Psychological trickery in HEREDITARY (film analysis)

Detailed study of the sophisticated subliminal scare techniques used in Ari Aster's excellent horror film Hereditary.
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[@collativelearning]

FOR ATTENTION OF ALL WHO HAVE NUT ALLERGIES. Several have pointed this out so I'll pin this comment and save you the effort. The girl in the kitchen is chopping nuts, not vegetables. Charlie is allergic to nuts, so these probably end up in the cake she eats or the knife was used to cut the cake leading to her reaction. Thanks folks :)

[@MGTV1]

4:58 that isnt just one of the people...its all three in the same position as before....the man flanked by the two women...you can see both women's faces, and the man's body between them. the man and second woman are to the left of the woman whose face is obscured by the support beam. 5:39 can anyone tell what is stamped on the telephone pole? 9:38 there it is again....looks like the three cultists boiling in a pot....

[@mariusloveless7880]

@collative Learning Hey man, I really enjoy your channel as a huge fan of Horror films, and I'm very happy to see you did a video on "Hereditary" , as a guy who has seen almost EVERY major Horror film and a lot of lesser known films. I have to say that I put this film Hereditary up among the likes of The Exorcist, The Shining, and Psycho as an all time great. What do you think of it as a whole, is it a horror film worthy of that company? Also, Suspiria ....that film and Hereditary I think are my generations, Exorcist and Shining, Suspiria in some ways made me feel more creeped out than ANY horror film I've ever seen.

[@PhantomTales]

collative I don't have enough money to watch your stuff.You are charging too much bro.

[@collativelearning]

@@mariusloveless7880 Cheers, yes I hold it up among the greats. As said in the video it's in my top ten horror movies of all time.

[@collativelearning]

@@PhantomTales There are plenty paying at my current prices , but if you hang on for the batches of discounts I do every month or two you can grab some then, usually between 30-70 percent off

[@majpeaches]

10:10 those aren't vegetables, those are clearly nuts, you know, for Charlie's allergy. It's totally relevant to the plot

[@nicholasallen5848]

Total "duh" moment

[@lloydo66]

Yeahhhhh. I had to stop watching when he missed that. Like how could it have been more obvious? Were analyzing this movie and missing a key part of the story that is in no way subtle.

[@nokiabodohkualalumpur4217]

legumes not veges izzit?

[@socalm.great.yes.sogood]

Lloyd Hoshide same

[@balaam_7087]

Wow lots of hate for that little misdiagnosis. I noticed the walnuts being chopped too but there’s no need to drop the hammer. Perhaps the narrator knew all along these were nuts and simply misspoke, or it could just be the fact that no one person could possibly be expected to nail EVERY single little thing in a given movie. Even if he missed this outright, the rest of the video was still darn interesting I thought.

[@JakobRoss]

Annies scream when she finds Charlies body is one of the most horrifying things I've ever heard. TONI COLLETTE DESERVES AN OSCAR

[@willthomas2310]

Toxic Destiny My whole body went numb. That was one of the hardest things to watch from a movie.

[@JakobRoss]

will Thomas when the film ended my entire body was shaking. I’ve never seen a movie that has made me feel so drained.

[@willthomas2310]

Toxic Destiny Yup! It sure was a Mind Fu##ed lol

[@tomaszroginski6134]

100% agreed. I can't remember ever feeling the horror I felt when waiting for someone to find Charlie's headless body. And when Annie finally discovered the monstrosity... Imagining what must have been going on in her head at that moment was alone enough to make my body shrivel, and when she started screaming, I couldn't help but put my hands over my head in terror. The anticipation of the personal tragedy that would rule over Annie's life from now onwards is the most horrific thing possible for me.

[@meaningoftheunicorn]

Indeed. If she gets stiffed the Oscars will lose all credibility in my mind.

[@Chanta2424]

When Peter isn't paying attention in class, his teacher talks about the death of Heracles, and debates whether it is more/less tragic a death because it's destined. A girl points out that it's more tragic because nothing the hero does can change his tragic fate, even if he took precautions. That entire scene sums up the whole movie.

[@siddharthshrivastava1399]

Yeah, also the second class scene where the teacher talks about the great depression taking place was also symbolic to the movie's story

[@michaelb.42112]

Oh I missed that. This movie is perfection.

[@JESSEXTO]

Wow! This is exactly why this movie must really be watched several times!

