noises. What's not regular is that the baby's distress is being ignored all night. (If you're not a Duggar, anyway.) The people are being reduced to cogs in a machine dressed up to look like communal living.
@@rusted_ursaI had my first very young, in the early 00's. Ignoring night cries was what I was taught was how you teach a baby that night is for sleeping. It was one of the worst periods of my young-mom life, and I was so relieved to learn it wasn't the only option and I wouldn't somehow ruin my baby by comforting him. Anyway, I found it relatable and tragic.
I agree! I felt like Dani was the planned May Queen from the moment of her arrival. She had been slowly brainwashed not just by the Harga, but by Christian and his friend group all along. The feeling of desperate isolation, loneliness, lack of compassion or care, and simply having no one left in her life made her an easier target to mold. She simply wanted love and understanding. The Harga wailing along with her felt mocking in nature at first, but then it quickly morphed into "See? WE love you. We feel your pain. We will bear your pain. You are no longer alone... as long as you follow our ways." It just seemed like some of the girls eliminated from the dancing were pretty intentional. Edit to add, what I mentioned was basically addressed in this video, so I jumped the g□n in commenting. My apologies for being redundant!
@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396Bruh why are you the one person tourism board for the Harga in these comments. This is like the 3rd I’m seeing of you defending them. You might as well actually make a RUclips video on it at this a point
The tripi visuals in this movie are the most accurate depiction of psychedelic mushrooms's visual hallucinations I've ever seen in a movie. This crew knew exactly what they were doing
I can't believe the budget for this masterpiece was so low. It eclipsed the quality of nearly every other cinema release and for only a fraction of the money.
It's utterly stunning, I don't think I've mentioned budget in any of the other guides but here the aesthetics are so dialed in it it almost defies belief!
No but seriously, this is the mint of the mint right here. Currently 96 minutes into it and I can safely say that this attention to not only detail but narrative intent renders this an actual work of, dare I say, really good art in and of itself. Seriously, thank you for this. The foundation of cinema as a whole just got a little bit stronger
"I can't believe you're gonna persuade me into watching 7h about a movie I haven't seen"- my sister after hearing me commenting and getting a few snippets
The movie was a unique and appreciated experience, but I thoroughly Enjoyed this analysis and learned so much. I'm truly dumbfounded that a video essay as valuable as this does not have millions of views.
Legitimately the best film analysis channel I can think of. Your channel is an amazing breathe of fresh air, considering so many channels that claim to do analysis just summarize plots for 15 minutes. You clearly have such an interest in why directors made the choices they do and it makes for fascinating stuff. I hope for a never ending amount of these videos from you. We need more directors like Eggers and Aster so I can have more of these videos lol.
For the opening art, Pele says he’s a Taurus and he wears a blue coat similar to the blue hue of the cow while Christian wears brown clothing similar to the bears fur. Another hint at pelé being the bringer of life while Christian depicts the destruction as told in the ending
@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396 -the dead parents but yeah. Just as Dani wanted to belong somewhere where she is loved and cared for, I just want a family where we are happy together. But my narcisisstic dad literally ruined our lifes, and just like Terri, he tore apart a normal family. So yeah both Midsommar and Hereditary are close to my heart, because of the feeling that you can't escape, this is your life. I mean transgenerational trauma too. I used to joke that just like in Hereditary, there is a malignant force in my family too, it is called: untreated mental illnes. But it is very difficult to find a sect or a cult here in the Balkans, and I'm not that ruined to join :D Ari Aster movies are just my hyperfixations at the moment, and it helps a lot to not stress about the negtive things in life.
Imagine creating a very well put together six hour long RUclips video, that keeps the audience entertained and engaged the entire time. The largest project I’ve ever worked on was two hours (unedited) and I was completely burnt out and sick of looking at Premier Pro after 30 mins 😅 Thank you for your hard work, these videos are amazing, honestly I can’t give you enough praise!
I shit you not I watched about a third of this before my therapy session and, after mentioning this dropping as a gift from the universe to keep me from wasting the day in bed having a depression nap, found out this is one of my therapist's favorite films. I got to tell her about the poor bear/he can't take off his fur story and see her delight at the horrific double meaning
I hope she enjoyed it! I'm sorry to hear you're suffering from depression, it's something I've struggled with for most of my life and I know acutely how tough it can be to want to move forward at all. Even, or especially, with little daily things like getting yourself out of bed. I'm glad to hear you're discussing that with someone and it sounds like you've made a good connection with her. I have a lot of friends who are struggling atm, I know a lot of people in general are. So not directly to you as it sounds like you're taking positive steps already, but for anyone reading this, my only tip is to realise hope is a commodity. It's a fuel, something we operate on. We begin our lives bouncing between hope and achievement, school, friendships, early development in general is (traditionally) filled with goals and successes in pretty short order. But at some point in our lives, be it from bank balance, lack of future prospects, monotony, trauma, you name it - that hope can be chased from us. And when it is, really as soon as it is, we have to live in a different reality. One built from perseverance. So my number one tip for combating depression, the thing I try to do, is to manufacture outlets of hope for myself. Build things that present opportunity, do things you think are worthwhile, find a job that pays more, whatever route you take it doesn't really matter. What matters is creating a vista around yourself that isn't defined by stagnation. Somewhere you can look and see a bright future coming. Because fixing 'right now' right now isn't always possible. But it always gets easier to deal with 'right now', to meet it sword in hand and fight todays battle, when you know you have something to fight for. Hope begins as a beacon of light in the mist, so to anyone who is struggling: eschew the darkness and go seek it out.
@@Novum_YT I can't tell you how much I love this!! As someone who has struggled with depression my entire life, you get it. It's about hope, and looking forward. I struggle with wanting to look back at the past, and that's where the pain is. Holding onto to hope and reminding myself that in a day/week/month/year from now this difficult season will be behind me. I hold on to hope and along with prayer, that's what has always helped me find a way out of the darkness.
