MIDSOMMAR (2019) Breakdown | Every Creepy Little Detail Hidden In The Movie

[@heavyspoilers]

Check out our breakdown of INSANE hidden details in other horror movies below *IT CHAPTER 1 & 2* - kzbin.info/www/bejne/jmK7f4F8epiqeKM *US* - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hX_Pp3aYeNyYppI *GET OUT* - kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpeZgHVpadJglaM *The Haunting Of Hill House* - kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4GqaWiEj5Kbn5I&t *Hereditary* - kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3XdhqZprc2rmbs *Midsommar* - kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqCyooeJmbSVjc0 *The Invisible Man* - kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6C3fIGCoJaHq5I

[@snowboarddan5899]

Pone of worst movies I have ever seen

[@mohinator3341]

What's the intro music man, I'm going full cult about it :((

[@blackpaws1184]

Im swedish and it is so funny how you say midsommar its like for me you say midsommaaaaaar

[@lolitaras22]

I didn't see the film yet, but I'm almost sure that the mural depicts the family connected via umbilical cords, not pipes.

[@undeadgaming5245]

that isn't a 'death rune' idiot, also the maypole scene they're dancing around the maypole, not 'dancing in circles'. it doesn't symbolise any relationship crap it symbolises the maypole dance, there's nothing abnormal in that scene. you're stretching so hard trying to hit that 10M mark for them youtube bucks coz you're milktoast enough to still get that shit

[@Nursegirlalexandra]

Another detail I noticed, when Mark is lead into Away from the dinner table by that girl that he liked. The next time it showed that same girl, she had scratches on her face. Mark put up a fight.

[@heavyspoilers]

Good spot!

[@sarab1000]

She also seemed to have bandages on her leg or something. I remember she having bandages whilst they were dancing around the pole

[@TheAlan0509]

what is the timestamp?

[@jadachantelle1272]

He liked her or she liked him? also she put a spell on him

[@jadachantelle1272]

DiiQ yeah !!! You’re right I’m sorry lol got confused

[@eviekins7496]

the part where the guy says "whats skin the fool?" and then in a different scene he gets led by the girl he was into and she says "ill show you" and then he gets skinned 🙃 gave me chills

[@РусскийГром-ь3м]

Adding to that when his “Scarecrow” is taken to the temple it’s wearing a jester’s hat signifying the fool

[@quantumdedski6686]

After watching this, I now wanna poke fun regarding cults and how to get different responses in order to save yourself. Like if they are acting weird, then as a visitor, act weird too like drawing some disturbing stuff, or doing some weird choreography, randomly screaming to show the cult members that you are not as gullible or innocent as they seem. Or try bring weapons as well and etc. I like to see what any cult members would react if you are also some kind of psychopath/sociopath.

[@davidkearney3826]

Evelyn Duong very good! I did not notice that little fact and I love that someone did! There are so many levels to this film and it won’t leave your head until you try to see them all! Something on that same level where something was mentioned and then came back around was how she asked what happened to people when they reached “the end” of their final season, and before jumping the old lady looks directly at her, which I took to mean the old lady was once in the same situation as Danny and after going through the same events she spent the rest of her life with them!!

[@jase276]

If you try to act weird, they'll just kill you. Lol, you're trying to fake being crazy to actual insane people. An actual insane cult like this will know you're faking and just laugh. They wouldn't give a piss how you'd act, besides. I'm pretty sure even if you were indoctrinated into their beliefs, you'd still be sacrificed in this case because the ritual required 4 outsiders.

[@AmandaVieiraMamaesouCult]

@@quantumdedski6686 they could just create a bs reason to sacrifice you.

[@radelaidian6030]

what creeped me out was a handful of times when characters would make direct eye contact with the camera... for no reason. like in the scene where the elders jump from the cliff, a younger villager off-centre from the camera turns and looks straight at the audience. we're literally witnesses to everything and we can't do anything to intervene.

[@_caramel_8515]

I saw that too! And had to rewind to see if I missed a shot reverse shot. But no... The young man in the back of the crowd looked at us. Christian looked at us.

[@DreaDreamzTV]

That's that old school pan out thing they do in film. They did it in The Shining and The Omen! That silent pan out shit. Used to give me the creeps when I was a child and the Shining would be on. We all just love the "HERES JOHNNY!" part. I guess to make the viewer feel tensed about not being able to do anything but they know they are bout to see summin cray!

[@Maya-oo2rm]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gX6pmYWdjrB2prM this is the link to the full attestupa cliff jumping scene. Can you pleaseee time stamp the moment for me ❤️❤️❤️ I really can’t bear to watch all the gore again hahahha trying to minimalist it

[@silkemelander394]

@@Maya-oo2rm It happens before that video

[@tenofivelips]

I will have to look for that. Thanks.

[@melanatedj9660]

Pelle is the most disturbing character, he led his "friends" to a cult to be sacrificed. It doesn't get any more psycho than that.

[@anthonybarragan3473]

in what way is that "psycho"

[@melanatedj9660]

@@anthonybarragan3473 I literally explained it in my comment lol Whst don't you understand.

[@beansontoast2158]

@@anthonybarragan3473 the same way i’d be a psycho for tricking you and your friends to come spend a vacation with my family in Sweden and take drugs, before killing you all and sacrificing you to appease the deities of my cult.

[@joonduttaroy2096]

Both Joan in Hereditary and Pelle in Midsommar teaches one that you just cannot blindly place your faith in people and every single detail concerning their behaviour needs to be subjected to introspection.

[@anthonybarragan3473]

@@beansontoast2158 wrong

[@incognitoburrito7458]

What I find quite interesting about this movie is by how bright the entire thing is shot. Usually, horrors are shot in darkness to emulate the human tendency to be afraid in the dark. But Midsommar takes place in the light which is usually seen as happy, carefree, and familiar. The cult in the movie reflect exactly that but there’s something off about the lighting and that comes with how over saturated and white the entire environment is. It’s almost as if the light source unnatural and there’s too much light, which allows the audience to subconsciously piece together a sort of off vibe about the entire atmosphere itself. That, to me, is just so intriguing.

[@darkdistiller]

I'm assuming it's to disorient the audience. By making horrific thing happen in such a warm and bright environment that usually signals safety can make you question if these people are as bad as the horrific acts they are committing. The Harga seem so pleasant and genuinely nice, how can they truly be wrong in what they do? Of course, I think this is all manipulation by them as well. Down to allowing Dani to cry when she finds out about Christian being unfaithful. It's obvious they manipulated the situation, likely to make Dani feel as if they really do care about what she is feeling. Of course their wanting to actions to ease Dani's pain is not one of sincere love and empathy. In otherwards, they made sure Dani ran from a codependant relationship (Christian) to the next (The Harga) by exploiting her pain. What Dani doesn't realize is while she may not feel as alone as before, she is far more isolated now than she ever was before. As an audience member, I think we are supposed to look past that bright warm that would typically be comforting. Instead, as the audience, that brightness feels more oppressive than anything as it literally takes over the entire landscape.

[@sarahhenry5577]

I actually hadn't thought about it that way though it makes sense. I live in Alaska and that first summer where it's "daylight" pretty much all the time (although not that bright all day) kind of feels like that. It's just so bright for so long in the day your brain gets confused about time. I've literally been hiking and realized it was 10 at night when I had no idea it was that late.

[@kialee249]

Apparently Aster originally wanted the bars above and below the film to be white, not black, to maximize the unnerving brightness... I'd love to watch the film that way

[@gm6393]

I also thought that's because they were drugged throughout the movie and the oversaturation of colours represented how they (or at least dani)were seeing things and getting manipulated

[@reetheturtle5295]

its to exhaust the audience and break down the barriers we put up because it is a horror movie. Its easier to be scared in a dank cave than in a lily valley

[@tendreverveine2553]

I really loved how, before they enter through the sun portal, they are said something like "it will be like theater". They enter by the back of the portal, wich means they are not the viewers but the entertainment for the cult

[@heavyspoilers]

Nice 👍 amazing detail

[@Mygg_Jeager]

Wow. Good spot! Never in a million years would I have caught that.

[@flocrickmore]

also how at the start the picture opens like theatre curtains

[@gnarlycat]

They are a pagan religious sect, not a cult.

[@erikthedancer]

at 6:37 of this video you can see Maya and another lady just standing there inside the house doing nothing, just staring at the main characters, as if they have no lines to say or no action to perform at this part of the "show".

[@laurenwedge4360]

also, Dani is supposed to be in her mid-20s, and as these people refer to age as seasons, and 18-36 is summer, she is in the middle of summer. midsummer.

[@illumizoldyck4255]

I mean, I’m pagan and we celebrate midsommar, so that’s probably all it is lmao

[@Erlisch1337]

@@BeAsTMoDE528 wow salty much? and also how is he dumb for being correct?

[@hanagreg]

@@BeAsTMoDE528 Midsommar is on the first day of summer...

[@audirevere]

@@BeAsTMoDE528 AND DO YOUR FUCKING RESEARCH- youre calling GH a dumb fuck when youre the dumb bitch here. Midsummer festival isn't even held in the middle of summer. So stfu❤

[@Tenshii_Artii]

@@audirevere Whoever this is deleted their comments, and i am laughing so hard. What did they do?

[@TSmeowMeow]

"Seduced" and "cheating" are weird ways to pronounce drugged and raped

[@alina81324]

Exactly.

[@Indrea13]

I got SO ridiculously upset when I watched that happen in the film ughhh

[@B00nater]

@@Indrea13 why

[@nhizu]

@@B00nater wdym ‘why’ ???

[@B00nater]

pluto I can’t remember 😖

[@jaegermasters10]

That last scene where she smiled, the sun in the painting was a foreshadowing of that smile.

[@Katie-zf4zz]

omgggggg good point, there wasn't time at the beginning of the film to properly check out the tapestry but the one thing i really noticed was how horrible the smile was

[@Katie-zf4zz]

that smile, that damned smile

[@jaegermasters10]

@@Katie-zf4zz yeah it caught my attention and it reminded me of how weirdly the sun was painted 😂 so I kinda assume that the sun was her especially an early morning sun 🌞 because it symbolizes her rebirth as a new person. Hence the breathing process during that scene towards the end.

[@Katie-zf4zz]

@@jaegermasters10 oh yaaaaas smart!

[@Mygg_Jeager]

@@Katie-zf4zz HAHAHAHAHA

[@indigo92099]

Another detail I noticed: Mark's skinned corpse wasn't just a symbol of the scarecrow. He was resembling 'the fool'. Some members played the game ''skin the fool'' on the meadow, which was foreshadowing his fate. Besides, his corpse wore a fool's cap, just like in the painting in the beginning.

[@markhuebner9509]

any of the corpses qualify as scarecrows here, all being stuffed with hay.

[@hvm5307]

Mark Huebner yeah, but he’s the only one with the fool’s cap

[@markhuebner9509]

@@hvm5307 Right, that's not in question. Just acknowledging there were other scarecrows, and yes, one fool, more apparently focused during the Skin the Fool fol de rol in Sweden. That was more apparent than the earlier prop tease in Dani's apartment, which I missed altogether (& I thought I'd caught most of them after 4 viewings.)

[@jazbarry13]

👍👍👍

[@conordineen5071]

4:03 The scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz was missing a brain, further reinforcing this association with scarecrows and fools

[@8BitKirsty]

from the moment Dani arrives, everyone in Harga treats her like family, they say "welcome home" only to her; also Ingemar's story about how Connie dumped him and started dating Simon sounds pretty much like he chose them to sacrifice out of revenge

[@chuckiswin]

What if her parents where from that group (they fit in with the white and blonde hair). Only because they left or abandoned them they killed them and took back Dani as one of their own. Hence why they said "welcome home".