[@moooriel]

I think Charlie’s decapitation so early in the movie has got to be one of the best twists I’ve ever seen. I also think not enough kudos is given to the trailer of this movie which gave an impression that Charlie would be the source of the demonic activity and present throughout the whole movie. It emphasized the grandmothers funeral so much that I don’t think anyone was anticipating Charlie’s death, so when it happened you were left with such a feeling of dread. Amazing writing and editing!

[@missanthropicnihilist2830]

Well technically, Charlie IS the source of demonic entity. Her spirit along with the demon king are carried throughout the film till the very end when they eventually possess Peter. 👍🏽

[@andrewoldham3675]

I remember seeing this in theaters all the way back in 2018. When Peter was rushing Charlie to the hospital, I initially thought, "Okay, he's going to get her to the hospital in the nick of time, the paramedics will give Charlie an epi-pen shot to clear up her allergies, the parents will be called to come pick them up, and the parents will scold/ground Peter for not paying closer attention. Then it will cut to Charlie on a hospital gurney looking all creepy, implying that it's actually the parents who should have been paying closer attention and Charlie will be the Linda Blair of this film." Then the decapitation happened, and I literally yelled "HOLY SHIT!" in the theater. Brilliant filmmaking that I legitimately did not see coming. (Also, I was drinking a milkshake around the time the decapitated head with the ants on it showed up. I immediately put my shake off to the side when I saw that, as that caused me to lose my appetite.)

[@juleacole977]

@@missanthropicnihilist2830there’s actually theories that Charlie was never Charlie but King Paimon from the time of her birth. They believe that Paimon had possessed her as a baby because of the grandmother feeding Charlie the black herbs in her bottle. The black herbs are a way to open yourself up to spirits and demons.

[@slowyourroll1146]

@@andrewoldham3675 Bet you refused to look at that shake after seeing the scene with Charlie and the ants too

[@Automatedresponsebot5]

It trips you; your expectation is a little bit of the run of the mill exorcist type movie. The further it progresses, the more a lot of what happens with Charlie seems more like “dark mind of a curious child” and further humanizes her as a little kid than some scary demon vessel. When she dies, it FURTHER reinforces the idea that nah, this is a child and everyone is going to be extremely traumatized by their relatives death. That reality of grief, despair, and dread, combining with the fucking wild ride of a second half, confuses you, makes you think what you’re seeing is not real, just a result of insane psychological torture caused by deep deep trauma. But no, it really is some demon shit 💀

[@TheDevinMT]

When Annie has that nightmare she says "I was trying to save you" which I think implies she knew about her mother's plot on some subconscious level and I think that's worth discussing.

[@arnemyggen]

Devin Thompson yes and Peter also gets this knowledge towards the end. Probably the reason for the choice end credits song “both sides now”.

[@tonywords6713]

yeah the director confirmed this, it also ties into the theme of divine intervention and the greek tragedy which are referenced earlier in the film

[@tonywords6713]

@@arnemyggen i love this, also the cognitive dissonance of all this happy music at the end despite being utterly tragic and hopeless haha

[@corycridge8882]

I mean on that same note, in the first eulogy, Annie's already wearing the cult necklace.

[@Slechy_Lesh]

@@corycridge8882 Which is a sort of symbol of the northwest wind they summon Paimon from - and is scrawled in blood in the attic.

[@fernandosucre9718]

The naked guy smiling near the end can also been seen at the funeral in the background with the same sinister smile.

[@Coypop]

I knew that fucker was up to no good

[@Sammyandbobsdad]

I saw him too.

[@Sammyandbobsdad]

Laverne Blaszczyk I think so.

[@garycobiak5926]

@@Sammyandbobsdad he was the boys teacher?. Jeez that gives an extra layer of creepiness. Like they've embedded themselves in positions in their lives for years.

[@Sammyandbobsdad]

gary cobiak yes indeed.

[@gabreflex6081]

I think it's so funny how many people didn't see Annie up in the corner of the ceiling in that scene with Peter... That's the one part of the movie that disturbed me the most!

[@eKuokk]

yea after noticing her there i still cant look at dark corners when im trying to sleep😅🙈

[@ronfino]

@@eKuokk timestamp please

[@chanelle5939]

Same here!!

[@-Siculus-Hort-]

her floating headless body creeped me out...

[@tonywords6713]

same. that single shot and the way the movie gaslights you prior into sense of safety regarding dark corners is part of my intense love for it. insane how many people were too busy looking at their phone or whatever to access that

[@WhistleMeThis]

Right before the scene where Peter wakes up and finds his father’s body, the establishing shot of the house clicks from day to nighttime. I didn’t notice it in my first three viewings, but if you pay close attention to the shot of the house, dozens of naked cult members can be seen standing around the property. It’s a spooky image.