@@Novum_YT dude, I absolutely adore your videos and, respectfully, I want to devour your mind. That being said, this comment has genuinely left the most significant mark on me. As a lifelong depressed girly (I was even hospitalized for severe s***idal ideation) this feels like balm to my wounds. Thank you immensely for taking the time to write this. I KNOW many others will benefit from reading it. Now, since we're on the topic of depresh, I'm compelled to go on a side quest :)) Re: the attestupan and PTSD. I suffer from it. One of its most jarring symptoms is how cold blooded I am in high stress situation, while also having meltdowns over the tiniest unpredictable move. To exemplify: if I'm in a room and someone opens the door to come in, the first sound of the door opening will send me into pretty serious panic attacks. I learned to mask it, but it usually takes me a minimum of 20 mins to regulate myself after... checks notes... someone I love enters my room. On the opposite end of the spectrum we have events like last year's car crash I was in with my former partner. It was a snowstorm and a car coming from the opposite direction slid into us. I saw it coming so quickly, it feels like I sensed it before it happened. (Of course, nothing supernatural, just my PTSD brain finely attuned to my environment.) While my partner started screaming I calmly grabbed his arm and said "we're fine." I had NO emotion in those moments just gears turning in my mind and thinking "we should assume a safe bracing position." Both cars were totaled but all people involved were fine, aside some nasty bruising. I felt NOTHING throughout that moment. Even as I type this, I think of it as just a curious thing that happened. When I first saw the movie, maybe 5 secs after the attestupan volunteers were shown, I KNEW what was going to happen. I felt little to no emotion with their jump and felt quite connected to Dani's reaction. I don't know what it says about me or the movie, but I do think PTSD plays a huge role in how we internalize terrible events 🥴
@@Novum_YTthis is actually amazing. I’m doing really well right now but mental health has been an ongoing battle for most of my life. I’m going to screenshot this as a reminder for rougher days. I’ve been adopting a similar approach but you put it so eloquently and succinctly. In case this helps anyone: I found that my job is not fulfilling and that was not good for my health so I try to work on personal projects and creative outlets that do fulfill me so regardless of my job, I feel like my life isn’t wasting away 🤣 I promise the world is a better place with us in it ❤
It's taken me almost a week to finish this video because of a very busy schedule. Now that I've finished watching it all that I can say is thank you once more. A friend of mine recommended your video about Hereditary to me and it gave me so much perspective into the creative mind of Ari Aster. This time being familiar with your channel it once again was an absolute pleasure to watch an learn about Midsommar and it's hidden lore. You rock Novum! Can't wait for the video about the VVitch!!
Florence Pugh was ROBBED of an Oscar for her performance in the opening scene alone! That scene is the reason I have trouble rewatching it, even though it’s a masterpiece of a movie. The first time I watched it, I saw Terri’s message and my heart dropped. I should have known. And yet, every time I hear those violins I’m filled with intense and sickening dread.
I took inga's red mark at the end of the movie to represent her menstruating, which would have been proof that she was not pregnant, and that she has missed her chance to add new blood to the group, where Mya was successful and hence is wearing lipstick and more confident. It also explains why she is being told to "let it go" and rejoin the group.
why would she be picked as one of the women to "breed" or whatever if she was days from her period tho? I would think they would be pretty meticulous about keeping track of the women/girls' cycles. sure, maybe she had an unexpected two week cycle (it's happened to me) but it's weird to not mention it then. also there's no way they would know if maya was pregnant yet, unless there's quite a time jump before the final ritual?
So it absolutely could be this, it really is one of those things where if you want it to be that I'd say just run with it. But as the commenter above me pointed out I do think we're supposed to assume that Siv is pretty bang on with lining these up with fertility cycles. There are other Harga in red that could have been offered (off the top of my head I think Dagni is one) and they seem to have a pretty acute understanding of their own reproduction. To me I don't think Inga would have been sent to take Mark away - IF they were actually planning on having him do some breeding too, if there was a chance of that happening. But we can't give a solid answer to that so it's difficult really either way. There's also this element of shame and anger to it, something that I don't think the Harga would necessarily feel towards a 'natural cycle'. They're decidedly unsqueamish about people drinking the blood so for me I don't think that would lead them to fit Inga with this fertility blessing/scarlet letter of shame. And yeah, with the cornicello being a fertility blessing it just doesn't line up for me with an inability to conceive but rather the opposite. All that being said, I think the right answer is whatever interpretation you find most unsettling. Thanks so much for the comment dude!
@@mischr13 I actually have a question here - how long are the Americans actually visiting the Harga? because Maya puts some of her period blood into Christian's drink, but if she is currently or has been very recently menstruating, how does that translate to her being fertile when the elder gets Christian to sleep with her? wouldn't that suggest that they are staying at least two weeks before the mayqueen celebration?
Thanks for including my little joke comment into the video, I was surprised and quite flattered And this video is an absolute gem. So great to see so much love and appreciation put into this. Even searching for the original Swedish tales about those two princesses is quite a massive amount of time and research put in. I’m happy that I can see videos like this on RUclips.
Wow. I am fifteen minutes in and the amount of depth in just the first image is incredible. Thank you for this! I hope to listen through this over the next few days (or just today, who knows) Thank you for your hard work!
@@Novum_YTI watched the DC and came here. On the summer solstice. I get now why Connie in a wheel barrow was parallel to the child who was at the lake and not sacrificed. To bad, they didn’t have a mock play where Connie stood up to take his place and then actually did. This scene was left out of the theater release so Connie’s death doesn’t have that much of an impact.
Something else I don’t think was mentioned: the melody being sung at the start of the movie that is interrupted by the ringing phone is the same melody we hear the morning of the attestupa ritual!
I've slowly been making my way through this video throughout the week, and now that I'm close to finishing it, I'm kinda sad that it's coming to a close. This video is so well thought out and so intensely fascinating in its detail and effort that I hope you keep doing this kind of work and that you get the deserved recognition for all your research and time devoted towards these projects! You've definitely earned my subscription and I'll certainly keep coming back for more of this!
HELL YEAH DUDE. this is exactly the type of content I want. I expect to watch and rewatch this a billion times. please take as long as you need, you're doing the lord's work.
The golden chain around the temple 1:49:12 made me think immediately of the yellow flowers underfoot as you approach. It sends its glitter far off as you approach = flowers send their pollen far and wide.
I always see Danny’s becoming grass or seeing her feet turn into grass when she’s tripping as her putting down literal roots there. I can’t remember the story but I do remember a character who was putting down roots in a place, their feet were becoming stuck to the ground and when they tried to cut themselves free they realized that they had cut the roots that had started growing out of their feet. Danny’s feet turning into grass feels like she is seeing herself as part of this physical place, that she belongs so completely that she is becoming it, that it’s more than just growing on her she is becoming the growth, she’s evolving and thriving.
the midsommar directors cut is one of my favorite films of all time and you’ve somehow made me love it even more. great work dude!! absolutely NEED a beau is afraid analysis from you.
Boy am I glad I stumbled on this. What an absolutely incredible, well presented breakdown of one of my favourite movies! Ill be trawling through your back catalogue in the coming days I am sure.
This is my second time rewatching this video. It’s so insane how much research and work was put into this video, like with all of your film guides, your videos have also awakened my love for cinematography and have even introduced me to films I never thought I’d be interested in, listening to the way you analyze almost every single scene is very impressive. Keep up the awesome work! Very excited to see more from you Novum!
in b4 anyone has had enough time to watch the whole video yet, lol. Seriously tho, thank you for making these. You're putting out some of the absolute best media analysis essays on the entire platform. Never fall into the trap of cranking out content- keep taking your time and making great work about what interests you! I'll do my best to spread word of your channel!
Good job man! Its great to see you growing and getting the recognition you deserve! Also massive kudos to you for not rushing it out! I can imagine the temptation was huge.
Thank you so much dude, sorry it’s taken me so long to reply. Really glad you enjoyed it. And yeah, numbers wise it would have probably been better but I wouldn’t have been proud of it. Thanks for the support dude!