[@TspyderZ]

I also noticed that the guys of the group were greeted with a handshake and Dani with a warm hug by the elder man when they are first introduced.

[@pupdiogenes2548]

Cults always know who the most vulnerable mark is.

[@emarin2006ftw]

@@chuckiswin damn good catch i wonder if there is a clue in the "sisters" last email.

[@chuckiswin]

@@emarin2006ftw ya it seems fishy. What if the parents forced the oldest daughter to leave the group, like she never wanted to abandon the cult, hence why she was depressed so much and killed herself. Because in this hypothetical she was so mad at her parents maybe she killed her parents. The way the room was rigged up compared to how she done it suggests different motives. I definitely want to watch that scene again and try and read the sisters messages.

[@mipmip1100]

When the dance around the pole took place, everyone bowed down except Dani, which seemed as if they were already bowing down to her: The Queen.

[@DrYugoslavi]

I also noticed that the last two girls kinda bumb into eachother on purpose.

[@nternetrat]

YESS

[@myoss]

You don't say

[@wellthatsfunhuh]

@@myoss YoU dOnT sAy

[@Nnvjdj]

Yes because that's planned In the movie

[@juanpadronjr]

One of my favorite motifs is that Dani was drugged exactly 9 times throughout the film, just like there were 9 sacrifices at the end of the Midsommar festival

[@rivierjojo]

and that it’s held every 90 years

[@theholyokapi]

The numerology isn’t a mistake

[@nemo.refert]

That's because, in norse paganism, the number 9 is sacred and represents completion and the end of cycles, just how Odin spent 9 days hanging from Yggdrasil in order to gain knowledge of the runes and the 18 poems (18 being 9 times 2), or the 9 worlds that comprise the Universe. Also 9 is 3 times 3, and you have the 3 primordial gods (Odin, Vili and Ve), the 3 aettir in the runes, the 3 vanir of Asgard (Njord, Frejr and Freyja), the 3 norns (Urd, Verdandi and Skuld), etc

[@eleanortaylor8332]

@@nemo.refert Good spot! Just to add that all the Hårga's "life cycle" stages are multiples of 9 - up to 18 (2x9) is spring/childhood, up to 36 (4x9) is summer/young adulthood, up to 54 (6x9) is autumn/middle age, and up to 72 (8x9) is winter/old age.

[@alphadelalune3740]

Wait ok so: 1. ativan 2. shroom tea 3. sleeping pill 4. sleeping pill 5. mushroom tea may queen dance what 4 am I missing?

[@nikebauschaum4714]

lol just say menstrual blood, dude. you're not talking about Voldemort

[@SjofnBM1989]

Demonitization

[@volpedo2000]

I noticed a lot of British blokes are uncomfortable talking openly about menstruations [edit: added “blokes”]

[@albgardis]

Have you really never heard of this spell? I have actually used it 20 years ago, and it worked, I am still married to the guy.

[@arkbasik740]

backtothefuture1066 blood is gross?

[@arkbasik740]

backtothefuture1066 Well, I guess it depends on the individual. Just like some people faint when they see blood and some people don't have a problem with it. I don't think it's gross, but I understand that you find it gross.

[@berrycool8334]

I find cult movies more scary then paranormal ones because cults still exist and they do horrifying things all under our noses..

[@dallymoo7816]

Yes but.. paranormal things exist to and do things under your nose as well

[@berrycool8334]

@@dallymoo7816 yah but humans are more scary

[@ElevatorEleven]

@@dallymoo7816 *GHOST BUSTERS THEME SONG*

[@shipsintheknight3]

Paranormal things scare me more because you typically have less control over it. With cult stuff, you have a chance to survive it, and you know that the people are human and therefore can die.

[@Erlisch1337]

@@berrycool8334 humans are just humans, thats not really scary at all.

[@FlannelsFilms]

I think one of the main things that freaked me out the most is how no one except Dani, Connie, and Simon freaked out about the old people jumping from the cliff but the others freak out when there's a pube in Christian's drink

[@mikec4308]

Mark never saw them jump

[@NameName-yj7lp]

I can’t remember but I think it’s the drugs still

[@killachicken7577]

@@jordynevans8082 Mark was taking a nap when the elders jumped. He actually says later to Josh “out of all the things that’s happened, you let me sleep through that?” or something along those lines

[@denisenova7494]

Josh already knew about and it seemed he was excited for it because he wanted to write his thesis about it.

[@ZachDxn]

LMAO

[@veritylaurel194]

At the end when Dani is covered head to toe in flowers with just her face peeking out, she reminds me of Christian in the bear suit.

[@fruitsnack4893]

The same fate, but in different fonts. That or i’m too zooted rn 💀

[@gronizherz3603]

He was covered in death (a literal carcass) and she was covered in life/birth (flowers)

[@jaredsimpson8297]

@@fruitsnack4893 totally off topic and nothing to do with the movie but I love the English slang Zoot. Met some lovely guys from England and we had a hilarious shit fit over our different slangs and colloquialisms

[@thisistheworldtoday]

She was buried into the earth as well....just with flowers... she became inhuman

[@darkdistiller]

@@gronizherz3603 Those flowers are cut. They too will wither and die. The same fate that was of the bear is to the flowers. All are sacrificed. It's more like, death on one hand is draped extrem horror and fear, while the other is masked with beauty and joy. It's almost like the Harga are telling you who is going to hell and who is going to heaven. Christian's death to me seems to symbolise the inescable end. He is paralyzed and unable to stop it. Much like we are powerless to stop our own deaths. Dani, we don't know. I assume she too will die. If this is the case, then her death depicts those that beleive that death is only a continuation of life, and one that you should be happy to move towards. The one that you are promised for the pain you endured in this current one. The one you get as a reward for following the flock.

[@hollysheet3770]

Danni's crown sunflower beats along with her heart when she is crowned May Queen, and beats fast when she sees her parents but the beat slows and amplifies when Pelle kisses her.

[@denisha190]

great detail and good spotting!

[@ym6393]

It looks more like breathing, but yes heartbeat and breath usually change in pace together.

[@onlimess]

Im so glad someone else noticed this!

[@DB69_420]

@@onlimess it was such a beautiful little detail

[@PathodDayshade]

Just finished the movie, I noticed it but had no idea it slowed down when Pelle kisses her

[@RockRendezvousLove]

I was thinking about Dani's trips, when the grass is growing on hands and feet. Maybe it is to show that this is her new home? Like "this is where her roots are now"?

[@emilyislas782]

yeah i thought that too, like she's being "held".

[@tdawgz07]

:0

[@dyingwaffles2512]

Yeah. And where she just spoke in Swedish out of nowhere

[@thenomeatathlete2570]

@@dyingwaffles2512 She doesn't speak Swedish tho, both girls are just mumbling jibberish at the end of the Maypole dancing. Maybe it's Ari's way of saying they don't need common language to communicate?

[@annikamundy9619]

They did say they “were sisters now!”

[@Ezra.Sylas1822]

Strongly disagree that Dani was better off with the cult. Christian and Dani's relationship was toxic, yes, but that doesnt make it good he ended up being burned alive. The Hargas preyed upon her trauma and vulnerability which is what cults do. Her smile at the end looked more like a nervous breakdown than a happy smile to me.

[@alyssahlouise2]

I also think she's a victim of stockholm syndrome.

[@CoastPropertyBuyers]

Yes, I agree it wasn’t a smile out of relief or happiness it was a concerning smile and ‘oh no what am I involved in and what’s next?’

[@dmtrspen]

Exactly. It looks like a “Could things get any worse?” Type of smile. A smile of a pure exhaustion and giving in to the pressure

[@BladeDoomer86]

This movie stayed with me for days... Not a good feeling, at all. Like Hereditary, it leaves you with an awful feeling and yet i wanna know more about it lol like drugs...

[@asiginaakmiigwaan9200]

I have anxiety problems, and I love horror and suspense, not a good mix lol but hereditary did stay with me for a while... I could not sleep in the dark. I kept thinking about the moms body floating at the end...

[@BladeDoomer86]

@@asiginaakmiigwaan9200 i have this theory that Ari made this film as an hommage to the devil or something lmao that ending! Felt like a real cult ceremony to me....

[@BladeDoomer86]

@SlvdgeDvb 616UKMy whole dumb Devil theory was meant for Hereditary.. I just have too much imagination

[@asiginaakmiigwaan9200]

@@BladeDoomer86 not sure if there's a cult irl, but the cult was trying to "summon" paimon. It's been a while since I read about it, but I think paimon gives riches too his cult or followers. The grandma is the one that had a hand in everything that happened in the movie, along with the other followers of paimon

[@asiginaakmiigwaan9200]

@@BladeDoomer86 so yes it was a cult, but a cult for the demon paimon, not the actual devil or Satan

[@shaneamorverwey2798]

Why is nobody talking about the amazing camera work within the film?? How the camera moves and how people are filmed also play a big role in how we interpret the movie.

[@marionbusby3167]

Its all about the perception of detail. Absolutely loved how powerful this camera crew view was.

[@trixstermillion2190]

Yeah. They should come up with a word for this, a nice, big technical term, something like "cinematography".

[@AllieAndPeach]

YES! When I saw the scene at 07:58 I knew I was in for a treat! Several times where they only film one direction but manages to build up the sense of space BEHIND the camera. I wonder if it's related to the trope of having someone scary behind you

[@sebastianfjorn]

​@@trixstermillion2190 i died, mvp

[@coronelsakura2841]

Because we take it for granted and just don't care.

[@john-ui5ee]

christian was constantly shown in mirrors, which resembles how he is self absorbed

[@heavyspoilers]

Nice spot

[@UmmFulaana]

Damn, how did you spot that so well.

[@CHANELLEPLAYS]

Yes!!

[@jaegermasters10]

A true Narcissus embodiment. I like it.

[@HolyCreamPuffs]

I think it shows how indirect he is. Like he can’t just be direct and break up with Dani

[@raoulthompson]

Her sisters face in the trees is so haunting. I can't believe I missed it and yet when you know to look for it it's so shockingly apparent.

[@motherofshite3142]

Her sister scared tf out of me, just the pipe taped to her mouth and the whole scene

[@agent57]

I noticed the face on the first viewing, but not that it echoed her sister with the tube taped to her face.

[@gringeroid]

Dani’s embrace of paganism leads to the death of “Christian”

[@austincde]

That went right over my head, despite me squeezing all my braincells thinking "He's called Christian and not Chris for a reason"

[@colleenoconnor4099]

Oooo thats a really good point

[@Ryano966]

Dude....