[@collativelearning]

Oh man, I didn't even see that upon close study of the film haha. Very good find!

[@jonchappellnow]

@@collativelearning I think several of the transition shots are either made to appear like models or are actual models, further blurring the lines between reality and manipulation. Also, there's that three story house in the living room and the second doll house that is lit and then unlit.

[@jonanjello]

Wow, great catch. This afternoon , I gave the film a second viewing on Prime Video. I just went back and checked the scene (1:46:51) and yeah, naked cultists everywhere. I notice the house and tiny figures resemble one of Annie's dioramas

[@Trowa71]

And the shot before, as the husband burns, as soon as Annie's face snaps from horror to possessed you can see that strange light streak past her face.

[@CraftyTheDefier]

Corban can u link the video pls

[@w13d0w]

the layers of uncomfortable creepyness this movie throws at you is unmatched. Just by watching this video I got nervous because I am alone right now.

[@rebelwinter]

Haha same my dude. I was doing house chores and I got so dern ooked out by this. I'm gonna have to have a palette cleanser for an analysis of a horror movie; if that doesn't vouch for this movie, I don't know what will!

[@violatorut2003]

Agreed. I really wanted to watch this movie but after watching this I think I will skip it. This is scary enough lol.

[@richfan10]

the naked demon guy at the end who was just visible in the doorway smirking was freaky

[@w13d0w]

@@violatorut2003 definately watch it if you like horror, it is one of the greatest. Instant classic, like rob said

[@violatorut2003]

@@w13d0w Okay but, i'm warning you. It's gonna be difficult.

[@jzolli2425]

After the daughter dies Annie is crying on the bedroom floor postrated like she will be at the end only headless and I think she say "I want to die, I need to die".

[@CynicalBastard]

That's sad. Yes, her psychological manipulation was that great, it caught it up with her in a perfect timing to the demon's plan.

[@esyphillis101]

I’m surprised to see no one else in analysis vids of this movie have brought up this observation. There is a lot of visual and subliminal association of grief and insanity with possession and demon worship in this movie. This being one example.

[@Slechy_Lesh]

I wanna die, I just need to die.

[@sirpepeofhousekek6741]

Good eye!

[@crieverytim]

foreshadowing and to accentuate her utter grief and despair over losing a child

[@Noname-ul9fx]

One of the first foreshadowing moments was the smile that man gave Charlie at the funeral. I almost immediately knew there was some outside “group” especially when mom mentioned during the Eulogy that there were many *new* faces

[@grain_death]

just gona say man i definitely noticed annie in the top corner the first time and it fuucking ruined me for months

[@fabulousdolphin4221]

ruined is a good way of putting it.

[@DaggerQuill]

This and the head knocking were the 2 things that actually terrified me in this movie.

[@sydkne]

TheGnarlyToaster I accidentally slipped out an “oh fuck” upon seeing that in the theater

[@RoseLostinValley]

@@sydkne Bruh same, my friends and I started freaking out in the Theatre

[@burtbiggum499]

Was hard to sleep for sure

[@tarps1151]

No one will probably see this but, Annie cuts her own head off with some sort of wire. When Peter comes down the stairs to find his dead dad, a broken piano with strings ripped out is shown. This kind of stuff is what can make movies so rewatchable.

[@londonmaths1557]

i noticed her in the corner on my 1st veiwing, it scared the absolute shit outta me, matter fact it was that and the scene where shes bangs her head on the ceiling that messed me up real bad lol

[@Shaft0]

It felt like a direct transposition of the grandma; like mother like daughter. Only less than creepy AF because you've already been slightly dulled to the surprise by the same apparition of the grandma earlier. Super creepy anyway, like realizing years later when revisiting an old album that something creepy was photo bombing you this whole time.

[@jamesarthurkimbell]

I wonder if it depends on your cinematic experience: a slight difference in theater lighting, projector settings, etc. might push a marginally visible item into obviousness or obscurity.

[@crackiechan1209]

I didnt notice it until i saw this Video and it gave me chills. This Movie was s masterpiece

[@seebass1001]

I remember seeing it on first viewing and i couldnt help but say to my friend sitting next to me "do you see it" it was almost an impulse. scary

[@BeautifullyDark46]

dude same. i literally had a psychotic breakdown because of those two scenes and as much as i love horror, i can't bring myself to watch the movie again. even watching this video is hard for me so i'm hiding in the comments and refusing to watch anything on screen.