Thank you so much for this video. I can't imagine how many hours goes into creating such a detailed piece of media. I really appreciated the detail in your Hereditary breakdown and it brought things to light (in the story, in a cinematography aspect and as a viewer) that I wouldn't have noticed otherwise. I can't thank you enough for the amount of work you put in. I'm looking forward to subsequently watching Midsommar again.
i remember being 16 and looking for a cheap horror movie on Netflix with a friend, Midsommar was so low on the horror netflix list that we just put it on, needless to say we were quiet for a couple days 😭
@@Novum_YT as an American who has studied dialects, she absolutely is. She goes beyond the sound shifts and nails the regional prosody and intermittent vocal fry specific to the four corner states.
Yeah, I guess Americans aren’t good actors? A lot of the shows I like have English and Australian or NZ actors playing American. Any other reason why? Do they take less pay?
I often feel like these everything explained videos don’t pull through on the promise of everything explained. That was not the case with this video at all!! Thank you!
Yay a new comfort video to fall asleep to and rewatch endlessly bc I always fall asleep or get sidetracked before I finish it. And I wouldn't have it any other way. Your cadence and voice as well as the sound effects all make for the perfect background video. I can focus whenever and enjoy it, but also zone out when doing another task. Excellent as always
So I watched this, then went and watched The Wickerman and then came back and am rewatching this and you guys. Just do it! like, ugh it only gets better the second time around! SUCH a good breakdown. The amount of detail and work you put into this is so clear, and intellectually inspiring. Take a good brain rest and we'll be ready for the next whenever you are!
3:12:40 An observation being a farmers daughter, the temple has been constructed in the place they grow their crops, the blue tarpaulins are protecting currently growing plants. When the temple is burned the ashes will be tilled back into the soil and feed the crops which they will eventually eat, and the cycle of life and death will continue.
At first, I believed that Dani seeing her parents towards the end represented Dani fully succumbing to her trauma and a making the connections yo the cult ritual herself. But Ari isn't afraid to go all in with the supernatural so it's hard to guess.
I’m so happy you mentioned the way the movie opens as letting us know we are about to be shown a “show,” similar to how Hereditary opens to show us orchestrated puppetry via miniatures and how Beau Is Afraid is basically Aster’s creative version of a Greek Tragedy. All of his feature films are unique and significant and all give the audience cues as to a form of intentional fiction that he has created for us to consume and I LOVE that. Edit: I legit thought I knew everything about Midsommar but you shocked me multiple times. Even the first section where you break down the painting is phenomenal. Thank you for your amazing work.
I just found your channel yesterday and watched your full Hereditary explanation and now I'm halfway through this one a day later lol. You've done some incredible work here and deserve so much more recognition.
I did not anticipate to learn something about my countries recent history here (i'm german) but that only shows the level of incredibly deep research you made for this video. Its fantastic and I'm enjoying every minute of it! You know, i always wish there were more people, at least in my life, that were willing and happy to think about artworks so deeply, to analyze it so greatly and in detail. Its just a kind of fun that no other activity has ever given me and i find it so hard to understand how not everyone absolutely loves to just dive into art this deep. I'm really happy this video got recommended to me
Ever since watching the section of you analyzing the paintings, snd getting to the part about the bear being too hot in his suit, i have been thinking about the phrase "steam boiled" like once a week. As a writer, i wanna use it in a story. As a person, the phrase brings up such specifc and disgusting imagerey that i never want to think about it again
Me and my boyfriend spent about two weeks watching this video in chunks. It probably would've taken us one week but we kept pausing every 27 seconds to go off on another tangent inspired by the content in this video. This is amazing! Your video on Hereditary is one of my favorite video essays of all time so I was thrilled when I saw this come up in my suggestions. One of my favorite parts of this essay is how many times you point out that the Harga are just doing whatever suits them and their narrative at the time while dressed up in the regalia of their supposedly set and time-honored traditions, many of which are bastardized or otherwise inaccurate from their source material. Such a big theme with real-life cults that's woven so carefully into the film that, even after many rewatches, I've never noticed it. This is a master class in film literacy. I know I'll be coming back to this video a lot. Thank you for taking the time to make it.
I really appreciate how you go through the whole film but it never feels like you're just summarizing it to pad the runtime like a lot of film RUclips tends to do
The part about the two swedish fairytale paintings were so interesting to me. As a swedish person the imagery awoke a kind of nostalgia, those types of books are pretty common for swedish children to read, even though i've probably never seen these artworks before. I would however translate it to "he is too hot because he can not take his fur of"
Brilliant analysis. So entertaining, insightful and fascinating. I particularly enjoyed Dani and Maja being described as ''Absolutely off her chops'' for The May Queen Dance. Marvellous!!
Please tell me what that movie was about. I watch all sorts of art movies and I still don’t have an honest opinion on that one, except that it started strong and then lost me.
Regarding the dancing scene, I immediately recognised it as a Rite of Spring reference. Igor Stravinsky took inspiration form the pagan rituals from today’s russian territories and created truly one of my favourite music pieces. It’s usually combined with a ballet because the performance tells a story about the ritual when a young woman is sacrificed for a sake of good fortune for the upcoming season, and must dance herself to death. She gets chosen from a group of virgins who dance in a similar manner as in the movie, except in Rite of Spring who falls, gets sacrificed
My first thought on seeing this video pop up in my feed, “Do I need an almost seven hour deep dive into Midsommar?” My second thought, “Absolutely!!” Thank you.
Wow wow my biggest applause to you. This is the first video I run across of yours. Took me a couple days to finish it but what a magnificent piece of work. I watched Midsommar for the first time last week and then started your video. You made me fall even more in love with the movie. When I was watching the movie, I immediately was captivated by Dani’s apartment. It said so much, but I didn’t know what it was saying.
I never comment on anything but this piece of work was totally engaging ridiculously researched and as beguiling as the film its self, well done mate you took over my evening
Oh my gosh, that's a godsend! I was looking for ultralong videos on RUclips and wasn't expecting one about my fav movie. Thanks a lot and greetings from Germany ❤
I just rewatched the director's cut, and it struck me that, keeping in mind the symbolism the color red has in the film, Mark saying "that guy has a super red face" must mean Mark is trying to get with Father Odd immediately upon meeting him xD
This video was extremely impressive! I did notice that towards the end of the movie, one of the Harga women is wearing some sort of ankle support. I thought that it was a nice reminder (like the mention of Austin Powers) that while all of this is unfolding, it is still very much happening in our present times. I just don't recall you talking about it, but if you did, then you can forget about this comment :) (I'm sorry if there are any mistakes, English isn't my first language.)
Dude, I may be a bit (very) drunk, but I love you. Your videos are just pure gold and this is honestly already my second time watching this one because it's just amazing. I do hope you take the breaks you so much deserve and that you're not overdoing it with these videos, because holy shit, they're amazing. Honestly you've inspired me to write a little post-midsommar fan fiction that I'll probably just keep to myself about what happens after. You made me love this movie so much more than I already did. Thank you. (Also the fact that you did a little warning before the song part in case it was too loud for people sleeping was just so considerate that I can't help but respect it immensely) Regarding the mention about them probably committing human sacrifice more frequently than just every 90 years, this would only make sense from a psychological viewpoint (speaking as someone who has literally NO formal training in psychology). But I mean, if the maximum age you reach is 72, and the sacrifices happen only every 90 years, none of them would've ever seen ritual killings before and they would be a lot more hesitant about it... Honestly, most people would just never want to be involved in it at all. If you haven't seen it at least somewhat frequently during your life, that's not something you just do/agree to happening. It makes zero sense and I'm sure that that aspect, as well as many others you have highlighted, is a lie from the Hårga.