[@violetinthesun1756]

🤯

[@sedi2066]

I kept trying to figure out why I felt his name being Christian had significance...I was fully aware of the paganism and somehow didnt reach that conclusion, 😩

[@Inkspeckle]

I think the cult is much more sinister than most reviewers seem to have thought it is? A lot of people interpreted the ending as Dani freeing herself from her past (her dead family, her broken relationship) and "blooming" in the supportive hagar (even despite the whole, yknow, murder and human sacrifice). But I think it's much darker than that, and I don't think this is a happy ending for dani. For one, the foreshadowing with the pied piper (Pelle) leading the group to the hagar implies that where they are led is a bad place to be. She is constantly being surrounded by members of the cult and if you pay attention you can see that they actively work to isolate her from her friends. They lead her away for dances and ceremonies, and they make a point of making her feel warm and welcome, whereas the others are treated allright but not as doted on as Dani. This is known as "love bombing" in real life cult research and an almost universal tactic by cults to lure new members in. They bind them to the group, while simultaneously cutting off the target's contact to their family and friends. She is also repeatedly drugged in the film, a tactic similarly used in cults to make the person more vulnerable and susceptible to their indoctrination. Flowers (which are tied to the cult) grow from her body, which to me is a sign of the cult getting "under her skin" and slowly taking her over. They play up the "happy family" around her, hiding the more sinister stuff that goes on behind closed doors. For example, the women cry with her when she witnesses christian with maya, but they were also the ones who encouraged the act to happen in the first place. They may even have wanted her to witness it to further drive her and christian apart. They don't go into detail about the inbred "oracles" (another hint that the cult practices are not as wholesome as they want her to believe), and leave her in the dark about the more gruesome aspects. When something does go wrong (the elder surviving his jump) they are quick to reassure her that this is "what he wanted" although we can clearly see him in agony, and his expression is terrified. They likely know how volatile she is from Pele, who witnessed her family tragedy and knows of the relationship troubles with her and christian, making her a great target. By the time the may queen dance happens, she has almost no one of her home life left with her. Most of them are disappeared (dead), and the only one still left is christian who cheated on her. My theory is they *let her* win the dance. She would feel special and powerful after being alone and vulnurable for so long, but more importantly her choosing Christian as the final sacrifice smacks of a test to me, as if they wanted to see if they had succeeded in driving her away from her old life. The face of her sister in the trees when shes carried by the hagar also makes me think this is her trying to run from her past, rather than process it properly, and it still haunts her. Instead of freeing herself from her demons she has gone from one way to repress it (medication, clinging to a failing relationship) to another (letting the hagar take hold of her and aid her in repressing the past). In the end she is covered in a mound of flowers, with only the head sticking out, which someone mentioned mirror's christian in his bear suit. I also don't think she looks free and powerful; she looks like she can barely move, like she's buried in flowers. I think this is a sign that the cult has succeeded in taking hold of her and succeeded in their indoctrination. It's an unusual movie in that we witness cult indoctrination from the perspective of the victim, whereas usually we have a more outside view that makes he sinister parts of the cult more obvious. Unsettling to think how many people seem to have come out of this movie viewing the hagar as the "better option" despite all theyve done. Like the cult tactics worked on the audience too.

[@abysswatcher4907]

One of the best analyses I've read for this movie, great job!

[@pausechampionship]

Fantastic comment!

[@newalbumoutno]

Damn

[@irene_f.]

I think Pelle will take good care of Dani. The part that I feel is sad and wrong is that Dani did not have a say to "choose" this or not. Her smile is because she "lost herself & her cheese slipped off her cracker" if what I read elsewhere was the film writer's point. I'm not saying a cult is a good thing - it definitely is not. Pelle was very smooth, none of them suspecting a thing. Truthfully, their own casual drug use and blind trust worked against them.

[@Inkspeckle]

@@irene_f. I honestly dont believe Pelle, or any of the cult people, are "good" for Dani. Best case scenario, Pelle is just as indoctrinated as Dani and honestly believes what he is doing - in which case he's still complicit in the cult's racist, eugenicist, murderous and abusive practices. Good intent does not excuse abusive action. Also, considering the whole plot about Maia (redhead girl who sleeps with Christian) monogamous relationships do not seem to be a part of the cult's ideology. Even if he has feelings for Dani, the relationships within the cult are controlled by the elders. Wether or not he'd be a good partner for Dani is redundant. That aside, I don't think anyone who knowlingly leads their supposed "friends" into a situation like this, as well as directly contribute to Dani's full-on indoctrination, could be "good" for her. The cult *all* pretend that they could take good care of her. The point is that they're lying convincingly.

[@ModernDayMalice]

Worth adding that everyone killed, is done so to represent how they mistreated the community. Josh seeks knowledge that he is not permitted to know, and therefore is beaten over the head. Simon mocks the elders ritual cliff jump, where they are depicted as angels in the opening mural, so the community treat him to a blood eagle, by stringing his lungs from behind his back to represent the wings of an angel. Finally, the movie has a line of foreshadowing saying the children play a game known as ‘skin the fool’. Of course Mark, who shows little understanding of the culture and is widely oblivious to how offensive his actions are, is ultimately skinned and stuffed with hay. That’s all I could add to this list at this time

[@Dudestoryofmylife]

Lucas Shaw but what about Connie

[@ModernDayMalice]

Madalyn Stimac she tried to run away, and we later see her feet buried in the ground. Pretty visually represented that they didn’t appreciate her trying to put her feet to the ground running

[@MaximumVolume1000]

I think they played "skin the fool" not "soon the fool", but lmk if it is otherwise!

[@ModernDayMalice]

jom haha yes sorry. Autocorrect mistake

[@osculum.madmoiselle]

Also, they stuffed Josh's mouth with paper, maybe from the book he was trying to read when they caught him?

[@garethroberts2099]

interesting, when Josh goes to sleep in his sneakers [new balance] the camera focuses a little too long on his lower legs in shoes, the next time we see [one of] his legs it is feet-up in the herb patch with a rune on the sole. i don't know if the New balance N and the rune similarity is deliberate, but that made me chuckle. Also the fact he was 'digging too deep' about the cults' traditions and ended up dug in pretty deep himself!

[@dylana.9057]

The cult loves tragic irony . Depending on the individual, they will give the characters the fitting death in their eyes. They were the masters of this place & Dani and her friends were not only outsiders but prisoners . Easy to come in , impossible to leave

[@nternetrat]

HA wow!!!

[@Obscurika]

It appeared to be a reference to the "Heavens Gate" cult suicide. with blankets and sneakers.

[@jackieOAT]

I thought it meant he was disrespectful to their culture and 'hospitality'...who sleeps with their shoes on in stranger's bed?

[@britmod7919]

I took him wearing his shoes as a way of him planning to sneak out and take the pics of the ancient texts... Would anyone really remove their shoes if they intented to be quiet? Trying to put them on in the dark would get him discovered imo

[@313tennessee4]

I’m rewatching it now and noticed that when they all get to the site for the first time, the older guy, who pelle introduced to everyone, hugged only dani. It seemed like he already knew too that she would become the flower queen. Crazy!

[@kirstensoli-castile9096]

Yo, he not only hugs her, he also says “Welcome home.”

[@DomeLP09]

You can see it every time when the group gets introduced, it is very subtile. Everyone gives Dani a different kind of attention than the others. The way they make eye contact with her etc. You can see right away that Dani is "important" to them.

[@chuckiswin]

@@kirstensoli-castile9096 he says welcome home?? Wtf. You don't think Dani's parents were originally from there and left? Maybe even the sister depending if she's older. Edit: her parents also match the whole white hair/ blonde theme so it lines up.

[@karga23]

And most probably, in the dance contest, the other girls lost intentionally so that Dani would be the may queen.

[@annab4931]

It's because she's the only one of the group that fits their white supremacist breeding standards; attractive, white, blonde and blue eyed. That's why everyone treats her differently, and that's the real reason the others are killed. It's crazy how many people don't realise that they are a white supremacist group; there are a few videos which do point it out though

[@simoneskerritt1756]

“Womanly blood” “I’ll leave that up to the imagination” lol dude there was a mural 5 seconds ago of a girl bleeding into a cup it’s already graphic just say menstrual blood and be done with it

[@brunandre]

Yes! Menstrual blood it’s just the scientific name. It shouldn’t be “graphic” .

[@falcunt]

Thank you!

[@anjaschmitz4905]

If this is menstrual blood it wouldn't be possible to have gotten her pregnant...however this rite is about impregnating her...alhtough...they keep that blood refigerated somewhere...

[@kenrengao4633]

Take in the fact that KZbin is his only source of income and the fact that you can get demonitized for everything these days, notice how there's no ads I wonder why?

[@foxglove65]

@@anjaschmitz4905That's a fantastic point.

[@Liliana-qi8rw]

This movie has the most realistic mushrooms visuals.

[@mady6929]

IKR? Especially during the maypole dance scene, when one of the women walked over to Christian to give him the tea, and she sat down unsteadily with a thump and said sorry, most realistic depiction of doin anything on truffles 😂

[@stoopkid6]

Thought the same thing!

[@NickHunter]

Yep, everything just not quite staying still lol

[@jasminewilliams8944]

So true!! Especially the way the patterns move and how the faces morph!!

[@paake3134]

If that's how things look like in shrooms, i wanna try.

[@darielaalejandra378]

I also noticed how death is portrayed with the color yellow. The temple, the yellow shirt Dani’s sister wears, the yellow pillows her parents have, even the yellow candle on dani’s birthday cake. Kinda foreshadows a bit

[@louisianaboyjames2660]

I swear Simon and Connie were the only characters that had common sense.

[@rockthebarbies]

In a deleted scene Danny wanted to leave early on as well but Christian said she could go and he would stay. Fearing for her relationship she stays

[@louisianaboyjames2660]

@@rockthebarbies Yeah. That dude had narcissistic traits. Who would take her home then?

[@davidortiz3094]

The boyfriend pissed me off the most in this movie

[@hannahabibah9883]

Christian and his friends were doing a thesis in anthropology. Maybe that's why they choose to stay. It's their subject.

[@SirMoeThe2nd]

Kinda agree. But then again them freaking out after the elders jumped wasn't the smartest thing to do, even if they couldn't help it. We know they were likely to be sacrificed at this point in the movie, but they didn't and freaking out like that would only concern the Hargas. Like admitting to witnessing a mob hit, the pagans could be like "oh shit they're gon' snitch!" Its probably why they got killed first, because they presented the most resistance. Keep your cool, plan your escape immediately, then head to the Winchester.

[@wonderlandartwork3579]

you missed one! The yellow building represents the alchemical symbol for fire, which is a same-sided upwards triangle. put a line through that you get air, reverse them and you get water and earth respectively

[@heavyspoilers]

Nice! Thank you

[@stripedhoneybee1990]

The Character of Mark, who was skinned, was skinned by the guy who was angry with him for peeing on the ancestral tree. The same guy then wore his skin to kill Josh. Mark also asks in the beginning, when they arrive at the festival, what game are the kids playing and the one of the Harga members says its a game called Skin the Fool, which Mark was deemed, as you see his body adorned with the Jester's hat when his remains are burned. Further to this, the flowers when Dani becomes May Queen, breathe with her or match her breathing, to say that she has become nature and thus the Harga, who believe in nature as a whole. The theme of nature is throughout the movie as Dani sees grass growing out of her hand at the beginning and out of her feet just before the dance, basically indicating it was her destiny to join the Harga.

[@stripedhoneybee1990]

@Bridget Duggan Nah, it was Ulf that guy who was about staring at him through the feast, still pissed about the tree. The Inbred oracle was on the sidelines.

[@uncleulysses2328]

@@stripedhoneybee1990 he didn’t kill josh tho he distracted him while josh was hit from behind

[@luisdanielenator]

My favorite detail in the movie is that, in almost EVERY SHOT, there's a triangle in the center, once you spot it, is very hard to miss, sometimes is very clear others, very subtle. It can get very eerie at times.....

[@ashton5420]

Omg wow I didn't notice, awesome!

[@savy19]

can you give me an example cause im not seeing any

[@WiezAnims]

@@savy19 the most obvious ones are the triangle building in alot of the supper and outside scenes. The shot of Christian in the bear has a slight one as well as Dani in her flower getup at the end of the movie. One of the most subtle ones is the bear painting and the ends of the bed Dani is sleeping in at the beginning make a triangle shape. There are alot of others but those are the ones I saw

[@ashton5420]

@@savy19 2:34 there's a yellow triangle in the back, 4:28 there's a triangle shed/house in the back, 8:58 the yellow hut again. This is all I pointed out quickly skipping through, however there's LOADS in the film!

[@lana_2218]

@@savy19 when Dani goes to bless the crops and the girls place the meat, egg etc and soil over it, the girl who places the soil pats it down while making a triangle symbol with her hands.

[@MARTINSCORSEXY]

the scariest part was how you couldn't say period blood aloud like an adult.