[@egoborder3203]

there's so much to praise in this movie, but I gotta give a shout out to Toni Colette and Alex Wolff. Their acting really sold their fear and anxiety, especially Annie getting freaked out during the seance

[@wandanemer2630]

Their acting was incredible!! It *hurt* me to watch them suffer and twist along the movie.

[@GabbasaurusRex]

Everyone talks about Toni Colette, but I hardly hear anyone mention Alex Wolf’s performance. Standout.

[@reyco2.032]

Peter's character made me straight up cry multiple times, absolutely amazing performance

[@brianmeeth1512]

Why does no one talk about that one scene where peter is ripping a bowl in his room, blows the smoke out the window and the camera shot appears to be near some trees outside looking at him and you can see the breath of someone in the cold night who is probably looking right at him

[@killingmewillnotbringbacky9177]

it's kind of self-evident. I'm more interested in what was going on with the person wearing the hat with the fire that Charlie was walking toward.

[@mermaidaw]

That damn cult is everywhere...peering in my bedroom window...

[@mrmeerkat1096]

@@mermaidaw 🤣

[@MidSleepMeister]

Wait... Am I the only one who sees Charlies hoodie as being bright orange rather than red?

[@ToGAReacts]

It’s 100% orange

[@angelhoward96]

That was a stretch so was the taillights thing

[@rameshsharma4422]

It's orange

[@FirstnameLastname-bn4gv]

Myles Howard The taillights thing definitely wasn’t a stretch

[@meggytah]

When I watched it it was red. These clips seem to be washed out a little. Maybe it was just my TV color settings

[@joemurray8910]

When peter is possessed in the classroom, his hand/arm gets put in a position very similar to the hand on the Paimon statue's staff later in the movie

[@billjones5741]

The final shot of the movie in the in tree house, when it's a weird shot with the wall cut away, is definitely meant to be some kind satanic version of the nativity scene.

[@turq1824]

Wow. Just wow, it is a mockery of baby Jesus. Extremely satanic. Very nice find Bill.

[@turq1824]

@Sean What's your point clown.

[@bluepsiongamer4909]

That scene reminded me of something... and now I realize it is the nativity scene in the town common? Thank you!

[@melanieladbrooke1221]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought that,

[@missanthropicnihilist2830]

AND also Annie's miniature models.

[@The_Reviewist]

The hacking of the "vegetables" is significant as she is actually chopping nuts, which Charlie is allergic to.

[@collativelearning]

So she is. They must go into the chocolate cake.

[@VM-hl8ms]

it's not just nuts, but walnuts. nuts which somewhat look like human brain... mind fuck and cultism are indistinguishable.

[@CynicalBastard]

Nicely noted V M, and also, this: it belays a sense of *rhythm* -- like was pointed out, sort of sidewise, in the video, noting the trailers use of the "banging". Mindfucking, indeed.

[@The_Reviewist]

@@collativelearning That was the assumption I made in that scene. I hadn't thought about the banging significance. It's a very interesting point and it's a fantastic film.

[@poodinky80]

actually show the knife used to cut the nuts as same knife that would slice the cake, though i've never been at a high school party where someone baked a home made chocolate cake.

[@Verticaltruth]

Watching this in the middle of the night by myself is..... unnerving.

[@3amgrl]

I'm actually sat downstairs at 2.40am watching this, feeling a little on edge as we have no curtains/blinds at our conservatory windows and I keep thinking the light is on in here so someone could see in but I can't see them... I'm going to get in bed to finish watching this where my other half is snoring! I don't feel safe 😂

[@SamJawBone]

I did the same thing. Had trouble going to bed that night!

[@EmotionalAirHead]

Yeah i made that mistake as well. I didnt go to sleep til loke 4am.

[@ghostcat2467]

Same! It was an awesome experience. Dark room on my laptop with headphones. I was completely immersed.

[@GREATGAIWAIN]

I watched it with my girlfriend for New Years this year and she was crying half way through and was really mad at me for showing it to her.

[@Spudcore]

Those are nuts, not vegetables. Sorry, it bothered me slightly.

[@athleticpiano2128]

Same.

[@csillakaszas7285]

it bothered me a lot. this guy has never seen either walnuts or vegetables???

[@xXxC0nSUm3rXxX1337]

he probably only eats fast foods and goes to restaurants lmao

[@ryan4butler1]

Adam Power nuts are vegtables idiots

[@fabulousdolphin4221]

i think some of the kids are in the cult...look at that ludicrous amount of nuts for a cake...obviously meant to precipitate an allergic reaction.

[@billyray5232]

Attention: Me being a Horror Fan since 1983 I did not expect this to happen...but did this Film...linger with you for a few days after viewing it??? Or is it just me...and on a side note, this is probably the single best Horror movie I've seen in the past Decade. It truly creeped me out & got under my Skin..

