Midsommar - The Complete Guide (Everything Explained)

[@Novum_YT]

Thank you to everyone for being so patient with me. I'm keeping this sticky for the inevitable list of corrections. I sincerely hope you enjoy. Hargalaten as a standalone on Felicia's channel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eH-bkKGZaLWIps0 Extras and Amendments: 1. Rubi Row also apparently literally means 'bloodline' - thanks to @TheMarauderOfficial for that one 2. Allusions between Terri's eye and Odin's sacrifice (need to add which commenter suggested that) 3. The Yellow St Johns Wort in the leadup to the commune is very 'yellow brick road' - thanks to Siobhan O'Connor for that one, I love it and it feels spot on. 4. Multiple people have commented that St Johns Wort is a natural anti-depressant, thank you to all of them 5. My pronunciation of 'Tooele County' and 'Nike'. I was going off American pronunciations I've seen (I think Fargo being one) for Tooele, they were apparently wrong also. My apologies to the people of Tooele. As for Nike - in the UK the brand is just pronounced like that. I do understand that 'Nik-E' is how you pronounce the name of the Greek goddess but it's just not how we pronounce it in the UK. 6. There is a typo at 3:32:42 Gautreks Saga is most definitely not 2nd Century it's 13th Century, my apologies! More to come and sorry I haven't replied to everyone yet, it's been a busy few days and I'm so excited to read all your comments!

[@lorentzt.5750]

let us know about that novel youve been working on sometime soon! :)

[@Novum_YT]

@@lorentzt.5750 it’s already up on KZbin, the video before this one on my channel! Sadly KZbin nuked it upon upload due to the content (which is fair) so it didn’t get pushed out to anyone, but you can go listen whenever you want!

[@JessicaClariceElsener]

It's hard, if not possible, to rush perfection. I can't speak for all, but your attention to detail, thoughtful approach, and putting in the research, that made me subscribe. I wouldn't want you to push out "content", that's lazy, half assed and boring, imo. I come to this channel for quality. If anything, I apologize for not being able to support you and your channel more. It deserves all the monies and views. Anyways, looking forward to watching this, thank you, cheers.

[@AgentALT]

bro i have a poster of the wicker man on my wall rn.

[@grodythebutcher]

Will the uncensored video be available to all the patreaon subs? Or is it exclusive to a specific tier?

[@rosieking6430]

In making this video you did what Christian and Josh never could: write a thesis about the hårga

[@Dycehart]

i hope my homies are ready because i'll definitely be presenting this video as my own ideas for the next 5 years

[@el_moviefan]

My bf is already getting ready to listen to all the interesting facts I’ll learn from this video about Scandinavian folklore for months after I watch it

[@ladyjellyfish4757]

LOL absolutely

[@the2ndlonelychild]

made my gf rewatch hereditary and did exactly this 😂😅

[@silviaedington9552]

lmfao. aye aye

[@NeidlichesSchwert]

I think you just summed up a lot of what KZbin is about. (Hell, all media...and art...and communication for that matter.)

[@cg6314]

I don't have enough to send you money monthly but it feels like a crime for something this brilliant to be free. Incredible work.

[@Novum_YT]

@@cg6314 that’s so so kind of you, thank you so much. All the main content will always be up for free so no worries there!

[@fusselmietz5929]

Little fun fact: the actor that plays Dan (the old man who jumps from the cliff) is believed to have influenced shojo anime and manga to some extend. He was very popular in the 70's and 80's in Japan, when he was a teenager/young adult and had a lot of female fans who admired him for his soft features and androgynous looks. It is believed that his popularity influenced the way male love interest in manga and anime aimed at young girls were drawn. There is a documentary about him called "the most beautiful boy in the world".

[@Candy-md1uk]

THAT’S HIM???

[@AliceBowie]

What's his name?

[@beansmybeans2433]

​@@AliceBowieBjörn Andersen

[@AliceBowie]

​@@beansmybeans2433ᛏᚨᚲᚲ ᛊÅ ᛗᛁᚲᚲᛖᛏ

[@clevelandplonsey7480]

Seriously? The child actor from Death In Venice? I’m glad he recovered enough from the madness to work in film again

[@BradsPitts.]

Ari Aster pioneering “Man or Bear” 😂

[@stevebob240]

Why not both?

[@catlover2223]

@@stevebob240 Why not both with added fire?

[@Novum_YT]

Happy accident that has been wonderful for the algorithm!

[@MarsMellow84]

😂 I will always choose the bear 🐻

[@mischr13]

LMAO

[@Mae_is_meh]

I love it when the when a guide is longer than the actual media lmaooo

[@Novum_YT]

You have come to the right place

[@Mae_is_meh]

Yeah i checked the videos on your channel and immediately subbed it was a wild transition from mort theory but i think after all the vile things that the theorizer about the crimes of mort its a welcomed change 😭😭😭

[@Mae_is_meh]

It was the video i watched before this* im trying to fix my attention span lol

[@eeeeyuke]

Because of this movie, I will always hold Florence Pugh in high regard. It's a master class of desperation and trying to hide it.

[@Novum_YT]

She’s so damn good, every single scene she’s just giving everything she has. Incredible performance. Im watching Dine 2 later and hoping for good things!

[@eeeeyuke]

​@Novum_YT Dune 2 is more futuristic/robotic behavior. Hard to show RANGE with those boundaries. If I may, this is my first video of yours to watch, and I think it's safe to assume you love a movie that you'd create a 7 hour ROAD MAP for. I'm guessing you felt the same about Hereditary based on the mentions early on, and perhaps for the same and different reasons....BUT what the hell did you think about Beau Is Afraid? You'd have to make a 24 hour analysis video of that one.

[@extofer]

@@eeeeyukeI think she does really well in her more reserved role in Dune. She’s more of a spectator in that film. But now that we know there’s a third film in the mix, she’s going to have far more to do in the next one!!

[@thelostonetxt8450]

@@Novum_YTshes in alot of underrated stuff❤

[@Rascilon25]

@@Novum_YT You may want to see she is coming out in a new movie from A24 called We Live in Time.

[@TheMarauderOfficial]

7:38 “we’ll be looking at the vvitch next” my mans out here making videos exactly for me so excited

[@Novum_YT]

So excited for The VVitch!

[@crinklescat1871]

!!!!!!

[@TheHopperUK]

Oh my goood I'm so excited already! I have strong feelings about The VVitch!

[@cryshleeTV]

YES IM SO EXCITED

[@ashayguevara]

Literally covering horror masterpieces...if @Novum _YT does Under the Skin after The Witch, might be my favorite channel on YT

[@603pg]

I actually have the perspective that Pele is genuinely in love with Dani and he serves as somewhat of a twisted Prince Charming to her May Queen. I see Midsommar almost as a dark fairytale. It's one of my favorite movies ever.

[@abishekamahanama4751]

Yup! It was evident from the beginning of the movie, that Pelle has been having a strong crush on “Danni”! In which this directly resonates to the fact that he set this whole trip to his native village just to have her by his side.

[@faithsears419]

Pharmacist here. St John’s wort is also used as a natural antidepressant which I think is also interesting considering all the mental health themes in the story

[@phyllismargretgabor]

I came here to make this comment. I was wondering if yellow was for mental illness and then blue represents the consequences of the of that mental illness.