[@TheSinatra]

No one cares

[@henkgerritsen1444]

blame youtube for that...with their bumb wordpolicing

[@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494]

@@henkgerritsen1444 Thankyou - whether it was intentional or not - for giving me a new word: "bumb". I genuinely like it. ;-)

[@henkgerritsen1444]

@@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494 haha it was an error, but glad you liked it

[@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494]

@@henkgerritsen1444 Don't edit it, please. The perfect marriage of "bum" and "dumb". :-D

[@ryanm2821]

I found it so interesting and strange when during the spinning dance Dani realized she could speak and understand their language.

[@emma-xt5iy]

Ryan M I think she was just high off her ass

[@ryanm2821]

@@emma-xt5iy that's definitely possible haha.

[@funkerdoo]

they weren’t speaking normal language, was just an effect of the trip

[@tylerhunsaker4102]

Ryan M after reading the script it says they were speaking gibberish but were able to understand each other because of the trip they were experiencing.

[@ryanm2821]

@@tylerhunsaker4102 still supernatural if they were both actually able to understand each other while speaking gibberish tripping out or not. unless she was just hallucinating that interaction.

[@mrboyqc]

About the crown of flowers with the photo of Dani on her parents Nightstand, made me full conspirationnist, and led to the theory that maybe Pelle killed Dani's family to lure her to the village. During Dani's first call with Chris, she mentions that even he thought that her last email didn't sound like her usual self, as if she was already dead and someone else wrote it in her stead. He's the only one who seems knowledgeable about her parents death, and seems more excited about her coming to sweden than any of the others. When they get off the plane and see girls on the sidewalk Mark ask why all the girls here are hot. Josh answer that's because vikings brought them back here by force in the middle age. Since the times changed they now rely on guile instead to bring back women to the village to reduce inbreeding. When we meet his friend Ingemar and the english couple, Connie and simon, he says that he dated her first and she corrects him even saying she didn't know they were on a date when it happened, giving a hint that maybe he was also trying to bring back a breeder to the village and failed since she chose another partner. When she is crowned the May Queen he gives her a deep kiss, as if he takes for granted that she is now his, or at least promised to him. When they choose the villagers for the sacrifice, Pelle is seen with a crown while an Elder congratulate him for his clairvoyance, as if he did the necessary to bring someone who would stay there after the festival (Killing her entire family and pitting her against Christian so she has no reason to go back). His friend Ingemar volunteers himself as sacrifice, since he failed to have connie join the village as her mate. I'll have to watch it again to see if it really makes sense though, but it could hold up.

[@heavyspoilers]

Really good comment, yeah you’re right Pelle could be behind it all

[@melodys9188]

b r u h

[@vloggetts]

holy shit, I always thought it was weird how the pipe was taped to her mouth, seemed kinda staged

[@memawknowsbest4978]

@@vloggetts And there is vomit all down the front of her shirt, which couldn't have happened after the hose was taped in place. But vomiting is not unusual after ingesting some types of hallucinogens, like the ones everyone takes in the village.

[@dallymoo7816]

hmm i though dani got to chose who was killed between them

[@lukestardom8892]

Simon - AIR (kept in the air with lungs released) Connie - WATER (being drowned) Josh - EARTH (buried towards the earth, legs up) Christian - FIRE 4 newcomers are sacrificed for the elements to be supportive of the village. Mark - JESTER Stuffed like a puppet with a jester's cap symbolizing him acting without any reflection. Because he doesn't have any sense of consequences (pissing on the tree), so he can be used as a puppet - so they wear his skin, his image; he is empty nonetheless.

[@unmeaninglessly143]

Wait. Connie was drowned??

[@coalblooded]

​@@unmeaninglessly143 We don't see it, but we see her body in the wheelbarrow at the end wearing the tree-suit thing shown in the Director's Cut.

[@papasmurf7920]

very interesting observation

[@ChristopherCaldwell72]

Best symbolic connections aside from what was mentioned in the video. Thank you. That really enhances it for me

[@arkansasamber5965]

Florence Pugh got an Oscar nom for Little Women, but not for this? Same as Toni Collette in Hereditary.

[@heavyspoilers]

Yeah agreed, Toni Collette was INCREDIBLE in hereditary

[@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494]

@@heavyspoilers Ikr? Stands to reason you should award a woman who can crawl-swim across a ceiling like that.

[@RosieSquall]

Toni Collette was robbed. She deserved a fucking Oscar for that movie.

[@tarunl41291]

You forgot 'fighting with my family'. But this movie atleast deserved one nomination

[@nazarisreyes6037]

The Oscars usually don't appreciate horror movies, they considerate it a "silly genre"

[@sonhoinapagavel]

men: talks about people being stuffed alive into a bear carcass but can’t say “menstrual blood”

[@HyderAli-xe6ff]

agreed. but not all men. This particular man.

[@hiimjustin8826]

deal with it

[@lingonberriesofwrath1836]

I'm pretty sure he doesn't have any problem saying it. It's the Moral Police he's trying to avoid battling.

[@empty-sky]

@@lingonberriesofwrath1836 out of everything in this film it's the mere mention of period blood they'd have an issue with??

[@lingonberriesofwrath1836]

@@empty-sky Well, this video is not the movie, so I don't see your point. It's a video analyzing the actual movie, if you haven't noticed. About the period stuff, who knows. The Moral Police is a fickle bunch, so better safe than sorry.

[@jvaz777]

Ari's film proves that u dont always need "black colors" to represent horror

[@connie_83]

The colors make it even scarier tbh. Such a dark concept with bright unnatural colors. I honestly love it when they make use of colors in these types of movies.

[@NameName-yj7lp]

@@connie_83 I know right! The part where they are being burned ALIVE is full of blues and greens. The sounds of them screaming is placed with a bright sky and flowers. The light seems bright happy and excited. Lights casting upon madness is insane

[@LtSoap]

And no jumpscares

[@FemboyBlake]

This is like the white chocolate of horror movies.

[@momoneymoproblemz]

Yeah I feel it was done on purpose to keep our guard down and make the cool cult look more appealing. It hides the fact that they’re a bunch of murdering psychopaths and just want to be Dani’s creepy family

[@meadow_nymph]

One thing I noticed after reading some comments: A lot of people have pointed out that the narrative and ending aren't Dani feeling more accepted into her new, better family, but rather being manipulated into the cult and her smile at the end being one of defeat/brokenness, rather than joy. If this is the case, perhaps the clothes from the cult "fitting better" can actually be interpreted as being tighter and thus more restrictive, as compared to her more loosely fitting clothes from before, which would have allowed her to "move more freely" In a sense. Maybe this could represent her leaving behind her old life where she had free will and entering her destiny to be the May Queen where she is sort of locked into or restricted in.

[@OddlyElly]

Excellent observation. I think you are spot on.

[@mostlyysorryy]

Omg smart

[@dannandaeterra]

Things I noticed: 1. In the painting from the beginning of the movie, the girl that depicts Dani has on a pink shirt and blue skirt. Dani wears a pink shirt and blue pants during her first day in Sweden. 2. In the painting it shows the group being led by someone playing the flute. When the group is being led through the woods into the commune the musical score is nothing but flutes that some community members are playing. 3. Dani does that sharp breathing thing that we see community members do when she blows out the candle on her birthday cake. 4. When Dani asks Pelle what happens when people turn 74 (72? forgot the age) he does the throat cutting gesture, pretty much flat out telling her that they die.

[@heavyspoilers]

really good spot

[@schuylercannon2365]

Another thing I noticed, in the directors cut, on the road trip to the Harga, there's a cut scene of everyone talking in the car, however, whenever Christian, Josh, Pelle, and Mark speak, the camera always finds a way to cover up Dani, by hiding her behind a car seat or another person. I believe that this is to represent that she is the shut out and outcast of the group.

[@lutze5086]

It isn't some abstract representation 😂 you should already know she's an openly resented outsider to their group

[@CC-si3cr]

Uh, she was shown as an outsider, interloper, and unwanted guest @ the beginning of the movie. No one liked her when they were talking in the pizza shop. No one wanted her around when they were hanging out in Christian's apt. The director's cut did not give us any new information.

[@foxygrin]

No, but still a fun way to show it

[@BlookyBot101]

One thing that really bugs me about many interpretations of this film is the idea that Christian 'cheats' on Dani. Don't get me wrong, he's a gaslighting, manipulative bastard, but in this scene he was drugged. When people in a relationship get drugged against their will and have sex it's not considered cheating, it's considered non-con. They are seen as victims, taken advantage of by the person who is sober. To say Christian cheated is not fair because he was not sober. He did not have any bearings (pun not intended) on what was happening, and was most likely fearful of the Hårga if he didn't do as they said. I only mention this because it's a really dangerous mentality to have. Just because he's a dude doesn't mean he wasn't the victim here. However, I understand there's the idea that Christian could've backed out, no one was stopping him, but again, the idea of fear, and his drug induced state comes into play here. I guess what I want to say is it's not as simple as Christian cheating. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk. Also on a completely different note, I wouldn't say that the metaphors show how she belongs with the Hårga. She's essentially moving from one toxic, dependant relationship, to another, whether it be Christian, or the Hårga. Dani being adopted into this new community ISN'T A GOOD THING.

[@rayres1074]

How exactly is he a gaslighting, manipulative bastard towards Dani? He's certainly not a good boyfriend, and after he decides to steal Josh's PhD I would argue he's not a particularly good person either, but he doesn't act in a genuinely toxic behaviour towards Dani. In the beginning where he dismisses her sister's suicide threats it proved not to be the best thing but that could be more attributed to ignorance of mental issues and anecdotal stupidity (i.e. "she always does this; this time it's no different") than genuinely being a bastard. He clearly wants out with Dani but he doesn't because he understands his position and importance as an emotional clutch despite being probably drained out by Dani's (apparently) constant unloading, and obviously he wouldn't break up with her after her entire family died. It's easy to say "oh he could've been more sympathetic" when you're not in a situation where for over a year your SO has been almost burdensome to you (his friends even point out how he's given his PhD little thought because of Dani, which clearly pinpoints he did care for her and she required a lot of attention). Now if you were to say he was a dickhead on the whole "I'm going to Sweden" scene I can't argue otherwise, especially considering that was probably just after Dani's parents died, but I can totally see a stressed person being a jerk at that situation, almost bursting out in (passive) frustration. Christian's a human, he's flawed, and he fucks up, as he did by being overly sensitive about Dani's enquiries over the Sweden trip. He does invite her in the end anyway, so it's not like he doesn't care for her outrage or anything. In the beginnings of the Midsommar event he was reasonably empathetic towards her (pointing she doesn't need to be peer-pressured by Mark to drink the psychedelic thing and offering to wait along her), and during Midsommar he became more and more... of a cunt, really. Obsessed with the Hagar. Still, I'm looking for a moment where he is a GASLIGHTER or a MANIPULATIVE BASTARD (rather than perhaps insensitive or a swindler [for stealing his friend's PhD thesis]). He's certainly not the type of support Dani needs (and perhaps deserve, but we don't really know her that much to tell whether she's nice or not as all we know from her is her life is absolutely shitty), but he's not a cruel toxic monster as so many people are trying to pinpoint.

[@BlookyBot101]

@@rayres1074 Wikipedia says "Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which a person or a group covertly sows seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or group, making them question their own memory, perception, or judgment". With that being said, I think he's a gaslighting, manipulative bastard mainly because when Dani gets upset that he kept going to Sweden from her, he manipulated her into apologising instead when it wasn't her fault, making her question her perception and judgement. And because gaslighting is a form of manipulation I've shown how he's manipulative too. Also, you don't have to actively be doing it on purpose to gaslight. Gaslighting can be accidental. Sure he's been through stressful shit but that doesn't take away from the fact that he made Dani feel like she was in the wrong for something she's completely justified for being mad about. But go off I guess. xD

[@bellamarkarian222]

i agree 100%. Even though i’m sure no one liked Christian because he was a bad person/boyfriend, that doesn’t make it okay that he was essentially raped.