I love this. I have been so enthralled by this movie since release, and I argue so often with people about some of the imagery and symbolism. Not to mention like, if you remotely suggest that it has a "happy" ending, people immediately love to quip "well, we know you'd end up in the cult now," like a person is unable to appreciate the story and meanings, without empathy.
omg Im so thankful for you, this is a tremendous feat of deep dive greatness. I cannot WAIT to see what you have to say about Beau is Afraid, though I do not envy you or your job of pulling it apart. Thanks for putting in the work, Novum
Incredible video, this is the first video of yours I’ve watched so i wanted to donate to this one! This was such a well researched and thought out video and I was glued to the whole time!
This is absolutely staggering and I can't telly you how grateful I am to be able to watch it 'free' and on repeat if i so choose. Not only one of the best videos I have watched on youtube but maybe the best piece of freely shared media I have ever seen. I love this movie and have watched it tens of times but this essay helps me appreciate its genius manyfold. What a wonderful antidote to those awful shorts...
Great video! To your ending- I feel the fact that we end up siding with Danni and the cult adds to the idea of how susceptible to persuasion we are, and why people believe in things like Nazi ideology. The cult not only changes the opinions of Danni but the audience
Thank you to everyone for being so patient with me. I'm keeping this sticky for the inevitable list of corrections. I sincerely hope you enjoy.
Hargalaten as a standalone on Felicia's channel: ruclips.net/video/BN8_nc3PUpk/видео.html
Extras and Amendments:
1. Rubi Row also apparently literally means 'bloodline' - thanks to @TheMarauderOfficial for that one
2. Allusions between Terri's eye and Odin's sacrifice (need to add which commenter suggested that)
3. The Yellow St Johns Wort in the leadup to the commune is very 'yellow brick road' - thanks to Siobhan O'Connor for that one, I love it and it feels spot on.
4. Multiple people have commented that St Johns Wort is a natural anti-depressant, thank you to all of them
5. My pronunciation of 'Tooele County' and 'Nike'. I was going off American pronunciations I've seen (I think Fargo being one) for Tooele, they were apparently wrong also. My apologies to the people of Tooele. As for Nike - in the UK the brand is just pronounced like that. I do understand that 'Nik-E' is how you pronounce the name of the Greek goddess but it's just not how we pronounce it in the UK.
6. There is a typo at 3:32:42 Gautreks Saga is most definitely not 2nd Century it's 13th Century, my apologies!
More to come and sorry I haven't replied to everyone yet, it's been a busy few days and I'm so excited to read all your comments!
let us know about that novel youve been working on sometime soon! :)
@@lorentzt.5750 it’s already up on RUclips, the video before this one on my channel! Sadly RUclips nuked it upon upload due to the content (which is fair) so it didn’t get pushed out to anyone, but you can go listen whenever you want!
It's hard, if not possible, to rush perfection. I can't speak for all, but your attention to detail, thoughtful approach, and putting in the research, that made me subscribe. I wouldn't want you to push out "content", that's lazy, half assed and boring, imo. I come to this channel for quality. If anything, I apologize for not being able to support you and your channel more. It deserves all the monies and views.
Anyways, looking forward to watching this, thank you, cheers.
bro i have a poster of the wicker man on my wall rn.
Will the uncensored video be available to all the patreaon subs? Or is it exclusive to a specific tier?
i hope my homies are ready because i'll definitely be presenting this video as my own ideas for the next 5 years
My bf is already getting ready to listen to all the interesting facts I’ll learn from this video about Scandinavian folklore for months after I watch it
LOL absolutely
made my gf rewatch hereditary and did exactly this 😂😅
lmfao. aye aye
I think you just summed up a lot of what RUclips is about.
(Hell, all media...and art...and communication for that matter.)
7:38 “we’ll be looking at the vvitch next” my mans out here making videos exactly for me so excited
So excited for The VVitch!
!!!!!!
Oh my goood I'm so excited already! I have strong feelings about The VVitch!
YES IM SO EXCITED
Literally covering horror masterpieces...if @Novum _YT does Under the Skin after The Witch, might be my favorite channel on YT
Little fun fact: the actor that plays Dan (the old man who jumps from the cliff) is believed to have influenced shojo anime and manga to some extend. He was very popular in the 70's and 80's in Japan, when he was a teenager/young adult and had a lot of female fans who admired him for his soft features and androgynous looks. It is believed that his popularity influenced the way male love interest in manga and anime aimed at young girls were drawn. There is a documentary about him called "the most beautiful boy in the world".
THAT’S HIM???
What's his name?
@@AliceBowieBjörn Andersen
@@beansmybeans2433ᛏᚨᚲᚲ ᛊÅ ᛗᛁᚲᚲᛖᛏ
Seriously? The child actor from Death In Venice? I’m glad he recovered enough from the madness to work in film again
I've watched this video 3 times since it came out, and last night I finally decided to watch the movie to see if I could come away with anything not mentioned here. What hit me was how many times we hear unanswered cries for help: Dani wailing in grief in Christian's arms, while he looks distant and robotic. The baby screaming for its mother all through the night. Even Josh trying to scream after being bashed with the mallet, but only able to make a moaning wheeze.
The way the Harga echo your screams back to you is like a perversion of empathy. Just empty mirroring, without substance. And it's only when Dani is completely broken by the lack of care in her life that she responds to this as if it's actual support. They're _not_ helping her. They're telling her what she wants to hear.
And now that I'm typing all of this, I'm remembering that friend she spoke to on the phone who was actually trying to empower her and validate her worry for her sister, but Dani just kept shutting her down because it _wasn't_ what she wanted to hear. Thinking about it now gives me chills.
I don’t know. I would totally live there. I find their empathy has substance. It’s probably not the popular opinion. I wish I had the time to make a six hour Midsommar cult apologist video. :) I thought the baby was just making regular baby noises. I thought it was to show the communal living of it all.
@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396 The baby is making regular baby noises. What's not regular is that the baby's distress is being ignored all night. (If you're not a Duggar, anyway.) The people are being reduced to cogs in a machine dressed up to look like communal living.
@@rusted_ursaI had my first very young, in the early 00's. Ignoring night cries was what I was taught was how you teach a baby that night is for sleeping. It was one of the worst periods of my young-mom life, and I was so relieved to learn it wasn't the only option and I wouldn't somehow ruin my baby by comforting him. Anyway, I found it relatable and tragic.
I agree! I felt like Dani was the planned May Queen from the moment of her arrival. She had been slowly brainwashed not just by the Harga, but by Christian and his friend group all along. The feeling of desperate isolation, loneliness, lack of compassion or care, and simply having no one left in her life made her an easier target to mold. She simply wanted love and understanding.