[@Novum_YT]

Thank you so much guys, this has been added to the sticky post at the top, it seems like this is the biggest thing I missed!

[@shewearsfunnyhat]

Its also used topically for nerve pain. I have a pain relief oil I use on my back that contains St. Johns Wart. So it could be seen as something used leading up to winter and during the winter of peoples lives.

[@nineteenfortyeight]

Came to say this. It's definitely about relieving our hero's depression.

[@Febr7]

Also, as a MAOI it would extend the effects of DMT-based hallucinogens.

[@MMfan4ever101]

THANK YOU now I am going to happily deep clean my whole house.

[@Ashtray-tq7mb]

Hah! That's exactly what I do when I listen to these. ❤ 7 awesome hours await

[@gingersnapcam7334]

That's how I was with the Hereditary video 😂

[@avadarkness666]

Lol cheers to enjoying chores! My laundry day just became a lot more lovely 🥰

[@StainsStainsStains]

Ima get like 15 sessions out of this

[@Novum_YT]

Aha, hope you enjoy!

[@rusted_ursa]

I've watched this video 3 times since it came out, and last night I finally decided to watch the movie to see if I could come away with anything not mentioned here. What hit me was how many times we hear unanswered cries for help: Dani wailing in grief in Christian's arms, while he looks distant and robotic. The baby screaming for its mother all through the night. Even Josh trying to scream after being bashed with the mallet, but only able to make a moaning wheeze. The way the Harga echo your screams back to you is like a perversion of empathy. Just empty mirroring, without substance. And it's only when Dani is completely broken by the lack of care in her life that she responds to this as if it's actual support. They're _not_ helping her. They're telling her what she wants to hear. And now that I'm typing all of this, I'm remembering that friend she spoke to on the phone who was actually trying to empower her and validate her worry for her sister, but Dani just kept shutting her down because it _wasn't_ what she wanted to hear. Thinking about it now gives me chills.

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

I don’t know. I would totally live there. I find their empathy has substance. It’s probably not the popular opinion. I wish I had the time to make a six hour Midsommar cult apologist video. :) I thought the baby was just making regular baby noises. I thought it was to show the communal living of it all.

[@rusted_ursa]

@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396 The baby is making regular baby noises. What's not regular is that the baby's distress is being ignored all night. (If you're not a Duggar, anyway.) The people are being reduced to cogs in a machine dressed up to look like communal living.

[@shellichristine4620]

​@@rusted_ursaI had my first very young, in the early 00's. Ignoring night cries was what I was taught was how you teach a baby that night is for sleeping. It was one of the worst periods of my young-mom life, and I was so relieved to learn it wasn't the only option and I wouldn't somehow ruin my baby by comforting him. Anyway, I found it relatable and tragic.

[@sarahirwin8912]

I agree! I felt like Dani was the planned May Queen from the moment of her arrival. She had been slowly brainwashed not just by the Harga, but by Christian and his friend group all along. The feeling of desperate isolation, loneliness, lack of compassion or care, and simply having no one left in her life made her an easier target to mold. She simply wanted love and understanding. The Harga wailing along with her felt mocking in nature at first, but then it quickly morphed into "See? WE love you. We feel your pain. We will bear your pain. You are no longer alone... as long as you follow our ways." It just seemed like some of the girls eliminated from the dancing were pretty intentional. Edit to add, what I mentioned was basically addressed in this video, so I jumped the g□n in commenting. My apologies for being redundant!

[@liliebilie]

@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396Bruh why are you the one person tourism board for the Harga in these comments. This is like the 3rd I’m seeing of you defending them. You might as well actually make a KZbin video on it at this a point

[@jello4835]

It's crazy how you are able to show every single scene to the movie and go through every tiny aspect of the story but instead of feeling like I just watched the movie, I just want to watch it again right away. You're not just making videos, you're making full companion pieces. The amount of time and research and editing and DEPTH that goes into these is not unnoticed, thank you so much for creating such great companions to my favorite films.

[@Novum_YT]

This is such a kind comment, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it so much. Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. I'm genuinely thrilled you see them as being so helpful and I can assure you the next one isn't going to take so long.

[@TheBurdenOfHope]

@@Novum_YTyeah i won’t be watching it tonight because I’m going to be gobbling up your video. But you bet your arse I’ll be watching it tomorrow night.

[@iheartSC95]

​@TheBurdenOfHope Same. Just found this gem, so excited for the bluray

[@philipwolny3951]

I'm extremely unashamed to say I'm on my 2nd watch of this gargantuan gem, and if I saw it a 3rd time, it could eclipse the number of hours I've spent watching Midsommar itself LOL (6-8 viewings so far, the latter if you count dipping in to different swathes of the action on any random evening). This companion guide is fascinating, enriching, and fun as hell! The Hereditary one is just as crucial. 5/5 for both :)

[@griffindempster4983]

great analysis not only can make the art better, but is an art form in itself. u r a master at this

[@lindseyb2586]

Clicked thinking I was getting movie analysis, stayed for the incredibly deep and well-researched six hour socio-historical media analysis lecture

[@Novum_YT]

Aww thank you Lindsey, I am essentially just trying to backdoor people into media classes so I'm glad it didn't put you off!

[@abbypierce4196]

I’ve always adored Midsommar - but after my mom died unexpectedly and my sister who struggles with her mental health went completely manic and I had to cut her off for safety reasons - hoo boy does this shit hit harder. The constant state of trying to keep it all together, to still try and be fun and interesting, whilst fighting a sob or panic attack is such a real sensation I know many of us processing grief can relate too. There is so much to unpack in this movie, and I can’t wait to keep listening to this. A part of the ending always read to me as Dani choosing to stay within her grief, because now that’s all she knows. She is stuck in her grief and with the cult.

[@HikariHolic]

it's been months since you commented so I doubt you'll see this, but I'm hoping you're doing well and wish you the best

[@zoedarc783]

I second this response ​@@HikariHolic

[@CoolAsianGuy]

IoI corny

[@yamyamyaminion7248]

The cheeky one liner here and there out of nowhere gets me everytime

[@caycecarson]

The “bears would never hurt or betray you” bit made me laugh out loud 👌🏼

[@DiomedesStrosMkai]

'The Last Tom Cruise'

[@rusted_ursa]

I had my cat on my stomach when he said "Fascist Gandalf" and had to hold my breath to avoid getting shredded.

[@WoodlandGloom]

@@rusted_ursa I was doing artwork with this playing in the background and the times I had to pause to get the giggles out

[@rickkroll]

My favorite was in the movie itself when mark or one of them is like "ew theyre giving you hair pies" 😂

[@terryriepl5690]

“To the Harga, Bears represent negative affekts” *plays footage of the cutest bear ever wiggling his snoot*

[@Novum_YT]

I went through many bear clips trying to make it as adorable as possible

[@RedViper77]

She absolutely was robbed of a best actress award. She is what makes the film so haunting.

[@space_opera]

Cold DMing the actress about your wild theory is hilarious but just the kind of dirt digging we need for these videos.