[@rayres1074]

@@BlookyBot101 I agree with you at that particular instance he gaslighted her. But that's the only moment of the movie he behaves as such. To classify him as a 'gaslighter' or a 'manipulator' because of exceptionally nasty behaviours isn't really fair. One action doesn't represent the person as a whole. Throughout the movie it is shown that Christian tries to comfort her. Heck, he even goes as far as challenging his friends twice by a. inviting her to Sweden and b. asking for everyone to wait for Dani in the 'initiation mushroom experience' and explaining to her she doesn't need to be peer-pressured by them. If anything that seems the opposite of a 'gaslighting' behaviour.

[@BlookyBot101]

@@rayres1074 okay that's fair. I understand more now. I appreciate the clarification because I was talking about how we shouldn't label Christian as a cheater because it's inaccurate meanwhile I'm also using inaccurate terms. However I still stand by the fact that he's a bit of a tool and that it's unfair to label him as a cheater when he was in fact drugged and no longer had an ability to consent. Thanks for enlightening me dude

[@ChristopherBroomeBalt]

One of my favorite touches not in this video: the two villagers sacrificed during the ceremony were heavily suggested to be the ones who murdered the other outsiders. I imagine that way, even if the authorities caught wind of what happened they wouldn't be able to arrest anyone.

[@Inkspeckle]

On a side note, there is a hint the cult's practices may even be bogus and not as ancient as they want us to think. If you look at the scene where Josh has his notebook open, you can tell that he has some serious doubts about the runic language they use, noticing it doesn't add up with actual documents from ancient nordic culture. Its hard to read some of the words, but he is clearly confused by the discrepancies. That would also explain why the elder doesnt want him to examine the sacred book more closely, and he is killed when he tries to do so anyway. They seem worried he's going to uncover how fake the whole operation really is.

[@felix-xd4mx]

that's how it is with cults. christian cults isn't based on bible. same with islam, there are weird cults that isn't in line with the koran. just takes some aspects of them and made up most of it and force everyone to believe the bogus

[@BenVelebir]

Other possible examples of the newness of the cult is the use of the term "May Queen" which is actually British terminology from the 1500s to do with May Day. Their money implied to mostly cone from the powerplant mentioned near the start of the film, this could indicate it had to be built first to sustain the commune. Similarly the out of place bingo-style sacrifice selection process clearly inspired by powerball is a far-cry from ancient ritual.

[@virtualcynical8515]

I read an interesting theory that the Cult was actually formed in the 1940's around WW2. The Cult has alot of Ties to Neo-Nazi-ism. They use the Runes associated with Nordic White-Supremecy, the Opening Banner to their Compound has an Anti-Immigrant Slogan, the Untranslated Swedish throughout the film has them Talk unfavourably about the Tourists who are People of Colour, ect. There's a real chance that the Cult was formed because Sweden kind of Aided the Nazi's in the war and the "Elders" in the Cult were Salty that they lost

[@Dtitus25]

I’m the directors cut it shows the scene where the child is supposedly going to be drowned as ritual. When we see connies body in the wheel barrel at the end she looks bloated and water logged as though she’d been drowned. I realized that Each of the sacrifices represent an element after this. Connie- water (drowned) Simon- air (cut open with his lungs exposed, mark- earth (stuffed with hay), and cristian - Fire (burned alive)

[@ken.thecanadian]

Josh's leg was also sticking out of the dirt. Maybe that's another Earth one?

[@jacobpearce2881]

I’m not sure about Simon, though. That was a ritual known as the Blood Eagle, and it was supposed to represent bravery. A Viking man who was “blood eagled” was directly sent to Valhalla if he didn’t scream, symbolizing his bravery. Likewise, this dude was either A: brave enough to resist during the first ritual, or B: cowardly enough to be offended and scream during the first ritual. Idk which though

[@gronizherz3603]

@@jacobpearce2881 One wouldn't be blood eagled simply as a sacrifice or "normal" occurance, it was to exact harsh vengeance or such against someone who had wronged excessively - for instance the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok blood eagled the king who had put their father to death. If he had gone through his punishment without showing his pain he would have been redeemed (but still obviously dead). If anything I think Mark should have received that rather than Simon though.

[@richarda.d.9745]

You definitely make a huge point here & an awesome observation. The only exception being that Mark is 'Fire' - stuffed w/ hay so he is completely hollow & nothing but flame once ignited. Josh was 'Earth' as he was buried in the flower bed before the sacrifice (they made a point to shown that when Christian was running around naked). You're dead on w/ Connie & Simon (although traditionally a Blood Eagle was never used in ritual sacrifice, but we'll let that slide for the narrative of the movie). These were counterbalanced by 4 members of the cult. But Christian was his own thing entirely onto himself as the centerpiece of the sacrifice. He was to cleans all of their "affect," so he wouldn't have been included in the 4 elements. Still, good catch!

[@Dtitus25]

Richard A.D. for sure! I agree 100% that makes perfect sense!

[@srosemyers11]

This was the first breakdown that had completely different info than other channels. I love it

[@heavyspoilers]

Thank you

[@srosemyers11]

@@heavyspoilers you're most welcome. I really enjoy your channel.

[@kaiachap3154]

On danis flowerctown there’s a single flower that you can see pulsating open and close that’s really easy to miss but it pulses slower in calmer scenes for her and faster in more exciting moments for Dani so it’s kind of mimicking or representing her heartbeat

[@Lee935]

I noticed the pulsing flower and had to rewind.

[@papasmurf7920]

i noticed that as well, it seemed as if the flowers were becoming a part of her.

[@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

Midsommar is one of those films that you just can't fully comprehend after watching it one time

[@heavyspoilers]

Yeah it has so much going on, I really don’t even think this is half of the stuff going on in it

[@corrwhattt]

for me it was. you just really have to deeply look at the details and understand the ending deeply.

[@forastero54321]

Honestly, this movie looks very boring for me.

[@jaymtl79]

@@forastero54321 its absolute trash. 3 hours of NOTHING

[@corrwhattt]

@@jaymtl79 I'm questioning if you even have seen it, because the movie isn't even over 2rs and 15 minutes

[@revangellthe1st522]

One aspect no one seems to point out is how the old woman leaps on a cross like shape propeling her head forward as in a feminine symbol (a downward cross) and the old man leaps feet first with his arms slightly opened as in an arrow position (masculine) breaking his legs in the process but not dying. This was expected by the comunity ence the hammer to finish him off. Just a cool little detail I noticed.

[@bellamarkarian222]

Wow!! I’ve never noticed that before. Great comment/detail

[@brukernavn3409]

I think they only had the hammer in case someone didn't die immediately.

[@katieb.3556]

i think that was intentional as well, especially when they had three designated people each take a swing at his head

[@samiam1494]

Does anyone else notice the flowers "breathing" ??? The one on dani's crown in the end and then the girl that seduces Christian

[@heavyspoilers]

Yeah so creepy

[@dantebest8]

This is a depiction of psychedelic drugs they are on at that moment. In all the scenes where the group (or person) has taken psychedelics, you notice subtle ''breathing'' of allmost everything. Its really well done, cause it can really look like everything is breathing when you are on psychedelics.

[@warlockwaifu]

Yes, it's because of the drugs. It's quite realistic compared to how most movies depict psychedelics.

[@abagegael]

so mark saying the tree was breathing was actually a foreshadowing.....

[@donniev8181]

Thats what it looks like when you're on mushrooms

[@kevinl4687]

You hear connie's death scream 3 times from 3 different perspectives, all in a row. By Josh in the Temple. By Dani in the kitchen. By Mark in front of the fire temple.

[@さいら-t6q]

Didn't notice that

[@juliehandy7212]

Indeed. Mark actually rubs his spine as if a chill went up it when he hears it.

[@giaiaspirit]

we went to look for it, and hot damn!

[@IRosamelia]

I just went back to see, and yes, I can't believe I didn't notice before :o

[@alicemartin3275]

OH, I thought it was Maya cutting her own clit for the spell.

[@awsomelyrandom24]

Anyone else noticed the first time they came to the village, the old guy greeted everyone but said "Welcome Back" to Dani?

[@ameliah.6121]

Actually, I believe he said "welcome home", which was a foreshadowing of the Hårga being Dani's new home

[@elgatonegro1703]

I tried to google the clip, since I don’t recall the details of the scene, so I could tell you for sure what he said but I got a thousand listicles about midsommar traditions, Aster’s inspirations, and depressingly, whether the commune and cult are real :(. Any chance one of you has a clip, or the text of the exchange? I’m inclined to go with Amelia here though; ‘välkommen hem’ is way more subtle than ‘välkommen åter’. If it’s the former, this barely registers as symbolic in the moment, since it’s exactly the type of greeting you’d expect a hippie commune to use.

[@czecko1809]

0:37:30-0:37:43: peles dad just says „hello“ to mark and josh. He then says „welcome“ to danis boyfriend which could indicate that He is ought to take a similar position as dani later in the movie. Amelia is right, he indeed says „welcome home“ to dani.😊And „we are so very happy to have you...“ afterwards which is Directed to dani first. This could also indicate that they wanted her as the may queen all along. I would say that a hierarchy can definitely be seen among the guests. Just watched the Movie on itunes thats why i could Look up the Time stamps 😆

[@Hokuto_Tongi]

Amelia H. Whatever he said; Dani now gets to live the good life up to the ripe age of 72.

[@Gulasdelsur]

Yeah but Dani’s character reacts to this directly on camera. That’s actual plot not simbolism.

[@milkcherry5191]

great video but i really don’t like the framing of this movie as “dani finds a new family” “dani fits in here”... it’s about a cult, lovebombing, manipulation, gaslighting, indoctrination. this is not dani’s new family, this is dani losing her sense of self :/

[@lindzs7619]

There was the same widespread interpretation with The Witch, the movie involving the goat. It was a supernatural horror film and it was even more obvious in that movie that the female protagonist went from one abusive 'family' to another and went insane from trauma. Yet so many people interpreted it as being a feminist movie where the female protagonist is freed in the end. Really drives home our cultural notions that women are only ever truly free in their own madness, ironically.

[@caseyw.6550]

Exactly. I also don't like the framing that Christian "cheated" on Dani. He was a shitty boyfriend but that's not quite what happened at all. And he certainly didn't deserve to die.

[@amoz1487]

I see it as, this is Dani's happy ending and it's both traggic and horrifying

[@vonaku]

Casey W. On her head he was the cause her parents died, that is why she choose him to die

[@nomansland5113]

Much like the way cults exploit your trauma for you to join them. Spot on

[@Lannisen]

What I feel like everyone analysing this film misses is how much research actually went into it. The rituals, ättestupa, and the blood eagle come from viking times and were real customs of ritual death or torture. And from the clothes they wear to the songs they play, they are if not complete copies, then highly inspired by traditional Swedish culture. Even the name of the village, Hårga, comes from a folk song the Hårga song, where the devil comes to a village and tricks all the young to dance to their deaths, just as they do in the dance competition where the one left standing wins. But at least you brought up Bauer and the runes! All these are btw things that swedes spot instantly when watching the film, which makes it a very different experience for us.

[@Brandanus]

there has been some research into folk lore, yes, but you might want to check for historical evidence what actually took place and is not just "urban legend" from oral tradition. "Ättestupa" is a myth from 17th century (and I *love* how they depict it in "Norsemen") and not "from viking times". "Blood eagle and live" doesn't work with an atmosphere around. Folk lore - yes; historical: nope.