The Harga wailing along with her felt mocking in nature at first, but then it quickly morphed into "See? WE love you. We feel your pain. We will bear your pain. You are no longer alone... as long as you follow our ways."
It just seemed like some of the girls eliminated from the dancing were pretty intentional.
Edit to add, what I mentioned was basically addressed in this video, so I jumped the g□n in commenting. My apologies for being redundant!
@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396Bruh why are you the one person tourism board for the Harga in these comments. This is like the 3rd I’m seeing of you defending them. You might as well actually make a RUclips video on it at this a point
The tripi visuals in this movie are the most accurate depiction of psychedelic mushrooms's visual hallucinations I've ever seen in a movie.
This crew knew exactly what they were doing
Clicked thinking I was getting movie analysis, stayed for the incredibly deep and well-researched six hour socio-historical media analysis lecture
Aww thank you Lindsey, I am essentially just trying to backdoor people into media classes so I'm glad it didn't put you off!
I can't believe the budget for this masterpiece was so low. It eclipsed the quality of nearly every other cinema release and for only a fraction of the money.
It's utterly stunning, I don't think I've mentioned budget in any of the other guides but here the aesthetics are so dialed in it it almost defies belief!
Ari Aster pioneering “Man or Bear” 😂
Why not both?
@@stevebob240 Why not both with added fire?
Happy accident that has been wonderful for the algorithm!
😂 I will always choose the bear 🐻
LMAO
It just struck me that the still of Dani at the keyhole is very similar to the pose of the princess with the bear painting back at her house.
good catch
Love that!
No but seriously, this is the mint of the mint right here. Currently 96 minutes into it and I can safely say that this attention to not only detail but narrative intent renders this an actual work of, dare I say, really good art in and of itself.
Seriously, thank you for this. The foundation of cinema as a whole just got a little bit stronger
Thank you so much for the kind words Eliot, really happy you enjoyed it!
"I can't believe you're gonna persuade me into watching 7h about a movie I haven't seen"- my sister after hearing me commenting and getting a few snippets
Yesss! Spread the word!
Wake up babe, the highly anticipated Complete Guide to Midsommar by Novum just dropped
Aha, far too kind!
Literally saw this and called my daughter. It's 1am. She was not upset.
Good mommy she has👍
aw that’s sweet
I really appreciate the support, sounds like you have a wonderful relationship!
The movie was a unique and appreciated experience, but I thoroughly Enjoyed this analysis and learned so much.
I'm truly dumbfounded that a video essay as valuable as this does not have millions of views.
Legitimately the best film analysis channel I can think of. Your channel is an amazing breathe of fresh air, considering so many channels that claim to do analysis just summarize plots for 15 minutes. You clearly have such an interest in why directors made the choices they do and it makes for fascinating stuff. I hope for a never ending amount of these videos from you. We need more directors like Eggers and Aster so I can have more of these videos lol.
midsommar video is here i've been praying for times like these
I hope you enjoy, I love your video aesthetic!
@@Novum_YT thanks! :D
bookmark 1:56:30
bookmark 3:40:20
hell yeah the purveyor of low poly creatures is here
Almost 7 hours. I can literally play this in the background through a work day minus lunch.
w/ multiple lifetimes of content out there it blows my mind ppl that dont watch/listen at 1.25 or 1.5 speed 😝
Hopefully the day went a little bit quicker!
For the opening art, Pele says he’s a Taurus and he wears a blue coat similar to the blue hue of the cow while Christian wears brown clothing similar to the bears fur. Another hint at pelé being the bringer of life while Christian depicts the destruction as told in the ending
I have the perfect video for my rotting-in-bed day after a difficult week 🎉
So, you are Dani then? Hopefully minus the dead family?
@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396 -the dead parents but yeah. Just as Dani wanted to belong somewhere where she is loved and cared for, I just want a family where we are happy together. But my narcisisstic dad literally ruined our lifes, and just like Terri, he tore apart a normal family. So yeah both Midsommar and Hereditary are close to my heart, because of the feeling that you can't escape, this is your life. I mean transgenerational trauma too. I used to joke that just like in Hereditary, there is a malignant force in my family too, it is called: untreated mental illnes. But it is very difficult to find a sect or a cult here in the Balkans, and I'm not that ruined to join :D Ari Aster movies are just my hyperfixations at the moment, and it helps a lot to not stress about the negtive things in life.
5:46:32 “the worst invasion of privacy since piers morgan was left in charge of newspaper” jeeeesus fuck em up dude lol
Piers is on notice and shall remain there
@@Novum_YT I'm glad you have a hatred for that man as much as I do ❤
idk how.. but this has become my comfort video the past few weeks
I’ve seen this movie around 8 times and told myself I’d never watch it again because the old man lives in my nightmares but here I am 🧍♀️
Imagine creating a very well put together six hour long RUclips video, that keeps the audience entertained and engaged the entire time.
The largest project I’ve ever worked on was two hours (unedited) and I was completely burnt out and sick of looking at Premier Pro after 30 mins 😅
Thank you for your hard work, these videos are amazing, honestly I can’t give you enough praise!
Aww thank you! It can be draining looking at Premiere Pro but comments like this keep me going!
I shit you not I watched about a third of this before my therapy session and, after mentioning this dropping as a gift from the universe to keep me from wasting the day in bed having a depression nap, found out this is one of my therapist's favorite films. I got to tell her about the poor bear/he can't take off his fur story and see her delight at the horrific double meaning
I hope she enjoyed it! I'm sorry to hear you're suffering from depression, it's something I've struggled with for most of my life and I know acutely how tough it can be to want to move forward at all. Even, or especially, with little daily things like getting yourself out of bed. I'm glad to hear you're discussing that with someone and it sounds like you've made a good connection with her.
I have a lot of friends who are struggling atm, I know a lot of people in general are. So not directly to you as it sounds like you're taking positive steps already, but for anyone reading this, my only tip is to realise hope is a commodity. It's a fuel, something we operate on. We begin our lives bouncing between hope and achievement, school, friendships, early development in general is (traditionally) filled with goals and successes in pretty short order. But at some point in our lives, be it from bank balance, lack of future prospects, monotony, trauma, you name it - that hope can be chased from us. And when it is, really as soon as it is, we have to live in a different reality. One built from perseverance. So my number one tip for combating depression, the thing I try to do, is to manufacture outlets of hope for myself. Build things that present opportunity, do things you think are worthwhile, find a job that pays more, whatever route you take it doesn't really matter. What matters is creating a vista around yourself that isn't defined by stagnation. Somewhere you can look and see a bright future coming. Because fixing 'right now' right now isn't always possible. But it always gets easier to deal with 'right now', to meet it sword in hand and fight todays battle, when you know you have something to fight for. Hope begins as a beacon of light in the mist, so to anyone who is struggling: eschew the darkness and go seek it out.
@@Novum_YT I can't tell you how much I love this!! As someone who has struggled with depression my entire life, you get it. It's about hope, and looking forward. I struggle with wanting to look back at the past, and that's where the pain is. Holding onto to hope and reminding myself that in a day/week/month/year from now this difficult season will be behind me. I hold on to hope and along with prayer, that's what has always helped me find a way out of the darkness.