[@Novum_YT]

Luckily for me she was absolutely lovely but yeah, utterly insane questions I was asking her so not something I'd have done if the answers were findable any other way!

[@jonsrecordcollection7172]

@@Novum_YT On the other hand, it is totally weird that her answer to your question was, "Yeah, that sounds about right."

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

It is amazing how receptive these people were to answer you. That is really great.

[@Novum_YT]

@@jonsrecordcollection7172 Sorry I've only just seen this, that's not the sum total of what she said, we had a conversation, and I have the record of it, but that was pretty blurry on what was me talking to her and what I presumed she'd be okay with me relaying publicly. The quote in context feels more natural and actually I'd say confirms it more, but I didn't want to publicly post everything she'd said.

[@Novum_YT]

@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396 It's amazing, honestly it's been my experience of Swedish people in general, every person I contacted agreed to help. I'm having struggles making the new video because English people have been a bit less receptive. That being said I have an awesome surprise lined up for it already with an English KZbinr that I respect greatly. Keep your eyes peeled!

[@Knutwolf]

Josh’s foot sticking out of the ground could also be reference to The Name of the Rose, where a young black scholar is killed for illicitly pursuing forbidden knowledge. Only his foot sticks out of an abattoir, but we know it’s him because he’s the only non-white person around. Love these long form videos! Superb work and totally worth every minute.

[@katelynslonina7993]

What a coincidence, I'm reading In the name of the Rose rn

[@gabiausten8774]

Seeing someone like you, who peruses what he loves so deeply and in depth is beautiful, NEVER ever assume for one second that you aren’t deeply appreciated. Your knowledge is enlightening us all and your creativity and devotion is incredibly admirable.

[@Tehflannyone]

Another thing I've seen someone mention is that the soft singing at the beginning of the movie is called "kulning" which is a Swedish traditional call to bring home livestock. So symbolically Dani is being "called home" This was such an amazing video, thank you so much for continuing to make this content💕

[@Novum_YT]

I love that, I want to add it to the amends in the sticky, do you know who the other commenter was that pointed it out first? Thank you so much, there's lots more on the way, I promise!

[@mufasuh]

right?! they also say welcome home in swedish, when they first greet her.

[@ahbbuddha]

very cool.. and interesting it's traditionally used.. for livestock? do the harga consider Dani a domesticated asset?

[@ahbbuddha]

also, 'Dani' translates roughly as 'god is my judge'.. whose relevance strikes me as more than coincidence! : )

[@Novum_YT]

@@ahbbuddha Keep watching til the end😉

[@radarlove232323]

"This rune means order and stability." Me, looking up from the Raido page I'm inking in a grimoire: No it doesn't! "Now for those of you shouting 'No it doesn't!' at your screens right now, let me explain..." VERY prescient, sir- great work!

[@Novum_YT]

That really gave me a chuckle, that's the exact scene I was imagining in my head when I wrote that!

[@crinklescat1871]

😂😂😂 I have a sleeve and one of my larger pieces is a rune piece so I was like 🤨🤨 until he said that! And also I’m not talented Artistically and my handwriting looks like that of a five-year-old writing with their non dominant hand so im commissioning someone to make me something similar to what it sounds like you are making which sounds awesome. Good luck with your grimoire! Sounds awesome!

[@millsykooksy4863]

😂

[@Artbyhurricanyounot]

Florence Pugh was ROBBED of an Oscar for her performance in the opening scene alone! That scene is the reason I have trouble rewatching it, even though it’s a masterpiece of a movie. The first time I watched it, I saw Terri’s message and my heart dropped. I should have known. And yet, every time I hear those violins I’m filled with intense and sickening dread.

[@mhladybugable]

As an ex Mormon from Utah (with Swedish ancestry), I feel like I finally understand why I love hereditary and Midsommar so much 😅

[@Kittykat81572]

Not Mormon but grew up in Utah. It captures the “don’t fit in” feeling so well too

[@mhladybugable]

Also did anyone notice his pronunciation of Toole? He called it “2 Lee” but it’s actually “too-will-uh”. It’s so funny no one from out of state can get it right.

[@Novum_YT]

Yeah I absolutely don't think it's accidental, also not the sort of thing AA would ever make literal! Congrats on going clear!

[@Novum_YT]

@@mhladybugable This is a weird one to me because I have heard Americans pronounce it exactly as I did on TV shows/films. I want to say Fargo is one of them but I can't remember which iteration of Fargo it was. But certainly 'Too-Lee' county was in my head from American media. I've seen there's a different Tooele in another state so do you know if that one is pronounced differently?

[@Morstorpod]

Exmo here as well, and I saw Midsommar noticing some of the parallels, but this analysis brings them all out. Course, now I know I need to give Hereditary a watch!

[@sneepsnorp3d]

midsommar video is here i've been praying for times like these

[@Novum_YT]

I hope you enjoy, I love your video aesthetic!

[@sneepsnorp3d]

@@Novum_YT thanks! :D

[@sneepsnorp3d]

bookmark 1:56:30

[@sneepsnorp3d]

bookmark 3:40:20

[@hellbound_psyker]

hell yeah the purveyor of low poly creatures is here

[@Shwizzynet]

“I don’t want new people right now” so many little details that make the portrayal of hallucinogens hilariously accurate but simultaneously far more horrifying.

[@brianpfoss]

It just struck me that the still of Dani at the keyhole is very similar to the pose of the princess with the bear painting back at her house.

[@mischr13]

good catch

[@Novum_YT]

Love that!

[@jonsrecordcollection7172]

If Dani's ultimate fate is to go through the atestupan with Pelle, then there is definitely a much more sinister implication to Pelle knowing Dani's birthday. He may not be just remembering her birthday so he can edge out Christian. Pelle may have chosen Dani because of her birthday, because she is properly "matched" to him in age or astrologically because of her birthday.

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

I don’t find Pelle sinister. I think he idealistically chose Dani to be part of a group that would accept her. He was kind of her. She was the only American there that spoke or tried to speak Swedish. Everyone else just put down their ways or tried to manipulate them for their own gain. I find Pelle to be a completely sympathetic character that probably thought his male American friends were jerks. They really do horrible stuff. How they talk about women and just act like they know everything and hurt people and not care. I don’t think he knew Dani’s birthday. I think he just tried to make her smile with a heartfelt gift. But I see the cult as sympathetic too and that’s a hill or cliff I guess I die on! :)

[@kat1701]

@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396😅 you fell for the intentional audience manipulation

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

@@kat1701 Or I am just being gaslit by other viewers. :) Hey, if someone is happy in a cult, who am I to say they are evil? :) I mean, Pelle could just think he’s getting some guys to knock up some hot Swedish ladies, which they would do with no consequences. The people there could be happy with their lives. I think Pelle is motivated by attraction to Dani, he’s a guy. :) I just don’t think every action is an evil one. I think he gives her a drawing because he likes her. The mirroring of emotions is cathartic to Dani. It is such the opposite of the cold shoulder and arrogance of the people she is with, her “friends”. They aren’t really her friends. Whether she was in a frying pan then into the fire…who knows? The movie ends on…the 4th day of 9? She’s probably knocked up by Pelle by the 9th! :)

[@kat1701]

@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396 youd be a perfect recruit for a secret death cult.