[@RosieSquall]

@@Brandanus Regardless, I love that they depicted the blood eagle. Not even in Vikings was it shown so... well, so raw.

[@tavrosnitram1529]

@@Brandanus ok, but you forget that your comment is replying to an actual sweed

[@Brandanus]

@@tavrosnitram1529 does that change the fact that "17th century" is 600 years after the "viking times" ;) ?

[@ivanehtnoij6243]

​@@Brandanus I'm pretty sure the fact that such a ritual has been documented in swedish culture as early as the 9th centurty changes that fact

[@samanthamurray1622]

I really liked how this film consumed me and sort of made me feel like I was there with Dani. I don’t think anyone pointed out how well they did the scenes where Dani was on the verge of those panic attacks. You could practically feel her breathing through the screen, those scenes pulled me in, made me feel like my heart was racing and I myself was having a panic attack with her.

[@user-pv7cf3ye6n]

no thats so true, whenever i watch that part of the movie i have to skip past it because the scene is so realistic to the point of being triggering. i think they deliberately made that scene so emotionally involving for the audience because the film itself is almost using cult tactics on the audience.

[@mari-bz1gg]

this reminds me of the scene after dani finds out about christian and mya and she has a whole break down and the other girls repeat her breathing patterns and crying

[@richarda.d.9745]

Maybe it's just me, but I've actually enjoyed reading the comments & insights for various youtube channels like this more than seeing the actual movie.

[@heavyspoilers]

Thank you 🙏

[@ihatesakuraharunofromnarut9920]

what's the point of doing this lmao

[@richarda.d.9745]

Oh, I did see the movie. I just get more out of the commentary & breakdown. At least for movies such as this.

[@natm7070]

Same lmao. I’m reading through all of the comments rn. It’s like you’re watching the movie all over again, but with more insight.

[@mikec4308]

you must be one of those people that keep looking at their phone while watching a movie and you never really understand whats going on lol

[@ivydentata8446]

Another little hidden fact that I noticed was when the couple from England ask them how long they've been together Christian says 2 and a half years and Dani corrects him and says 3. The night her family died was the same night he had been planning to leave her and if you pay attention to the seasons in the back ground it was snowing that night which would have taken place around 6 months before were at the festival, so it is almost like an admittance of guilt when they asked how long they've been together that he has only stayed with her for those 6 months out of pity and has no interest in her, which you can plainly see through out the film.

[@icanwatchthevideos]

She says they've been together for four years and two weeks, and at the party, they say that they're headed to Sweden in two weeks. The party was potentially on their four year anniversary but they didn't do anything for it

[@ryanderoche3330]

@@icanwatchthevideos it's crazy she stayed with that d-bag

[@tombrick790]

@@icanwatchthevideos she says 4 years IN two weeks

[@icanwatchthevideos]

@@tombrick790 In that case their anniversary could have been the day everything went down in Sweden lol

[@tombrick790]

@@icanwatchthevideos no. She says 4 years in two weeks on their first day at the cult and the celebration was 9 days.

[@Leelz247]

There are a lot of hidden details in Midsommar showing that some people who were born into the community are reluctant participants in a lot of the rituals and there is some subtle and secret discontent. First of all, everyone (not just the visitors) is constantly drugged into compliance especially around rituals that involve witnessing or participating in death, that was made clear throughout. In the scene with the meal honoring the end of life of the elders, both elders are fighting back tears and exchange knowing looks of fear and resignation even though they are the guests of honor. They don't embrace this end to their lives despite their being raised in that culture and expecting to die this way, so there is a subtle hint there that pressure and coercion play a role and they don't get a say in this at all. Also, in the climax of the movie with the sacrificial burning, there is one or two community members who volunteered to burn in addition to the victims. In a quick scene, you can see a young woman crying at the side of the building. This is a private emotion for her, one that isn't shared with everyone around her, probably because it would be considered shameful. She disagrees with this sacrifice and probably has a connection to one of the men who chose to end their lives, but she cannot raise an objection to this publicly. The yew bark also has no effect on numbing the pain of those who volunteered for the sacrifice and at least one of them dies screaming.

[@TheMCDigga]

I think I caught in the director's cut that the woman who cries (who also is the one who leads the fool/pisser guy off to his doom) is a daughter of the man who freaks out about the pee tree, and is one of those two volunteers.

[@monsterrun]

this is why cults are so Dangerous.. subverting virtues and life principles with "traditions". differance betwen the dead and the living is that those who are dead just can not see the evil being done to them, they do not even question themselves. The living are able to see the perverse nature of those "traditions". the 2 feelings those false gods nurrish thru those "traditions" are feeling of guilt and feeling of powerlesness. those who chose to die in thier mind are those too weak to bear the weight of their cross of guilt and powerlessnes, so they choose to fall in and fallow the herd.

[@ninetiesanime6984]

Chuck Thunder we live in a society face ass

[@casshannay]

i think that the woman crying at the side of the building was Mya as they zoom into the shed where Christian is about to be put into the bear. She may have been upset since she was just impregnated by him but she also quickly nods and gets back to the group so i also feel like she understands and respects their traditions and the choice of the may queen

[@dallymoo7816]

@Chuck Thunder The Spartan Baby thing is a myth. 300 is not real history

[@hummerwheels6043]

Christian didn’t cheat on Dani with Maya because he was drugged and raped. He was literally being pushed inside Maya by an elder woman during the ceremony. In no possible scenario could that constitute as consensual, and it would never be suggested if the genders were reversed.

[@HouseOfDoo]

spot on

[@pjb8295]

Did we watch the same movie? That happened near the end of his orgasm after like the 100 clearly consensual penetrations. You want to see what real male rape is? There's plenty in the dark web

[@denisenova7494]

I wonder what is Maya's age? I believe they said that she just got her first period. Considering that the average onset of the first period is 12/13yo that makes her a minor. She looks a bit older than that but I believe she is under 16.

[@shairahcortez]

@@denisenova7494 pelle said that maya just reached the age of consent the year before, so idk what the age of consent of sweden is but yeah

[@batata1976]

@@pjb8295 he still was drugged tho

[@eligeorgea2283]

“Dani” is the name of the ancestral tribe that inhabited Denmark. She’s been marked for life to be queen.

[@crappyaccount]

Damn

[@huncho5529]

but it’s set in sweden

[@adrianpucey5201]

Except... this is in Sweden. Neighbouring countries, but not the same.

[@Windsguidance]

@@adrianpucey5201 It's even more perfect! Dani is an "outsider" that joins them

[@denisenova7494]

@@huncho5529: Scandinavia. Such cults often believe Scandinavia should be one.

[@leeb568]

I would have walked out and left the moment i saw all those white people in robes..f that.

[@heavyspoilers]

Loooool this Movie gonna kill the tourism industry in Sweden

[@AtheistOrphan]

Lee B - Don’t come to our Morris-dancing festival in May then, you’ll freak out!

[@nilshagmo6378]

@@heavyspoilers That's funny because the upside down sign when they're driving to Hälsingland actually says "stop the mass immigration to Hälsingland"

[@been_rly_n2_paragliding_lately]

Lee B I feel the exact same way, except about non-white people. Race is a powerful thing.

[@HeyitsBri_]

B T what reference is there for minorities in white robes?

[@sloney10]

The most impressive build-a-bear I've ever seen!

[@elehascoolshoeshine4639]

Sloney lmao gross 😂

[@teamsquintz]

lmfaooooo

[@lemonboy5772]

put a little more than a heart inside lol

[@TheMCDigga]

A very handsome bear indeed

[@sselemanehT]

I laughed way too hard at this😂

[@arirosado1609]

U cn see gradually throughout the movie that dani would get more flowers on her. Like first its the crown, then the flower cape, and then at the end, she’s completely covered smiling eerily into the fire. Like her rebirth was complete, and that she was now fully consumed by the village and its people now.

[@jammiedodgers13]

The scene where all the women sob with Dani made me really uncomfortable honestly... I saw it as more of a mockery. Not that that's what they were trying to do, I think in part they were genuinely trying to empathise with and console her. Just given the context of the situation and all the emotional manipulation that's happened within this cult, now she's in agony and they're like 'Oh you're crying? We're crying too!', crowding round and gripping her in her most vulnerable moment. It seemed like they were taking that emotion from her, not letting her have it for herself. I can definitely see how it can be read as them wanting to share the burden, but it seemed more.. invalidating to me, if that makes sense. Hard to describe. I guess that goes towards the way this film bring different stuff up for different people.

[@TheMCDigga]

There are several examples of the community seeming to feel and express the pain or emotions of individuals as a group at certain times - Ättestupa, the mating ritual, what you are describing, and at the end as the house burns.

[@nicolashalac7903]

I think it mostly feels like they're mocking her or making fun of her because they forced her boyfriend to have sex and impregnate some girl and then when Dani finds out and starts crying their copying her makes it feel unnatural. It being their fault and all that shes crying in the first place

[@hiimjustin8826]

Well said that's about how I felt about it too.

[@robi6317]

it didnt make sense to me for the exact same reason, maybe it just wasnt done/shot/acted as well as it could have been..

[@darla8592]

it was all a plan i feel like to make her stay, she wanted a family after he parents died and pelle was always reminding dani about how the cult felt like a family after his parents were burned in a fire (sacrificed) i think his story was that same as dani’s they wanted people who lacked emotional control due to grief in her situation, she has no one but the cult at the end of the day

[@vixen_9962]

Apparently you can hear screaming and a splash shortly after Connie is last seen on screen, and when she's brought in the wheelbarrow she's shown in a weighted dress

[@heavyspoilers]

Ah nice, didn’t catch it but good ears If you did

[@roxannalhernandez-fradera6575]

i've rewatched that scene, but i can't hear anything :( is it the scene where the man tells her that simon left without her, and dani is listening in?

[@roxannalhernandez-fradera6575]

@@heavyspoilers i found it!! thank u!

[@bellamarkarian222]

Yep! That and (as someone also pointed out), she was quite bloated looking, maybe inferring that she was drowned, just like what they were going to do to that Hårga boy in the directors cut.

[@lilyc.g.5567]

Mark literally looks up when he hears the scream. It’s very obvious.

[@sebastianfjorn]

im from sweden and we do this every year, it's lit

[@n.sadequi4381]

Can u invite me ?

[@tori9365]

Can u invite me ?

[@tima9790]

What?! I thought it was every 90 years 😲

[@patriciashipman6928]

Nice try, I’m not going to Sweden for Midsommar

[@annajohansson7116]

Oh yes, see you tomorrow! 🌼

[@Austin-oq3nr]

We all know this is just a constructed bad place reality for chidi

[@ive-3692]

😂😂

[@achalseth545]

hilarious reference hahaha

[@meco7956]

🤣

[@haileyadkins8412]

i kept calling him chidi throughout the movie and ended up forgetting his characters actual name 😂

[@not4u4me]

or this is how chidi died

[@furionmax7824]

The Blood Angel was honestly my favorite part about this movie bc it was so unexpected. It's an ancient Viking execution technique. You would seriously have to hate someone enough to actually do this to them. Victims are strung up by all four limbs and someone cuts into their back, Yanks their lungs and the back of their ribs through the opening(but leaves everything still attached and fully functioning) this gives them the appearance of having wings hence the name. And they are left in this state until they finally die. If you look carefully at the scene where they show this, the guys lungs are still expanding and deflating meaning he was still alive but barely.

[@ivanluciano3501]

blood angel? isnt it blood eagle?, sorry idk abot it

[@rayres1074]

It's also somewhat fictitious because the lungs contract and expand thanks to the diaphragm and not on their own. Other than the breathing movement, I think it might have been a good depiction of how a Bloody Eagle was like.