@@Novum_YT dude, I absolutely adore your videos and, respectfully, I want to devour your mind.
That being said, this comment has genuinely left the most significant mark on me.
As a lifelong depressed girly (I was even hospitalized for severe s***idal ideation) this feels like balm to my wounds. Thank you immensely for taking the time to write this. I KNOW many others will benefit from reading it.
Now, since we're on the topic of depresh, I'm compelled to go on a side quest :))
Re: the attestupan and PTSD.
I suffer from it. One of its most jarring symptoms is how cold blooded I am in high stress situation, while also having meltdowns over the tiniest unpredictable move.
To exemplify: if I'm in a room and someone opens the door to come in, the first sound of the door opening will send me into pretty serious panic attacks. I learned to mask it, but it usually takes me a minimum of 20 mins to regulate myself after... checks notes... someone I love enters my room.
On the opposite end of the spectrum we have events like last year's car crash I was in with my former partner. It was a snowstorm and a car coming from the opposite direction slid into us. I saw it coming so quickly, it feels like I sensed it before it happened. (Of course, nothing supernatural, just my PTSD brain finely attuned to my environment.)
While my partner started screaming I calmly grabbed his arm and said "we're fine." I had NO emotion in those moments just gears turning in my mind and thinking "we should assume a safe bracing position." Both cars were totaled but all people involved were fine, aside some nasty bruising. I felt NOTHING throughout that moment. Even as I type this, I think of it as just a curious thing that happened.
When I first saw the movie, maybe 5 secs after the attestupan volunteers were shown, I KNEW what was going to happen. I felt little to no emotion with their jump and felt quite connected to Dani's reaction.
I don't know what it says about me or the movie, but I do think PTSD plays a huge role in how we internalize terrible events 🥴
@@Novum_YTthis is actually amazing. I’m doing really well right now but mental health has been an ongoing battle for most of my life. I’m going to screenshot this as a reminder for rougher days. I’ve been adopting a similar approach but you put it so eloquently and succinctly. In case this helps anyone: I found that my job is not fulfilling and that was not good for my health so I try to work on personal projects and creative outlets that do fulfill me so regardless of my job, I feel like my life isn’t wasting away 🤣
I promise the world is a better place with us in it ❤
It's taken me almost a week to finish this video because of a very busy schedule. Now that I've finished watching it all that I can say is thank you once more. A friend of mine recommended your video about Hereditary to me and it gave me so much perspective into the creative mind of Ari Aster. This time being familiar with your channel it once again was an absolute pleasure to watch an learn about Midsommar and it's hidden lore.
You rock Novum! Can't wait for the video about the VVitch!!
Florence Pugh was ROBBED of an Oscar for her performance in the opening scene alone! That scene is the reason I have trouble rewatching it, even though it’s a masterpiece of a movie. The first time I watched it, I saw Terri’s message and my heart dropped. I should have known. And yet, every time I hear those violins I’m filled with intense and sickening dread.
I took inga's red mark at the end of the movie to represent her menstruating, which would have been proof that she was not pregnant, and that she has missed her chance to add new blood to the group, where Mya was successful and hence is wearing lipstick and more confident. It also explains why she is being told to "let it go" and rejoin the group.
oooh that would make sense also if she got beaten for not becoming pregnant and was being shamed in front of the group
why would she be picked as one of the women to "breed" or whatever if she was days from her period tho? I would think they would be pretty meticulous about keeping track of the women/girls' cycles. sure, maybe she had an unexpected two week cycle (it's happened to me) but it's weird to not mention it then. also there's no way they would know if maya was pregnant yet, unless there's quite a time jump before the final ritual?
So it absolutely could be this, it really is one of those things where if you want it to be that I'd say just run with it. But as the commenter above me pointed out I do think we're supposed to assume that Siv is pretty bang on with lining these up with fertility cycles. There are other Harga in red that could have been offered (off the top of my head I think Dagni is one) and they seem to have a pretty acute understanding of their own reproduction. To me I don't think Inga would have been sent to take Mark away - IF they were actually planning on having him do some breeding too, if there was a chance of that happening. But we can't give a solid answer to that so it's difficult really either way. There's also this element of shame and anger to it, something that I don't think the Harga would necessarily feel towards a 'natural cycle'. They're decidedly unsqueamish about people drinking the blood so for me I don't think that would lead them to fit Inga with this fertility blessing/scarlet letter of shame. And yeah, with the cornicello being a fertility blessing it just doesn't line up for me with an inability to conceive but rather the opposite.
All that being said, I think the right answer is whatever interpretation you find most unsettling. Thanks so much for the comment dude!
@@mischr13 I actually have a question here - how long are the Americans actually visiting the Harga? because Maya puts some of her period blood into Christian's drink, but if she is currently or has been very recently menstruating, how does that translate to her being fertile when the elder gets Christian to sleep with her? wouldn't that suggest that they are staying at least two weeks before the mayqueen celebration?
Agreed
Thanks for including my little joke comment into the video, I was surprised and quite flattered
And this video is an absolute gem. So great to see so much love and appreciation put into this. Even searching for the original Swedish tales about those two princesses is quite a massive amount of time and research put in.
I’m happy that I can see videos like this on RUclips.
Ahahah, no way dude! I didn't really have a way of getting in touch with you so glad that was okay with you lol. Very glad you enjoyed the video also.
I can’t stop watching this, so good
You're my favorite yapper. I live for these long video essays
Aha, thank you very much, I'll wear the mantle with pride!
Wow. I am fifteen minutes in and the amount of depth in just the first image is incredible. Thank you for this! I hope to listen through this over the next few days (or just today, who knows) Thank you for your hard work!
Could I watch Midsommer 3 times? Yeah. Or I could just watch this once. Big brain move there.
Same, its a total time saver tbh.
You can do both I believe in you
@@Novum_YTI watched the DC and came here. On the summer solstice. I get now why Connie in a wheel barrow was parallel to the child who was at the lake and not sacrificed. To bad, they didn’t have a mock play where Connie stood up to take his place and then actually did. This scene was left out of the theater release so Connie’s death doesn’t have that much of an impact.
These kinda videos are my favorite “turn on as background noise and accidentally get invested” videos
Thank you!
Ever since I watched the movie I was waiting for a video just like this... God bless your soul
Something else I don’t think was mentioned: the melody being sung at the start of the movie that is interrupted by the ringing phone is the same melody we hear the morning of the attestupa ritual!
Yes! I think it's referred to as the Harga lullaby!
Listened to the hereditary probably 4 times and I’m so excited rn for this video bless you Novum
My engagement statistics thank you and so do I!
@@Novum_YT these videos are amazing you definitely deserve all the views!
Just what I need to see in my recommended as I start my 8 hour closing shift. Thank you, my good man!
Let's go! Hope it went by a bit quicker than normal!
I've slowly been making my way through this video throughout the week, and now that I'm close to finishing it, I'm kinda sad that it's coming to a close. This video is so well thought out and so intensely fascinating in its detail and effort that I hope you keep doing this kind of work and that you get the deserved recognition for all your research and time devoted towards these projects! You've definitely earned my subscription and I'll certainly keep coming back for more of this!