[@danielamarongiu6492]

​@@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396Did you drop acid before writing this?

[@cheetos888]

“Level 60 white people magic” you’re so funny and this is so meticulously made and researched

[@Novum_YT]

Cheers dude, really glad you enjoyed it!

[@Respiar]

I think it is worth noting also that in the original script, Dani's family home is supposed to be in Minnesota, which has the strongest history of immigration from Scandinavia in the United States (with the NFL team even being the Vikings). I feel like that definitely supports the idea that there is supposed to be some kind of common, ancestral thread for Dani connecting her back to Sweden and a place like Halsingland, even if it didn't make its way to the movie.

[@Novum_YT]

Yeah absolutely, that's a great spot and I'd agree it more thoroughly enforces those notions of Dani's heritage. Awesome comment. Sadly any mention of the Minnesota Vikings will get Lizzo stuck in my head for the rest of the day so

[@HOOPYFROODUDE]

well spotted! I lived in northern MN for a couple years and was amazed by the 'swedishness' of so many of the little towns. So many blonde, blue eyed folks and remnants of swede culture.

[@noodlerdoodler]

You didn’t mention this but the choosing ceremony with the lottery balls is likely a reference to The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, a very famous horror novel where the person picked in the lottery is killed by the rest of the town in an annual tradition!

[@eliotsausage]

No but seriously, this is the mint of the mint right here. Currently 96 minutes into it and I can safely say that this attention to not only detail but narrative intent renders this an actual work of, dare I say, really good art in and of itself. Seriously, thank you for this. The foundation of cinema as a whole just got a little bit stronger

[@Novum_YT]

Thank you so much for the kind words Eliot, really happy you enjoyed it!

[@azuredystopia3751]

Literally saw this and called my daughter. It's 1am. She was not upset.

[@cmen6895]

Good mommy she has👍

[@KatalinaPearlMancini]

aw that’s sweet

[@Novum_YT]

I really appreciate the support, sounds like you have a wonderful relationship!

[@Magikalic]

I'm autistic and these videos are like catnip for my brain. Please never stop.

[@Bondrewd_The_Based]

I can't believe the budget for this masterpiece was so low. It eclipsed the quality of nearly every other cinema release and for only a fraction of the money.

[@Novum_YT]

It's utterly stunning, I don't think I've mentioned budget in any of the other guides but here the aesthetics are so dialed in it it almost defies belief!

[@TypeCAdapter]

When I knew the painting in Midsommar was done by my professor, my respect for this movie enhances to the next level

[@Novum_YT]

Mu Pan?

[@TypeCAdapter]

@@Novum_YT yea! We were talking about it a lot when the film came out:D

[@JediJuniper92]

OH MY GOD this is amazing

[@missveronica8393]

3:12:40 An observation being a farmers daughter, the temple has been constructed in the place they grow their crops, the blue tarpaulins are protecting currently growing plants. When the temple is burned the ashes will be tilled back into the soil and feed the crops which they will eventually eat, and the cycle of life and death will continue.

[@emosupportanimal]

Wake up babe, the highly anticipated Complete Guide to Midsommar by Novum just dropped

[@Novum_YT]

Aha, far too kind!

[@JeewanthaBandara]

Almost 7 hours. I can literally play this in the background through a work day minus lunch.

[@ryanoneal8480]

w/ multiple lifetimes of content out there it blows my mind ppl that dont watch/listen at 1.25 or 1.5 speed 😝

[@Novum_YT]

Hopefully the day went a little bit quicker!

[@k.giffin]

Midsommar is my absolute favourite film and I’m blown away at how much thought went into it beneath the surface. This is well researched, articulate and handled with so much care. Knocked it out of the park

[@Novum_YT]

Thank you so much Katie, very glad you enjoyed it!

[@bev9708]

HOW is it possible to listen to a 7h video, be disappointed when it's over and immediately start it all over again???? PHENOMENAL work!!!! BRAVO sir!!!!👏👏👏

[@Novum_YT]

Thank you so much, my engagement figures thank you too because the algo goes crazy for that! Really happy you enjoyed it so much!

[@boreksz82-cf7ze]

And now I'm faced with a conundrum, whether I watch it now or save it for a special occasion, nothing on KZbin compares

[@cranberryrosebud]

I was wondering if I should save it for a time when I didn't have a pressing headache; I decided against it, I can enjoy some Novum even if I feel like claws are digging into my skull, why not?

[@Novum_YT]

YOU CAN DO BOTHHHHH

[@brin2153]

Happily on the 3rd rewatch and can say it just gets better each time 👍

[@captainandromeda7461]

i love how you actually dmed people who worked on the film and i love how they actually responded that’s awesome

[@Chiiちゃん]

5:02:38 "im not saying bears would cheat on you and will abandon you to your grief, bears wouldn't do that to you" makes me think of all those "choose men or bear" memes ive been seeing on social media lately 😂👌

[@shayogirl]

i thought the exact same thing lmao

[@Novum_YT]

Ahaha yeah talk about good timing, complete accident!

[@TakiKimono]

@@Novum_YT I was just thinking about your fortuitous timing xD

[@noma179]

The Hårga places a lot of emphasis on breathwork as part of their rituals and that is a known method to regulate the nervous system. I think that’s part of why Dani feels safe with them after experiencing the trauma she had

[@sydposting]

I was fortunate enough to see the director's cut of Midsommar in IMAX on midsummer night last Thursday (A24 gets their fanbase lol) and came out of it wanting some sort of deep dive or article on the runes and worldbuilding that wasn't just a clickbait overview. I was already familiar with the basic twists and interpretations, but wanted something more scholarly... and you have MORE than delivered here! The level of detail and collaboration involved in making a work like this is truly something worth appreciating, and only goes to show how much care Aster puts into his own work. This made me feel like I was watching a Kubrick deconstruction video in the best possible way, and it definitely pushed Midsommar onto my Top Ten favorite movie list, right up there with Hot Fuzz - which has some very similar themes, if you think about it. One of the implications I don't think you fully unpacked at the end is the specific numbering of the Harga life cycle. Going no higher than 72 would bring them too close to a "holy" number like 81 (9 x 9) if you're using esoteric-style thinking. Beyond that, 90 year recurrences for a culture with a *fixed* lifespan of 72 years means that they are perpetuating a tradition none of them have ever seen happen in their lifetimes, and will never live to see again. Christian and Maja's child will be dead and gone before the next Great Midsummer Festival even happens. (And potentially why Inga is wearing a marker of protection in the hopes that she will conceive from her less-ceremonial coupling, vs Maja having a more assured conception because she's more "astrologically compatible" with the ceremony, aka likely ovulating.) That 18 year gap in experience feels almost deliberately engineered, to keep any witnesses of the true horrors from living long enough to stop it from happening again. It also feels like pointed criticism of current generations falling for past propaganda, because they lack the context of lived experience to understand the dissonance of the promises and the oppression of reality. I agree entirely with you that the Harga only go back maybe two or three recurrences, stemming from the "return to nature" cultural movements of the 18th and 19th centuries, themselves yearning for an idealized past that never existed. ...as I was writing this comment, I did a bit more math. If Midsommar takes place in 2019, this means the past festivals were held in 1929, 1839, 1749, etc. In 1749, the greatest land reform in Swedish history was carried out, changing the rules of ownership from a "solskifte" system - where land is divided up so that each farmer in a given area has their own parcel of land with equal access to the sun throughout the year - to a government-backed system meant to increase profits by merging individual farms into singular villages/communities. That *can't* be a coincidence. One last thing I'll mention is a throwaway line that Ulf became a doctor when he was on his Summer pilgrimage. For a community as remote as the Harga, someone trained as a doctor is invaluable. And they're willing to sacrifice him, too. I shudder to think of what that commune is like in the wintertime. Those houses do not look warm. And the sun doesn't rise that far north, in midwinter. Can't wait to move on to your other essays! I feel like I've hit a jackpot of solid analysis and criticism.