[@bellamarkarian222]

also i’m not entirely sure but didnt one of the cult members mention that vikings in response to Mark saying “why are the girls here so hot?”

[@MIZZKIE]

Thank you for explaining that! I was wondering why Simon got that "special treatment" (even though Simon was a character we barely knew about or seen, we get a detailed look into his corpse, whereas the others we only see in the ending ritual). Must have been Ingmar's doing.

[@bellamarkarian222]

@@MIZZKIE totally with you on that. it was most definitely Ingmar, given what we know about his previous relationship with Connie and his dislike for Simon

[@thedemonnemo]

The sister's sacrifice/suicide set the events into motion, note that her "death mask" with the one blinded silver eye is identical to the image of Odin in Norse mythology when he hangs from the tree Yggdrasil (note the root "yggr" means "terror" in Old Norse) as a sacrifice to bring his people the runes, Odin often depicted even in pop culture as blind with a silver eye i.e. the Marvel Universe movies. Dani has as little free will in the events of Midsommar as Peter had in Hereditary.

[@zamuzz]

The older lady who killed herself looked exactly like Dani but older. When she jumps Its almost like Dani felt it happening. Couldnt find anyone mention this which is something I instantly noticed.

[@s.kanninchen105]

what the old women did Dani will do in a few decades if she actually continues her life with the cult.But I honestly hope that someday somebody will find out what Dani and the cult did and that she and her new"family"die or rot in prison.

[@bobonbobcrime]

I also noticed that the old woman looked at Dani with a really grave expression. Her eyes were totally fixated on her, and before she jumped Dani grabbed Christian's arm cause she saw it in her eyes. The woman was probably thinking back to when she first joined trying to give a warning to who she sees as herself in the past.

[@morganb4993]

@@bobonbobcrime yeah I was thinking it was like a warning as well!

[@nternetrat]

YES DUDE- in her first appearance i literally thought it was dani and she gives her a long look before jumping off the cliff- insinuating her fate?

[@rhianashae]

same

[@ImrdIstt.SH.]

It'd be pretty awkward for the Hårga if they figured out after killing Christian that Maja didn't get pregnant from the sex

[@ulkaalcachofajorquera5756]

yeap, thought that too. like... dude, conception sometimes is pretty damn hard. was she even ovulating? how do we know christian wasnt snipped? she could very so easily not be pregnant

[@dylanwesley3964]

Yeah the part where she said she felt the baby inside her was stupid lol

[@redella]

@@dylanwesley3964 exactly. She felt the baby even they just did it yesterday lol 🤣

[@zaxia_psg]

They mention earlier that she was having dreams of Christian before he arrived, so I wonder if they were priming her to have sex with one of the outsiders, telling her how important it was that she did get pregnant, and giving her ovulation boosters.

[@bluebird1914]

Especially since she didn't give Christian that "love potion" too long before she slept with him, so I doubt she would've actually been super fertile at the time.

[@leprechaungiant1]

Look above the beds in the room where they sleep. Each painting foretells their path.

[@Peacocker17]

I'll keep an eye out on the next rewatch!

[@bellamarkarian222]

yeah. also isn’t there a painting above possibly Dani’s bed back at her house (can’t remember who’s exactly so i’m just guessing it was Dani’s) with a girl touching a bear or something? foreshadowing 👀

[@sadieacm]

one interesting thing i found is that dani’s last name, ardor, comes from the latin word ardere which means to burn. this would tie into the final scene and dani’s overall decision. literally, the yellow temple burns and dani also burns her past ties to her family.

[@paolacarmichael4483]

her first name is tied to "God can judge". Such as only god can judge. Referencing Daniel from the bible who leaves the tiger's cage in perfect condition. So... she was god judging him to burn? That's why they asked her if it's okay to burn him?

[@parissinclair6513]

@@paolacarmichael4483 Good one!

[@MopedOfJustice]

Worth noting that it makes it to English through French as "ardour", which basically means hardship. I think the etymology of her first name has to do with the Biblical Daniel and his lion encounter, as she dates and leaves a "bear", and is the only visitor to come out of Midsommar physically unscathed.

[@indigo92099]

Not a scary detail, but something remarkable I noticed afterwards: On their first day in Sweden, Dani says that she and Christian are a couple for 4 years and two weeks (which Christian obviously forgot). That means that their anniversary must have been the day when she found out the guys want to go travel to Sweden (since Mark said their trip starts exactly in two weeks).

[@MCOmegaX123]

Did she say four years *and* two weeks, or four years *in* two weeks? Between my volume and her talking a bit quiet, I couldn't tell.

[@coronelsakura2841]

@@MCOmegaX123 .She says And

[@MickZarco]

I clearly heard *in* two weeks, and subtitles said the same.

[@MickZarco]

Yup, just checked, she says *in* two weeks according to Prime Video's spanish subtitles.

[@sirslime1687]

U got it wrong Pluto

[@JessicaVianaa]

The group was also messed with by the Hargas in regards to time of day. Throughout the film it’s always daytime and sunny but the shadows give us clues. In one scene they’re called for lunch but their shadows indicate the sun is low, so it would be either early morning or late afternoon. On a different scene they’re sitting down for supper, but the sun is high creating almost no shadow indicating it’s likely midday

[@tmarie69]

When I finally saw that face in the trees I legit screamed. It scared the hell out of me so bad!!

[@heavyspoilers]

Yeah so weird, I bet there are more in the movie I just couldn’t spot em

[@mattmason7321]

It is rather unsettling.

[@JohnnyQuanSW]

I never noticed it until this video pointed it out, very cool detail.

[@wren9479]

Ikr I said "oh no that's fucked up" out loud I think that's the only one that really got me

[@Zeemyth]

@@heavyspoilers Heyo, the window face could be in the bottom right, it looks like something right out of scp

[@BookOfFaustus]

One I always found interesting was the name Christian. Christian comes into this pagan community as an interloper, and wants to forcibly take forbidden heritage from these people for his own use.

[@simulationone]

John Dee Is Me exactly

[@joegarcia0]

Nice observation dude, you are absolutely right

[@arcaneoflight]

And that's explain why the rune othala is formed when they sit to eat the meal with the egg. Othala is the rune for heritage.

[@ambivertical]

If you are trying to tie that with Christianity. You do know that has nothing to do with Jesus's teachings right?

[@ambivertical]

@Chuck Thunder Tell that to Satanists who devote their lives to Jesus Christ because He loves them. You are misinformed my friend because The see Jesus quotes the devil as the Father of all Lies. Look up John Ramirez, Rebecca Brown, Ex Satanist testimonies here on youtube.

[@RicardodOliveiraa]

When the group enters the village, everybody is greeted differently. Dani is told "Welcome home", while "Welcome" is told to Christian and everybody else in the group is greeted by Pelles with a simple "Hello". Which foreshadows the fact of her new home and the role each person possesses. Mindsommar plays with seasons as you described early, but it also plays around two central themes, life cycles and blossom. The film starts with death, but it keeps the cycle towards life, growth, death and rebirth. What better way to expect this than blossom itself? The parents (the progenitor flower) die, but they leave one of its seedlings, the soil in the beginning is dark, but moist. The seedling fertilizes, then grow roots, eventually growing better and better. Plants get stronger and grow more as they absorb more light. The colors and lighting also indicate the aforementioned cycle, the film starts with a darker tone and by its end it is nearly bright as white. Which indicates the flower is ready to blossom, which finally takes place when Dani is crowned the May Queen.

[@nternetrat]

WOW

[@lutze5086]

It's a sickly flower which blossoms Also note the family dies during winter

[@G3minee]

Pelle's brother who is so obviously jealous of Simon and Connie's relationship, had prematurely announced their engagement and is seen walking in between the couple signifying a literal sense of coming in between their relationship.

[@phoebevaughan5095]

My theory is Ingmar agreed to sacrifice the couple and then himself in a twisted form of "you'll be mine in the next life" kind of thing.

[@StimuliKing]

The number 9... Danni sent 9 texts to her parents. 9 people were sacrificed. When Mike asked about the time, Danni said it was 9pm. Midsommar has 9 letters... Weird right?

[@godzillaeyes]

Someone up above commented that Dani was drugged 9 times, and that there were 9 sacrifices

[@EdricoftheWeald]

9 is the most important number in Norse mythology (sort of like how 7 is important in Abrahamic religions). To discover the runes, Odin sacrificed himself on Yggdrasil for 9 days and 9 nights. And in the cult there's the 90 year sacrifice cycle, which is also 5x18 (the life stages).

[@brukernavn3409]

But in Sweden 9 PM is 21.

[@xelith6157]

@@brukernavn3409 9 PM is 21:00 everywhere, it just depends on the kind of clock you use... We use the 24 hour clock a lot in Hungary too, but when someone asks what time it is we don't say "it's fourteen" we say "it's two" lmao. Also, I doubt that cult has a digital clock? Analog clocks only go up to 12.

[@brukernavn3409]

@@xelith6157 Yet they were watching Austin Powers, so some technology it seems they've access to. One tend to refer to the 24 hour clock in writing. So even though one might say "nine" it isn't really 9.

[@monpetitchouxpastry]

To add to the shared empathy bit, this is something the entire community of Hargas portrays. Like at the end of the movie, all of the villagers are shrieking and crying out in pain with Dani. This behavior is supposed to freak us out a bit because it’s strange behavior according to our social customs. But it symbolizes how the Hargas community shares Dani’s emotions more than anyone in her life ever had before. And she finally feels seen and heard. In addition, once she’s crowned queen, they essentially follow her every move, like when they only sit when she sits and only eat when she eats. Unlike Christian who made plans to go to Sweden without telling her, the village essentially seeks Dani’s approval for everything.

[@refertomyprofilepic1224]

I thought they started crying out because one of the villagers that volunteered to be sacrificed started screaming in pain when the fire began to burn him. At least that's how i remembered it. As soon as the man cries in pain from the fire, the whole village starts to mimic that pain, writhing about like crazy. Edit: Just remembered that they did the same thing when the old man fell and broke his legs. Perhaps they just do it to show empathy in general? Just a thought.

[@lunapyrope9683]

But we need to remember it’s all for show. They didn’t REALLY understand Dani, they just wanted to use her as breeding stock basically.

[@sarawawa8984]

Luna Pyrope exactly! We know that it’s just a cult using Dani’s pain to suck her into the cult, but Dani doesn’t quite see that yet. She’s too desperate to see that. I think that’s how real cults recruit as well, by targeting the desperate, lost, and abandoned. They offer a “family” but it’s an abusive relationship that the victims are walking into

[@nicorizzo5402]

They also did it when the elder broke his leg and they all cried out in pain with him. And when Maja was having sex they mimicked her moans.

[@mrsmoth101]

I think that the two elders who ended their lives on the cliff are previous versions of Dani and Pelle. Hear me out. The elder woman looks eerily like an older Dani. She gave her a special look before she jumped, which makes me think they’re connected and Dani subconsciously realized it. She then reacts before the woman jumps, as if she just knew. Now Pelle, he treats Dani with a lot of familiarity. He steps in for her boyfriend and plays the supportive role, and even deeply kisses her when she’s crowned as May Queen. There’s something about their dynamic that makes me assume they get together and grow into the elders that then sacrifice themselves and move onto the next pairing. That big time gap would explain why the ritual is done only every ninety years. I don’t think it’s that crazy of a theory considering reincarnation and life cycles are major aspects in the film. Something that may or may not be something important, is that the elder woman seemed more emotional than the elder man, possibly less accepting of her own death. She was in masked distress, yet fell onto the rock perfectly, resulting in a painless death. I find that oddly representative of Dani’s story arc.

[@summerjade7993]

Yes! I was looking for someone to say this.