HELL YEAH DUDE. this is exactly the type of content I want. I expect to watch and rewatch this a billion times. please take as long as you need, you're doing the lord's work.
Thank you so much, and thank you (and everyone else) for the patience and the good faith, it makes taking my time a lot less stressful.
A 7 hour deep dive into a movie I've never seen before?? Sign me up!
The golden chain around the temple 1:49:12 made me think immediately of the yellow flowers underfoot as you approach. It sends its glitter far off as you approach = flowers send their pollen far and wide.
THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT PUT INTO YOUR VIDEOS HOLY CRAP??? 7 hours is INSANE man
Aha, thank you so much!
This is me giving you a big forehead kiss for the captions! Thank you so much!
I always see Danny’s becoming grass or seeing her feet turn into grass when she’s tripping as her putting down literal roots there. I can’t remember the story but I do remember a character who was putting down roots in a place, their feet were becoming stuck to the ground and when they tried to cut themselves free they realized that they had cut the roots that had started growing out of their feet. Danny’s feet turning into grass feels like she is seeing herself as part of this physical place, that she belongs so completely that she is becoming it, that it’s more than just growing on her she is becoming the growth, she’s evolving and thriving.
We are so unbelievably spoiled. Thank you so much for your hard work.
the midsommar directors cut is one of my favorite films of all time and you’ve somehow made me love it even more. great work dude!! absolutely NEED a beau is afraid analysis from you.
Boy am I glad I stumbled on this. What an absolutely incredible, well presented breakdown of one of my favourite movies! Ill be trawling through your back catalogue in the coming days I am sure.
oh my GOD just in time for the weather to be suitable for very very long walks. i'll be listening to this many times over this spring/summer.
That's so awesome to hear! Very happy to enrich your countryside experience, don't let any cults recruit you out there!
This is my second time rewatching this video. It’s so insane how much research and work was put into this video, like with all of your film guides, your videos have also awakened my love for cinematography and have even introduced me to films I never thought I’d be interested in, listening to the way you analyze almost every single scene is very impressive. Keep up the awesome work! Very excited to see more from you Novum!
Thank you so much for watching it twice! It really helps the video grow. Lots more on the way soon.
in b4 anyone has had enough time to watch the whole video yet, lol.
Seriously tho, thank you for making these. You're putting out some of the absolute best media analysis essays on the entire platform. Never fall into the trap of cranking out content- keep taking your time and making great work about what interests you! I'll do my best to spread word of your channel!
I would watch and listen a lecture from you about any topic whatsoever. This 7h explanation is worth a PHD in cinema or sth, holy cow
This video is made in such a way that my ADHD is engaged and I’m fully interested all the way.
….are you a wizard????
Me: I need a youtube video to listen to on background when I run some errands.
Also me: chooses a 7-hr deep dive about Midsommar for the 4th time.
Good job man! Its great to see you growing and getting the recognition you deserve!
Also massive kudos to you for not rushing it out! I can imagine the temptation was huge.
Thank you so much dude, sorry it’s taken me so long to reply. Really glad you enjoyed it. And yeah, numbers wise it would have probably been better but I wouldn’t have been proud of it. Thanks for the support dude!
Thank you so much for this video. I can't imagine how many hours goes into creating such a detailed piece of media. I really appreciated the detail in your Hereditary breakdown and it brought things to light (in the story, in a cinematography aspect and as a viewer) that I wouldn't have noticed otherwise.
I can't thank you enough for the amount of work you put in. I'm looking forward to subsequently watching Midsommar again.
i remember being 16 and looking for a cheap horror movie on Netflix with a friend, Midsommar was so low on the horror netflix list that we just put it on, needless to say we were quiet for a couple days 😭
Please do not forget about : Talk to me and, and, and, The Midnight Mass. I love how you explained Hereditary.
Ooh, do Midnight Mass. :)
Midnight Mass is incredible incredible. I would watch a 50 hour vid on it, basically a college course.
I love how William Jackson Harper is the only actual American lol
I wish I had American ears to hear Florence Pugh from because I feel like she's much, much better than the standard 'english actor doing american' is.
@@Novum_YT as an American who has studied dialects, she absolutely is. She goes beyond the sound shifts and nails the regional prosody and intermittent vocal fry specific to the four corner states.
Yeah, I guess Americans aren’t good actors? A lot of the shows I like have English and Australian or NZ actors playing American. Any other reason why? Do they take less pay?
I often feel like these everything explained videos don’t pull through on the promise of everything explained. That was not the case with this video at all!! Thank you!
I love long-form deep breakdowns and frankly, yours are the best! Thank you for your time and such great content!
Midsommar. A movie imperfectly made to perfection.
Yay a new comfort video to fall asleep to and rewatch endlessly bc I always fall asleep or get sidetracked before I finish it. And I wouldn't have it any other way. Your cadence and voice as well as the sound effects all make for the perfect background video. I can focus whenever and enjoy it, but also zone out when doing another task. Excellent as always
So I watched this, then went and watched The Wickerman and then came back and am rewatching this and you guys. Just do it! like, ugh it only gets better the second time around! SUCH a good breakdown. The amount of detail and work you put into this is so clear, and intellectually inspiring. Take a good brain rest and we'll be ready for the next whenever you are!
Another amazing video! So thoroughly researched and greatly executed. I am Swedish myself and even I learnt new things. Thank you!
3:12:40 An observation being a farmers daughter, the temple has been constructed in the place they grow their crops, the blue tarpaulins are protecting currently growing plants. When the temple is burned the ashes will be tilled back into the soil and feed the crops which they will eventually eat, and the cycle of life and death will continue.
At first, I believed that Dani seeing her parents towards the end represented Dani fully succumbing to her trauma and a making the connections yo the cult ritual herself. But Ari isn't afraid to go all in with the supernatural so it's hard to guess.
I’m so happy you mentioned the way the movie opens as letting us know we are about to be shown a “show,” similar to how Hereditary opens to show us orchestrated puppetry via miniatures and how Beau Is Afraid is basically Aster’s creative version of a Greek Tragedy. All of his feature films are unique and significant and all give the audience cues as to a form of intentional fiction that he has created for us to consume and I LOVE that.
Edit: I legit thought I knew everything about Midsommar but you shocked me multiple times. Even the first section where you break down the painting is phenomenal. Thank you for your amazing work.
This was insane. In every way. Thank you! Best 7hrs spent on YT ever. ❤
This is the best film review I've EVER heard! Just incredible insights. Thank you.
I just found your channel yesterday and watched your full Hereditary explanation and now I'm halfway through this one a day later lol. You've done some incredible work here and deserve so much more recognition.
I watched only 8 minutes and 17 seconds of this guide and, boy, it is delightful, engaging and all-right. Man, you do a fabulous work, wow, wow, wow.
I did not anticipate to learn something about my countries recent history here (i'm german) but that only shows the level of incredibly deep research you made for this video. Its fantastic and I'm enjoying every minute of it!