[@EmeraldAshesAudio]

Lots of interesting points here. And I love to picture how different the commune would be around the winter solstice.

[@KachuaOnWoW]

I don't think Tuffsta was representing Dani, but instead represents her sister, and Terry's unspoken story. Unlike Bella, Tuffsta had everything taken from her, she didn't choose to take off her dress or shoes as Dani had choices to make around the Harga, even as manipulated as she was. More importantly, Tuffsta never made it home (Sweden), she lost her heart and was trapped staring into the dark forever.

[@andrewguarnieri2979]

Yep this

[@TheMarauderOfficial]

5:46:32 “the worst invasion of privacy since piers morgan was left in charge of newspaper” jeeeesus fuck em up dude lol

[@Novum_YT]

Piers is on notice and shall remain there

[@MarsMellow84]

​@@Novum_YT I'm glad you have a hatred for that man as much as I do ❤

[@alexiss3250]

Beautiful video as always, thank you for your passion and dedication

[@awesomenancydrewfan]

It struck me that the group that starts with Dani all bear biblically relevant names like Mark, John, and Christian. I wonder if that too, is part of the christian vs cult dynamic

[@eliotsausage]

There’s just no way Drake recovering after this

[@HeatMiserr]

True but bro, I’m watching this to get my mind off all that. Let it rest for now😫

[@Etticos.]

Kendrick just stuffed Drake into a bear and lit his ass on fire.

[@HeatMiserr]

@@Etticos. hell yeah

[@Etticos.]

@@HeatMiserr haha I just noticed your username and profile picture. That’s awesome. My brother and I always break out into that song.

[@samnelius]

this made me chortle, thanks

[@emilyjames3844]

Incredible that this entire seven hour video was filled with nothing but key information! Clicked on the video without checking the length and four hours went by before I thought to look. Cannot wait for The VVitch!

[@Gir101Evil]

I saw Midsommar when it came out in 2019 on a first date with a woman who will be my wife this November. The movie, and all of Ari Aster's work ended up being very important to both of us, and we bonded over our love of these movies. what an amazing video, really celebrating the complexity of the movie, I'm honestly floored. I feel like this is gonna be one of those videos I re-watch over and over. Novum knocked it out of the park again. on the off chance you see this, I'd love if you tackled Under the silver lake in the future. Again amazing job, keep it up!

[@Kiezkollege]

Congratulations! Wish you all the best and a nice wedding

[@Gir101Evil]

@@Kiezkollege thank you!

[@cranberryrosebud]

With all that put together, I can only imagine a Harga-themed wedding, which is absolutely terrifying; I'm sure you have something much more wholesome planned lol, and congrats!

[@Gir101Evil]

@@cranberryrosebud hmmm not too late to plan a bear burning ceremony 🤔

[@Novum_YT]

Congratulations to both of you! I proposed to my partner while writing this as well so I'm sure it will always hold a place in my heart. I hope the wedding goes perfectly and it's exactly the day you both desire. I haven't seen Under the SIlver Lake but I've been given a few to consider already so I'll add it to my list of things I need to check out! I like Andrew Garfield and the synopsis sounds interesting!

[@toyboxrock]

i genuinely cannot put into words how awed i am at this. this video is a triumph. it is the most thorough, meticulous, and _loving_ video essay of pretty much any media i have ever seen. i hope you understand that this is the absolute dream of any creator, to have their hard work picked apart, studied, and _understood_ with such thoughtfulness and reverence for the craft of storytelling. unbelievably fantastic job, ill absolutely be rewatching this more than once.

[@Novum_YT]

This was so wonderful to read, thank you so much and I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Really glad I get to share my adoration of these incredible movies too. I’m honestly not sure how Ari Aster would respond to seeing this but any reaction other than complete terror id take as a win!

[@catherinealderson3464]

The Wizard of Oz connections that you highlighted made the St John's wort in the woods seem like a yellow brick road, to me - with the same theme of being guided towards something that seems like one thing but is actually another (with the life cult actually being a death cult, and the great and powerful Oz actually being a fraud). This is a fantastic video!

[@nicki0kaye]

I shit you not I watched about a third of this before my therapy session and, after mentioning this dropping as a gift from the universe to keep me from wasting the day in bed having a depression nap, found out this is one of my therapist's favorite films. I got to tell her about the poor bear/he can't take off his fur story and see her delight at the horrific double meaning

[@Novum_YT]

I hope she enjoyed it! I'm sorry to hear you're suffering from depression, it's something I've struggled with for most of my life and I know acutely how tough it can be to want to move forward at all. Even, or especially, with little daily things like getting yourself out of bed. I'm glad to hear you're discussing that with someone and it sounds like you've made a good connection with her. I have a lot of friends who are struggling atm, I know a lot of people in general are. So not directly to you as it sounds like you're taking positive steps already, but for anyone reading this, my only tip is to realise hope is a commodity. It's a fuel, something we operate on. We begin our lives bouncing between hope and achievement, school, friendships, early development in general is (traditionally) filled with goals and successes in pretty short order. But at some point in our lives, be it from bank balance, lack of future prospects, monotony, trauma, you name it - that hope can be chased from us. And when it is, really as soon as it is, we have to live in a different reality. One built from perseverance. So my number one tip for combating depression, the thing I try to do, is to manufacture outlets of hope for myself. Build things that present opportunity, do things you think are worthwhile, find a job that pays more, whatever route you take it doesn't really matter. What matters is creating a vista around yourself that isn't defined by stagnation. Somewhere you can look and see a bright future coming. Because fixing 'right now' right now isn't always possible. But it always gets easier to deal with 'right now', to meet it sword in hand and fight todays battle, when you know you have something to fight for. Hope begins as a beacon of light in the mist, so to anyone who is struggling: eschew the darkness and go seek it out.

[@heathercastleberry5211]

@@Novum_YT I can't tell you how much I love this!! As someone who has struggled with depression my entire life, you get it. It's about hope, and looking forward. I struggle with wanting to look back at the past, and that's where the pain is. Holding onto to hope and reminding myself that in a day/week/month/year from now this difficult season will be behind me. I hold on to hope and along with prayer, that's what has always helped me find a way out of the darkness.