[@angxlpeach]

Yeah they did look like they were hesitant to do the Ritual, even the old man. Makes you scared of the cult even more

[@xkathygee]

I agree with everything except the big time gap. Nobody in this cult gets older than 72, so Dani and Pelle will be long dead by the next time.

[@cliosutherland2385]

So perhaps this means that this elderly lady was also once an outsider who was recruited and brainwashed by the cult just as dani was. And the elderly man was the one leading her through it just as pelle was. The old may queen died just in time for the new one (dani).

[@JoeBoxerNo1]

Good thought, but the math doesnt add up. For your theory to be true, the two old people would have had to be 115 yrs old (25 + 90). As this only happens once ever 90 years, and when it does happen, the two have to be of 'midsommar' age 18-36. So ... therefore, the math doesnt support this theory. SOrry, but it was a good thought.

[@thatguy2943]

With the amount of drugs and "spells" he was under I don't think his betrayal was something he was completely aware of doing. The scenes seemed very rapey to me.

[@stefanmakara373]

He WAS raped. His betrayal came way before, when he accepted to sleep with her to begin with.

[@lutze5086]

@@stefanmakara373 he took the drugs himself if I recall with the expressed and explicit intention of reducing his inhibitions

[@alyssahlouise2]

Thats not what rape is. Rape is sex without consent. Before he went to the building, he buries his face in his palms because he knows what he's doing is bad. Yes he was drugged, but he was in complete control of his body and actions. He didn't try to stop what was happening. He initiated the act when he went down to her and started kissing her, he put his penis into her by himself, he also walked to the building on his own will. He was seduced and he did cheat. Rape would have been him being physically forced onto her without his consent.

[@realJimMarshall]

​@@lutze5086that's like saying if he didn't want to be r*pd, he wouldn't have gotten so messed up.

[@ellieraber5352]

⁠​⁠@@lutze5086the people probably wouldve kept offering the drugs to him until he gave in or wouldve forced them onto him. Thats very much coercion.

[@psy2mentor]

The overhead shot of the bear after having its entrails removed made it resemble the vaginal opening and labia minora, surrounded by untrimmed pubic hair, similar to one of the panels in the earlier illustration of the spell cast on Christian, who died because he was "stuffed inside the bear", figuratively and then quite literally. Before the fire was set, the stated purpose of the ritual was to ward off the evil of "the bear," which is interesting if you consider that lust and jealousy played a major part in the deaths of all the outsiders and Pelle's brother, Ingmar. Ingmar wanted Connie and was jealous of Simon. Pelle wanted Dani and was jealous of Christian and hated him for taking her for granted. Mark was lured to his death by the prospect of sex. The one guy's lust for knowledge and academic acclaim... Dani's sacrificing of Christian... So, in a society where everything is shared what are the biggest threats? Lust and jealousy, as represented by an animal that, when cut open and gutted, looks quite similar to untrimmed, splayed out hoo-ha when viewed from above. 🤓

[@iWatchFromBehind]

The house that Christian goes into and sees the picture of the burning bear has walls covered in vaginal appearing flowers, and if you "read" the walls left to right, it's a series of flowers leading to the burning bear

[@caseyw.6550]

Yeah, but you expect him to say...labia?!? Shhhh!

[@bellamarkarian222]

GREAT comment :)

[@nahri4665]

i have a lot of respect for you since you didnt just say "cat emoji" or "p*ssy"

[@kimberlychester4358]

The bear did indeed resemble a vagina and labia. However, at one point the bear's ribs are also part of the shot, making that vagina a vagina dentata.

[@SaintSanic]

The "death rune" does not appear on Christians clothing. At all. He has a reversed algiz and a tyr rune. Tyr is the rune of justice. Looks like an arrowhead point up. And Algiz is used for divine blessings, but its reversed (upside down) on his clothing. So it could be kind of a curse. Bad luck. A calling of divine justice for his betrayal. The "death" rune would be Hagaz or Eihwaz. Which are not stiched on his shirt.

[@Kateify7]

I’m not completely familiar with runes but I was pretty certain the one on Christian didn’t mean death. Thank you for clearing this up!

[@anigriffin5386]

that would make sense because dani got justice for how awful christian was treating her

[@Pantano63]

B-but my 10-minute nerd interpretation of the meme symbols!

[@jpcyborg]

this guy runes

[@jillianoconnor4901]

Why is it so hard for men to say the word “period” literally it happens to like half the population it’s not taboo

[@Lunamine]

I don't believe he had an issue saying it, I believe it was probably to let free interpretation humourously.

[@Charsy8]

lol "Free interpretation", hahaha, as if it's not straight up painted in the ritual banner! XD ok

[@JoeMama-tw6gu]

@Charsy the only reason i can think of is that he wasn’t sure if it was period blood or like normal blood??? when i saw the directions of how to do the ritual i thought it meant the girl was supposed to stab herself down there? so maybe that’s what he thought it meant

[@Lunamine]

@@Charsy8 had no better word to explain my opinion.

[@TheSinatra]

Jillian O'Connor same meaning it doesn’t matter

[@allamericanrejects2671]

I feel like what made this movie so good is how realistic it seemed. The part especially where Dani is crying over the fact she got cheated on and the women join her. Grief is something you can see in many different cultures and what they are showing is a death wail. Where in death anyone could burst out screaming or crying in mourning the loss of someone, due to colonization though it was considered innapropriate to become too emotional even at a funeral. Its fascinating to see how well represented this topic is in this film.

[@hannahj9084]

Looking through the comments, I'm surprised no one has mentioned the guy with the facial deformity that "writes" in the sacred book. I always wondered about that; why it was important, who he is, and how that came about.

[@AwesomeFlamingoX]

rubin, incest

[@luajpg4728]

YEAH all this time i was wondering when someone would bring that up because it's one of the most ??? things in the movie and *no one is talking about it* like, i have my one personal theory after watching the movie (and knowing exactly nothing about the real folklore btw, just talking about the movie) that maybe they just always had someone with mental problems to "follow" and maybe the one person that started it all was just like crazy and people followed along... maybe im making no sense im sorry lol english is not my mother language

[@hannahj9084]

I know he's a product of incest and they say that only he can see and communicate with their beliefs (I don't know for sure, I saw the movie once a couple months ago) but he just scribbles in the book. I just wonder why this part of the movie was so important and why it hasn't been explained further? Perhaps I just need to watch it again

[@dare1371]

@@hannahj9084 Hello!! It took me a while to figure Ruben out as well, and it surprised me how little people were talking about him too! Basically, the cult are white supremacists looking for strong, white breeding stock. Rubin is considered their chosen one, the only one who can see/communicate with their beliefs, because he's basically the "purest" white (due to selective inbreeding). This kind of purposeful inbreeding has actually happened in the past, because people believed it to preserve royal bloodlines - Charles II of Spain comes to mind. His scribbles and appearance symbolize that the cult's goals and ideals make no sense. Those are my thoughts, at least. :o)

[@peanutgallery123]

@@dare1371 i'm not sure... race and racism isn't really a theme throughout the rest of the movie, and i don't think white supremacists see people with any form of disability as "pure" either.

[@hideshiseyes2804]

Someone’s probably mentioned it but the three American men in the film are versions of characters from The Wizard of Oz: Mark is the scarecrow (no brain), Josh is the tin man (no heart), and Christian is the lion (no courage). My personal theory is they also represent pathologies of modern life under capitalism and its individualistic ideology: Mark has childish hedonistic pleasure-seeking, Josh has single-minded careerist ambition, and Christian has alienation and an inability to form emotional connections. The Harga appear to Dani as the solution to all these problems because they offer community. Unfortunately they’re also a fascistic murder cult. I don’t think the film is intended to have a happy ending as many have suggested.

[@bellamarkarian222]

EXCELLENT comment.

[@natashaida11]

O M G.

[@malvikaramani2117]

And if you see the path they followed to reach the village, it's a path of yellow flowers, like the yellow brick road!

[@Shania69]

incredible

[@54janete]

Yes!

[@RVX1989]

The woman that pulled Mark from the table is shown after Dani becomes May Queen with scars on her face which indicates Mark put up a fight. Right before they sow Christian in the bear suit, if you look to the right you can see her crying. When Dani takes the meat pies out the oven, you can hear Connie screaming. The same when Mark turns his head. When Josh sneaks into the temple, the unclouded boy is in the bed watching. Also when the camera spins real fast you can catch a quick glimpse of the guy who’s gonna kill him with the hammer. Also when Dani is at the table eating after she becomes May Queen, the guy next to Christian does a really bad job fake eating. He kept putting an empty fork in his mouth 😆😂

[@heavyspoilers]

Amazing! Thank you so much

[@sam-ki9bb]

omg you noticed so much! thanks luv 💓

[@trixstermillion2190]

You rip what you sew.

[@ttiehepburn3172]

Just watched the fake eating scene. Everyone was fake eating. I don’t know if that was a mistake we shouldn’t have seen or it was intentional.

[@truemoonlightful]

the girl is crying because the one who I think is her father (the guy who yelled at Mark) is sacrificing his life as a volonteer

[@thevanishingsaxon663]

Midsommar, Hereditary, The Witch and The Lighthouse are four of the absolute best horror films in recent years. I would love to see Ari Aster and Robert Eggers collaborate on a horror film in the future.

[@michaelb.42112]

Now I need to see The Witch and the Lighthouse.

[@samcad-ho3ze]

@@michaelb.42112The Lighthouse is a masterpiece. Check out the Northman too, it’s amazing.

[@SylvEdu]

At 5:48 you leave a busted gory human head on screen for ten seconds while discussing it calmly, while at 7:30 you can't even bring yourself to say the words "period" or "menstruation." Lol

[@scrub7457]

KZbin’s monetization it’s not that hard to understand.

[@hotcheetosaremylife.x8455]

@@scrub7457 so they think period blood is to graphic but they don't think that a guy burning in bear skin is graphic? Lmao ok

[@scrub7457]

hot Cheetos are my life. x it doesn’t have to do with that. KZbin has a list of words that you can’t say.

[@efteraki]

mrzazzaable an open wound? Its a womans genitals you absolute tool. You clearly have no idea how periods or vaginas work, educate yourself before you comment stupid shit like that. Lame. Also, if the only thing you can think of when you hear the words ‘period blood’ are fucking a woman, then you have some serious issues dude.

[@SylvEdu]

@@efteraki I don't think he was saying that a vagina is an open wound, periods invoke that imagery. And as far as it being the "only thing you can think of," it isn't the only thing we can think of, but it's the only nice thing worth thinking about. There are five basic things that happen down there: 1) sex and pleasure, 2) urination, 3) menstruation, 4) birth, and 5) infection. Out of all of those, sex is the only thing that men encounter regularly and it's the only thing on that list that is pleasant to think about. I mean, the miracle of childbirth is nice to think about, but only as an afterthought or in the abstract, not specifically what happens to a woman's body when the child is coming.

[@Saffron-sugar]

The John Bauer "Princess Kissed the Bear on the nose" painting is an illustration from "Oskuldens Vandring " (sometimes called Bella's Glorious Adventure or Innocence Hiking) by Helena Nyblom. It is a story in the 1912 edition of "Bland Tomtar Och Troll" (Among Gnomes and Trolls). This is a collection of Swedish folk tales and fairytales. In "Oskuldens Vandring' Bella is innocent and trusting; she is (actually) stripped of everything she has, alone in the Swedish forest. It definitely influenced "Midsommar"

[@barackobama3757]

This movie gave me a weird feeling for days.

[@braedycain443]

same bruh i feel empty

[@barackobama3757]

@@braedycain443 yeah exactly

[@erhirepikin226]

Me too

[@Dkibble101]

Sorry to hear that, former president Barack Obama.

[@Boss_etc853]

Made me never wanna travel anywhere near europe😂