You know, i always wish there were more people, at least in my life, that were willing and happy to think about artworks so deeply, to analyze it so greatly and in detail. Its just a kind of fun that no other activity has ever given me and i find it so hard to understand how not everyone absolutely loves to just dive into art this deep.
I'm really happy this video got recommended to me
right!! this is why i love this channel. The hereditary video is also one of the best film commentaries i’ve ever seen.
Ever since watching the section of you analyzing the paintings, snd getting to the part about the bear being too hot in his suit, i have been thinking about the phrase "steam boiled" like once a week. As a writer, i wanna use it in a story. As a person, the phrase brings up such specifc and disgusting imagerey that i never want to think about it again
absolutely incredible. thank you and to everyone who contributed and helped make this video happen. happy birthday and good work man!
I don’t think any movie made me feel more uncomfortable and troubled at the end than Midsommar. It has stuck in my head
Me and my boyfriend spent about two weeks watching this video in chunks. It probably would've taken us one week but we kept pausing every 27 seconds to go off on another tangent inspired by the content in this video. This is amazing! Your video on Hereditary is one of my favorite video essays of all time so I was thrilled when I saw this come up in my suggestions.
One of my favorite parts of this essay is how many times you point out that the Harga are just doing whatever suits them and their narrative at the time while dressed up in the regalia of their supposedly set and time-honored traditions, many of which are bastardized or otherwise inaccurate from their source material. Such a big theme with real-life cults that's woven so carefully into the film that, even after many rewatches, I've never noticed it.
This is a master class in film literacy. I know I'll be coming back to this video a lot. Thank you for taking the time to make it.
I cannot believe how much work you put into this video, great freaking job, so well done.❤
I really appreciate how you go through the whole film but it never feels like you're just summarizing it to pad the runtime like a lot of film RUclips tends to do
The part about the two swedish fairytale paintings were so interesting to me. As a swedish person the imagery awoke a kind of nostalgia, those types of books are pretty common for swedish children to read, even though i've probably never seen these artworks before. I would however translate it to "he is too hot because he can not take his fur of"
Have you ever considered making a video on “Mother!”? I think the amount of work you put into these movie explanations would work really well.
Brilliant analysis. So entertaining, insightful and fascinating. I particularly enjoyed Dani and Maja being described as ''Absolutely off her chops'' for The May Queen Dance. Marvellous!!
happy late birthday, first time coming across your channel but i think you did a great job
Please cover Beau is Afraid!
Please tell me what that movie was about. I watch all sorts of art movies and I still don’t have an honest opinion on that one, except that it started strong and then lost me.
Regarding the dancing scene, I immediately recognised it as a Rite of Spring reference. Igor Stravinsky took inspiration form the pagan rituals from today’s russian territories and created truly one of my favourite music pieces. It’s usually combined with a ballet because the performance tells a story about the ritual when a young woman is sacrificed for a sake of good fortune for the upcoming season, and must dance herself to death. She gets chosen from a group of virgins who dance in a similar manner as in the movie, except in Rite of Spring who falls, gets sacrificed
My first thought on seeing this video pop up in my feed, “Do I need an almost seven hour deep dive into Midsommar?” My second thought, “Absolutely!!” Thank you.
listening to this while i make my dani halloween costume!! truly nothing better than
I enjoy watching your analysis videos more than I enjoy watching the movies themselves
Wow wow my biggest applause to you. This is the first video I run across of yours. Took me a couple days to finish it but what a magnificent piece of work.
I watched Midsommar for the first time last week and then started your video. You made me fall even more in love with the movie. When I was watching the movie, I immediately was captivated by Dani’s apartment. It said so much, but I didn’t know what it was saying.
I never comment on anything but this piece of work was totally engaging ridiculously researched and as beguiling as the film its self, well done mate you took over my evening
Oh my gosh, that's a godsend! I was looking for ultralong videos on RUclips and wasn't expecting one about my fav movie. Thanks a lot and greetings from Germany ❤
Guten tag! I'm really glad you like it!
I just rewatched the director's cut, and it struck me that, keeping in mind the symbolism the color red has in the film, Mark saying "that guy has a super red face" must mean Mark is trying to get with Father Odd immediately upon meeting him xD
This video was extremely impressive! I did notice that towards the end of the movie, one of the Harga women is wearing some sort of ankle support. I thought that it was a nice reminder (like the mention of Austin Powers) that while all of this is unfolding, it is still very much happening in our present times. I just don't recall you talking about it, but if you did, then you can forget about this comment :) (I'm sorry if there are any mistakes, English isn't my first language.)
Dude, I may be a bit (very) drunk, but I love you. Your videos are just pure gold and this is honestly already my second time watching this one because it's just amazing. I do hope you take the breaks you so much deserve and that you're not overdoing it with these videos, because holy shit, they're amazing. Honestly you've inspired me to write a little post-midsommar fan fiction that I'll probably just keep to myself about what happens after. You made me love this movie so much more than I already did. Thank you. (Also the fact that you did a little warning before the song part in case it was too loud for people sleeping was just so considerate that I can't help but respect it immensely)
Regarding the mention about them probably committing human sacrifice more frequently than just every 90 years, this would only make sense from a psychological viewpoint (speaking as someone who has literally NO formal training in psychology). But I mean, if the maximum age you reach is 72, and the sacrifices happen only every 90 years, none of them would've ever seen ritual killings before and they would be a lot more hesitant about it... Honestly, most people would just never want to be involved in it at all. If you haven't seen it at least somewhat frequently during your life, that's not something you just do/agree to happening. It makes zero sense and I'm sure that that aspect, as well as many others you have highlighted, is a lie from the Hårga.
natalie can deusen is my old norse professor!!!!
I love this. I have been so enthralled by this movie since release, and I argue so often with people about some of the imagery and symbolism. Not to mention like, if you remotely suggest that it has a "happy" ending, people immediately love to quip "well, we know you'd end up in the cult now," like a person is unable to appreciate the story and meanings, without empathy.
i have nothing to add other than: this is an insane feat of our generation and I'm so happy youtube exists for this type of thing
omg Im so thankful for you, this is a tremendous feat of deep dive greatness. I cannot WAIT to see what you have to say about Beau is Afraid, though I do not envy you or your job of pulling it apart.
Thanks for putting in the work, Novum
Incredible video, this is the first video of yours I’ve watched so i wanted to donate to this one! This was such a well researched and thought out video and I was glued to the whole time!
I’m so sorry I missed this Kaylee, thank you so much that’s extremely kind of you. Very happy you enjoyed it and lots more on the way!
This is absolutely staggering and I can't telly you how grateful I am to be able to watch it 'free' and on repeat if i so choose. Not only one of the best videos I have watched on youtube but maybe the best piece of freely shared media I have ever seen. I love this movie and have watched it tens of times but this essay helps me appreciate its genius manyfold. What a wonderful antidote to those awful shorts...
Great video! To your ending- I feel the fact that we end up siding with Danni and the cult adds to the idea of how susceptible to persuasion we are, and why people believe in things like Nazi ideology. The cult not only changes the opinions of Danni but the audience