[@anamakesthings]

​@@Novum_YT dude, I absolutely adore your videos and, respectfully, I want to devour your mind. That being said, this comment has genuinely left the most significant mark on me. As a lifelong depressed girly (I was even hospitalized for severe s***idal ideation) this feels like balm to my wounds. Thank you immensely for taking the time to write this. I KNOW many others will benefit from reading it. Now, since we're on the topic of depresh, I'm compelled to go on a side quest :)) Re: the attestupan and PTSD. I suffer from it. One of its most jarring symptoms is how cold blooded I am in high stress situation, while also having meltdowns over the tiniest unpredictable move. To exemplify: if I'm in a room and someone opens the door to come in, the first sound of the door opening will send me into pretty serious panic attacks. I learned to mask it, but it usually takes me a minimum of 20 mins to regulate myself after... checks notes... someone I love enters my room. On the opposite end of the spectrum we have events like last year's car crash I was in with my former partner. It was a snowstorm and a car coming from the opposite direction slid into us. I saw it coming so quickly, it feels like I sensed it before it happened. (Of course, nothing supernatural, just my PTSD brain finely attuned to my environment.) While my partner started screaming I calmly grabbed his arm and said "we're fine." I had NO emotion in those moments just gears turning in my mind and thinking "we should assume a safe bracing position." Both cars were totaled but all people involved were fine, aside some nasty bruising. I felt NOTHING throughout that moment. Even as I type this, I think of it as just a curious thing that happened. When I first saw the movie, maybe 5 secs after the attestupan volunteers were shown, I KNEW what was going to happen. I felt little to no emotion with their jump and felt quite connected to Dani's reaction. I don't know what it says about me or the movie, but I do think PTSD plays a huge role in how we internalize terrible events 🥴

[@liliebilie]

@@Novum_YTthis is actually amazing. I’m doing really well right now but mental health has been an ongoing battle for most of my life. I’m going to screenshot this as a reminder for rougher days. I’ve been adopting a similar approach but you put it so eloquently and succinctly. In case this helps anyone: I found that my job is not fulfilling and that was not good for my health so I try to work on personal projects and creative outlets that do fulfill me so regardless of my job, I feel like my life isn’t wasting away 🤣 I promise the world is a better place with us in it ❤

[@seemsfishy23]

The non-stop dancing competition also reminds me a lot of the Hans Christian Andersen story turned ballet film The Red Shoes, a Danish fairytale with thriller elements. There are so many connections between that story and the plot of Midsommar

[@Novum_YT]

I love that, thanks so much for pointing it out, I'll go check it out right now!

[@GetBackToWorkSteve]

Also ends with a woman who thinks she is emancipated by breaking a relationship, but in reality has tragically lost herself to a controlling/manipulative cult/industry! Great catch!

[@seemsfishy23]

@@GetBackToWorkSteve thanks so much! There’s a lot super interesting with the original fairytale as well, where a girl loses her mother and is accepted into a new household that give her everything she wants, making her haughty and choose dancing in her red shoes over attending church, and how she attempts to repent for rejecting Christianity and is denied by her own disembodied dancing shoes. There’s definitely a lot there that’s also in the film

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

It remind me of They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

[@tatianatobon1451]

Wow the way I watched the whole 7 hours is amazing. So much detail just what I was looking for ! I love deep dives of my fave films 👏🏼

[@DarknessXevil]

You're my favorite yapper. I live for these long video essays

[@Novum_YT]

Aha, thank you very much, I'll wear the mantle with pride!

[@Uspr73]

THIS IS NOT A DRILL THIS IS A HOLIDAY ACTIVITY THIS IS A WIN FOR US THANK YOUUU ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Novum_YT]

Thank you for watching!

[@Uspr73]

@@Novum_YT truly it's my pleasure!

[@JoseGarnelo]

The tripi visuals in this movie are the most accurate depiction of psychedelic mushrooms's visual hallucinations I've ever seen in a movie. This crew knew exactly what they were doing

[@basicradical3581]

Amazing, im going to listen to this, fall asleep, rewind it to listen to it again, and then rewind it cus i got distracted 🥹

[@Novum_YT]

My engagement thanks you and so do I

[@sailor_sneed]

I can’t imagine how much work this would have taken. Not only the research but the time editing 7 hours worth of content. Incredible video and so was the 4 hour Hereditary video essay. I’ll watch videos like this anytime!

[@Novum_YT]

That's amazing to hear and there are a lot more on the way. It was roughly six months of work, four months of writing and research, a week of script checking and recording and just under two months of editing. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[@csquared4538]

Sometimes you see a movie that makes you want a little more after it ends. I usually go look for a quick explanation of an ending, or something to keep it going for a bit, to stay inside the world. This video was the most extreme version of this phenonemon I've had, and it was really exceptional. Listened to the whole thing and you kept it interesting and made me appreciate the film more than I honestly did watching it. Guess now I have to see Hereditary.

[@Novum_YT]

That's extremely kind of you to say, thank you. And yeah, you really really should because Hereditary is incredible. It's cold though, be ready for that. It starves you of the emotional connection that this film smothers you in.

[@sep_4124]

One thing i noticed and thought yall might find interesting is that in the mating scene when the camera is looking at christian and pans backwards inbetween maja's legs, its a direct parallel to when christan sees simon and the camera pans backwards inbetween his lungs. Could be a start of life/end of life cycle type thing.

[@Novum_YT]

You're absolutely right about the mirroring there. It does form a soft chalice shape too (which has inherent religious connections with the feminine) so maybe further allusions to Christian as Adam and the act he partakes in being a sin. But yeah on top of that I think we definitely have the birth/death mirroring given what Christian is bearing witness to in both scenes.

[@rosephinebakerson2701]

Thank you so much for the closed captions that arent auto-generated! I usually have to wait a while to watch videos, but the fact that you spent countless hours inputting them (or spent money to have someone else do it!) is really meaningful for those of us who are deaf/HOH. Thank you!!

[@Novum_YT]

I sadly don't have money like that but fortunately I do video production for work so it's something I'm used to! My partner can only watch things with subtitles on and so she's kind of unconsciously got me into it! They are going to improve further (things like accented letters not appearing) but it took a lengthy conversation with KZbin support to get them working to this level and I don't want to rebreak them while the video is still in it's 'are people tuning in' state of growth. Really glad you enjoyed the video, and yeah I can say with certainty all videos moving forward will have proper subs.

[@rosephinebakerson2701]

@Novum_YT Well if you ever want a pro-bono subtitlist I will happily tackle any project you're working on. I've watched this twice now while getring infusions and sent it to my cinophile siblings. If ever you doubt that your hobby is worth the time, please always remember that your work helps people in more ways than you can ever imagine. Thank you!

[@MemeLord42069]

For the opening art, Pele says he’s a Taurus and he wears a blue coat similar to the blue hue of the cow while Christian wears brown clothing similar to the bears fur. Another hint at pelé being the bringer of life while Christian depicts the destruction as told in the ending

[@chelscara]

Obsessed with thinking about Ari Aster sitting in some room, reading the skin line and giggling to himself like “oh, oh yeah, this is gonna be great”

[@sjab5987]

Seven hours. Novum you absolute legend. Let the viewing and work procrastination begin....

[@Novum_YT]

Ahaha, I hope the work/procrastination went by a little quicker!

[@SuniKayLou]

This Midsommar analysis was incredible! I initially watched this movie because I have a fascination with my Swedish ancestry, but this guide just opened a whole new layer for me. I’m currently in the middle of deconstructing from Mormonism and it’s been hard to have the realization that I’ve been brainwashed my whole life, since I was born into the ‘religion’. It also makes the ending of the movie extra painful for me since I know just how trapped Dani is going to be for the rest of her life. Again, excellent work on this guide 👏🏻

[@Novum_YT]

I'm so sorry I missed this comment! I thought I got a notification for every single 'super thanks' but I'm just finding out now that isn't the case.. I'm so happy you enjoyed it, it sounds like this was eerily relevant to your experiences so I'm glad I could do it justice. Thank you so much for the donation and sorry again for missing it!

[@cranberryrosebud]

If Ari Aster elevates what film can do, you elevate what film discussion and analysis can do. The passion for film really comes through in your content, and I find myself loving the medium more and more each time I finish one of your videos. Horror is also a genre that endlessly fascinates me, and videos like this one really remind me why; there's a beauty in it, and it allows for such thorough exploration of societal ideas and fears. I may be too scared to sit through Hereditary and Midsommar myself (can't handle graphic imagery), but thanks to your analyses, Ari Aster has reached me, and I can feel part of the great, passionate appreciation for his work. I can't wait to see what else you put out! And I'm probably quite late, but happy birthday!

[@nicki0kaye]

Not finished yet, just want to say how much I love the balance you strike between well researched and insightful commentary and dragging the halga and certain characters for filth. It's a delight, adds a bit of levity alongside the intentionally irreverent turns of phrase and pop culture references. The drinking game for this vid does need to include taking a shot every time you say 'off his/her/their chops'

[@Novum_YT]

Ahaha, I'm really happy to hear that because tonally it's in a pretty weird place. I suppose in general it's a bit like the art style in that it's meant to gently reflect the tone of the film. So more jokes here than in the Hereditary vid for example, but there'll always be some because learning for long periods needs some brevity I think. The 'chops' thing is mainly just creating a code with the listener so we don't have to explicitly describe anything the censor bots may not like. Super glad you enjoyed the video, thanks so much for sticking with it!

[@strigogysps]

a six hour long video of one of my fav movies WITH SUBTITLES?? i havent seen your content on yt before now but i subbed IMMEDIATELY

[@Novum_YT]

I like that attitude, glad to have you on board

[@jakethecake3657]

video's alright I guess

[@Novum_YT]

Holy sht dude thank you so so much! Very glad to see you enjoyed it. That’s extremely generous, thank you.

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

@@Novum_YTI wish I had a spare $50 just to drop on you, but $72 dollars seems more appropriate.

[@boreksz82-cf7ze]

Seeing Inga with that massive vermicelli horn was so striking, reminded me of the scene in Excorsit where there are 2 red horns sticking out of holy Mary's statue, a jumscare in a broad daylight

[@lucretiamaggio6154]

Yesssssss

[@Novum_YT]

Oh man what a film that is!

[@boreksz82-cf7ze]

@@Novum_YT second only to British series Apparitions, I think its available on Prime. Has anyone watched it? It's amazing, very well acted and I had to take the mental break halfway through because of THAT scene in a nightclub. Shame it's relatively unknown

[@paulywick]

I literally laughed out loud to the "bears wouldn't do that to you." What a masterpiece. Thank you for the hard work and dedication you put into this.

[@goblinsarereal4954]

OH MY GOD ITS ALMOST 7 HOURS YESSS. I'm a plumber and I do find my job engaging enjoyable for the most part but I'm also a very intellectual person I feel and I often feel starved so it's only through KZbin and reading that I get my fix as my career doesn't require higher end intellectual thinking more just mechanical know how. You have no idea the obsession you've driven in my brain the past few weeks I'm insanely impressed with your clarity and how engageable your work is it really is second to none especially for the length. Thank you for making such beautiful content.

[@Novum_YT]

That's so awesome to hear dude, I do the exact same thing while I'm working, feels like it keeps the brain ticking over! Super happy you're enjoying it, thanks man.

[@mattl5332]

I think Mark being skinned and worn is a reference to Nábrók. In Icelandic folklore, Nábrók are basically witchcraft human skin-pants that give the wearer unlimited wealth.

[@wildmarjoramdieselpunk6396]

It seemed very Mike Meyers. I assume this video essay gets to Austin Powers and Halloween references? I am only on hour two.

[@JoseGarnelo]

"Fascist Gandalf" Now that's fan fiction. Amazing work, as usual, your research work is a league of its own, as well as your expositing and pacing, always top notch

[@ahkarivae]

Tipping before i even watch because im so genuinely excited this is out, and i already know its going to be great. Ive watched the Hereditary video many times and I'm stoked to see you tackle another one of Aster's masterpieces. Thanks for all the hard work you do, man.

[@Novum_YT]

Thank you so much, that’s so kind, really hope you enjoy it!

[@64ph_ie]

5:13:57 As someone who has happily fallen asleep to this video a total of 17 total times on and off actively listening before I've been going to bed the past week; I thank you kindly for not scaring lil' ol me with a bass boosted Hårga remix . You're actually him, lol.

[@michaelfelts9464]

Haha yeah I had to bite this piece of work in parts of 4-5 different listening sessions. Fell asleep several times and re listened to a lot

[@melodie-allynbenezra8956]

At 6:41:03 - Once they were in Helsingland, Dani no longer had the option to leave, no matter what she might have said at the time. Besides the very trippy hike through the woods after the disorienting mushroom high in the field, they were hundreds of miles from anyone else. Where could she have gone? How could she have gotten there? While it's true that Dani probably should not have come to Sweden, once she did, she was irreparably stuck.

[@moviemoth4192]

Listened to the hereditary probably 4 times and I’m so excited rn for this video bless you Novum

[@Novum_YT]

My engagement statistics thank you and so do I!

[@moviemoth4192]

@@Novum_YT these videos are amazing you definitely deserve all the views!

[@jimbrown2717]

I took inga's red mark at the end of the movie to represent her menstruating, which would have been proof that she was not pregnant, and that she has missed her chance to add new blood to the group, where Mya was successful and hence is wearing lipstick and more confident. It also explains why she is being told to "let it go" and rejoin the group.

[@LimeRickey71]

oooh that would make sense also if she got beaten for not becoming pregnant and was being shamed in front of the group

[@mischr13]

why would she be picked as one of the women to "breed" or whatever if she was days from her period tho? I would think they would be pretty meticulous about keeping track of the women/girls' cycles. sure, maybe she had an unexpected two week cycle (it's happened to me) but it's weird to not mention it then. also there's no way they would know if maya was pregnant yet, unless there's quite a time jump before the final ritual?

[@Novum_YT]

So it absolutely could be this, it really is one of those things where if you want it to be that I'd say just run with it. But as the commenter above me pointed out I do think we're supposed to assume that Siv is pretty bang on with lining these up with fertility cycles. There are other Harga in red that could have been offered (off the top of my head I think Dagni is one) and they seem to have a pretty acute understanding of their own reproduction. To me I don't think Inga would have been sent to take Mark away - IF they were actually planning on having him do some breeding too, if there was a chance of that happening. But we can't give a solid answer to that so it's difficult really either way. There's also this element of shame and anger to it, something that I don't think the Harga would necessarily feel towards a 'natural cycle'. They're decidedly unsqueamish about people drinking the blood so for me I don't think that would lead them to fit Inga with this fertility blessing/scarlet letter of shame. And yeah, with the cornicello being a fertility blessing it just doesn't line up for me with an inability to conceive but rather the opposite. All that being said, I think the right answer is whatever interpretation you find most unsettling. Thanks so much for the comment dude!

[@Inkspeckle]

@@mischr13 I actually have a question here - how long are the Americans actually visiting the Harga? because Maya puts some of her period blood into Christian's drink, but if she is currently or has been very recently menstruating, how does that translate to her being fertile when the elder gets Christian to sleep with her? wouldn't that suggest that they are staying at least two weeks before the mayqueen celebration?

[@feelsreel]

Agreed

[@justarandomsapphic]

I have a lot of Scandinavian (particularly Norwegian) heritage. I have spent a lot of time researching Nordic history and learning Norwegian, and I cannot express how much shit the nazis stole. Norse culture is really important to me, I grew up reading Norse folklore and myth, hearing about Tyr, Freyja, Frigg, Skadi, Odin and Thor. They all have importance to me, and seeing them and their symbols used for propaganda is so strange to me, they never had that meaning for me. But eventually through research I learned. When I first watched midsommar and saw certain ways the Hårga were using runes and other symbols, I knew there was gonna be some elements of nationalism. It’s really sad how things like this are twisted. This video was very insightful and fascinating, thank you for all the time and effort you put into it! I’ve seen people claim that white supremacy isn’t a core theme in midsommar which is so crazy. Some people are just too ignorant to understand the truth.

[@lepersonnage371]

"Nazis" didn't steal anything, they have a common germanic heritage and culture with Swedes and quite a few others. But of course a movie nowadays about an all-white community can't be made without showing how "supremacist" and "evil" that kind of community would inherently be. Nothing from your own culture, history or heritage is dear to you, you don't know the actual history and you do nothing while your people are being demonized and degraded in your own country. If white supremacy is actually a core theme in midsommar then it's not surprising since the director of it is jеwish. How can he not make a movie about an all-white community being evil? learn some history or don't embarrass yourself. You cheer for demonization of your own people by a foreign jеw.

[@izza6923]

Halfway through and this video do not only teach me about the movie, but I I’m also learning a lot about my own country, it’s history and folklore. You really did a great job with all the research! THANK YOU for this

[@Novum_YT]

That's so wonderful to hear, I'm so glad you're enjoying it!

[@soratoninx]

After discovering your Hereditary 4hr video essay, my boyfriend and I were itching for another movie analysis from you. When we saw that you dropped the Midsommar analysis, we rushed to watch the movie and giddied about how we'll spend our time watching Novem right after. It's been a wonderful journey learning about every nook and cranny of the movie, history, culture, and philosophical wonderings. We deeply appreciate your efforts in researching and delivering such a well-made dedicated analysis on the movie. You make watching movies meaningful and exciting again!

[@0Smilelikeyoumeanit]

I feel so privileged that i get to live in this era, where someone creates a 7 hour deep dive on my favourite movie 🎉 I finished this in two days!! Your analysis is really interesting and I enjoyed a lot of your theories. Thank you for the content!!

[@j.uiriagain9813]

I wanted this immediately after your Hereditary video. I also realised thay to cover Midsommar in that level of care reverence and detail would take years...i only found your channel on sunday and this dropped literally 4 hours after I wished for it....thank you for the blood sweat and tears.

[@Novum_YT]

That level of support means the absolute world to me. It's so tricky not knowing if people will even care to click on it and that's a big gamble for six months of work - so the support really does mean everything. Thank you. I can promise The VVitch is not going to take as long, if only due to its much shorter runtime!

[@j.uiriagain9813]

And I look forward to a definitive companion piece to another one if my favourite movies.....

[@mzmendy]

If this is what we get for midsommar, I cannot Wait the 5 years its gonna take for the 12 hour dive into the surrealism of Beau is afraid. Gonna turn on notifications now just in case. Thanks for all your hard work, it's truly appreciated. 💖

[@Novum_YT]

Thank you so much, turning notifications on is an annoying thing to have to ask but with me releasing the videos infrequently it literally does keep the channel breathing. Beau is afraid is absolutely coming, I’ll put a poll up for the next video in the next couple of weeks so make sure you vote Beau! The Witch won by a large margin on the last one so hopefully Beau will do better this time around!

[@squealer2874]

6:53:18 made it to the end :) just wanna say, huge respect for subtitling the full video. i’m hard-of-hearing and autogenerated youtube captions are really hard for me to follow, so seeing a whole 7 hour video subtitled is a godsend. thank you so much! ps: when dani first enters the harga village, she’s wearing a shirt that strikingly resembles her skin tone. i think this is meant to show the audience that she currently has no strong feeling towards the harga (as all the other characters are wearing color), but also to draw attention to her skin color and how strikingly similar it is to the hargas’. great video, thanks again :)

[@Novum_YT]

@@squealer2874 my partner refuses to watch things without subtitles and accessibility is super important for these videos so they will always come with correct subtitling. Still trying to get my head round good colour combinations for the colour blind but we’re getting there! Really glad you enjoyed the video, I’ve been following your time stamp comments over the past few days and was eager to hear what you thought. Love the Dani theory, the level of coded imagery/colours in Aster’s films is unmatched!

[@professionalplaythroughs9630]

Just what I need to see in my recommended as I start my 8 hour closing shift. Thank you, my good man!

[@Novum_YT]

Let's go! Hope it went by a bit quicker than normal!

[@linpittsburgh2375]

The golden chain around the temple 1:49:12 made me think immediately of the yellow flowers underfoot as you approach. It sends its glitter far off as you approach = flowers send their pollen far and wide.

[@lenisemicolon]

I aspire to this level of horror film criticism and analysis, so grateful you're not as lazy as I am! The mind boggles at the amount of research, I honestly can't conceive of it.

[@Novum_YT]

Thank you so much, I'm so sorry I missed this, I thought I got notified for every donation but apparently that isn't true!

[@lenisemicolon]

@ No worries, I migrated over to Patreon with the release of the VVitch video and feel very well attended to there 😆

[@magzdilluh]

Me: sorry, I can't. I have plans all weekend my plans: this video

[@Novum_YT]

My dude

[@BradsPitts.]

Ah, the cycle of life and death. One day you’re declared too old and have to throw yourself off a cliff, the next you’re sticking out your gyatt for the Rizzler

[@funty420]

You see the yellow color represents your gyatt...

[@Novum_YT]

pmsl

[@dr.limeade3035]

I think it's also a important detail that the ancestor tree is dead, which I think represents both how the cult dies not worship life and growth, but instead death and rot. I think it also points to how the cult is stagnant, and unable to frow or change and truly accept or learn from those outside of their system

[@dr.limeade3035]

It's also weird how similar Midsommar and Elden Ring are in terms of symbolism and major motifs, but that would.make sence, if thet are drawing from similar culture background

[@anatshells]

idk how.. but this has become my comfort video the past few weeks