[@tonywords6713]

Oh yes

[@rameshsharma4422]

Same.... Did you see Midsommar??

[@annasloan2349]

Same for real. I was so sad when peter was turned but it was fitting and it fucked with me.

[@coreyhall1150]

It was scarier then the conjuring 2 to me.

[@PhilthCollinz]

No you are not over exaggerating, this is one of the greatest horror films in movie history.

[@isaacgallegos217]

In addition to what you pointed out, there was a scene (near the middle, I think) where Annie is painting or modifying one of her models and then reaches for a small bottle of paint only to spill it over. The first time I watched it, I thought she had physically pushed it over (like everyone else, probably). Upon watching the scene a second time, however, I noticed that the bottle spilled on its own. Annie's hand was never in contact with it at all. The knowledge of this tiny tiny detail drove me mad and made me keep an eye out for other creepy hidden details. Dang I love this movie.

[@peterpoopeater]

Did you notice the Paimon light a few seconds prior, behind her at the window..? Creepy..

[@cra0cristal]

And this blue paint scene was intentional. Ari Aster, the movie director, did an AMA on reddit, and when someone asked if the blue paint spilled on its own, Aster replied "Glad you caught that!".

[@darrylbowman8369]

hollywood love to make movies about super heroes, and ghost scaring the living daylight's out of white people it's a routine they been doing for a long time but i feel the true horror is humans we can be so kind to eachother but we can also be so hateful to eachother to the point where we kill eachother i think the most terrifying feeling is being "POWERLESS"

[@ChibiViolin]

I noticed it but just assumed it was sloppy film making.

[@tylergalligani6450]

@@ChibiViolin nice

[@bomapdich]

the whole movies feel like a hypnosis session. Idk, but I felt psychologically tortured throughout.

[@martifernandez8]

Yes. I think “psychologically tortured” is the best way of explaining it, I’ve never felt so uneasy with a horror movie before

[@ackrien9630]

A little detail that i noticed as well is that the demonic statue at the end, the one with Charlie's head seems to resemble many of her makeshift toys like the one with the pigeon head. Another parallel is that at the end of the movie in final shot with the cabin, everything thats outside seems to be cut off, as if we were looking into one of Annie's doll houses.

[@christophermacintyre5890]

it also resembles a nativity scene...AND, there is an inverted peace symbol design on the outside of the tree house (at 18:45 in this video) which is an inversion of peace symbol (Christ being called the Prince of Peace). Incidentally, St. Peter was one of the most important disciples and became and is considered the first Pope.

[@elimidd6626]

I like to think Charlie's pigeon toy with the crown was foreshadowing of what was to become of Charlie, the fact that in Joan's cult setup in her house had what appeared to be the pigeon toy or a replica along with three other decapitated animal heads reflecting the final scene kinda confirmed it in my mind

[@esyphillis101]

I believe the treehouse shot at the end bears deeper symbolism when viewed in context as an American horror film. The treehouse resembles a log cabin, and Peter/Paimon is being effectively reborn in said cabin. Culturally log cabins have a special place in American history as there is one American historical figure who was born in a log cabin: Abraham Lincoln. The implication being that Peter/Paimon will reign dominion in a similar, albeit perverted way.

[@sophistocat]

@@christophermacintyre5890 Yes! It was this perverted version of a nativity scene and that statue (which I thought was a satanic effigy mocking Jesus) that I found most terrifying and disturbing. And that's saying a lot with a movie that is chock full of both!

[@brpk9377]

After getting out of the theater I am convinced I have witnessed the shining of my time (as I am a post 90).

[@kenjen9861]

I watched this recently, and the camera work, while not quite to the level of The Shining, reminded me of that classic!

[@theproplady]

This movie gave me very Shining-esque vibes. Lots of sibliminal stuff happening. The director is definitely a fan of that film, I think.

[@andrewburgemeister6684]

This film and The Shining are really scary in terms of the supernatural horror themes and seeing hallucinations the characters are experiencing, although I felt this one scared me more since they were really blurring the line between hallucinations and reality in the film.

[@charlieal12]

The First Naked man that waves from the doorway is actually the man that smiles at Charlie during Grandma’s funeral scene.

[@julesf3773]

Another thing I noticed was that Hereditary starts with us panning into the house from a window shot, whereas Midsommar starts with the camera panning through a window to the outside. I wonder if this has to do with Hereditary being a film about family within the home vs Midsommar being about family outside of the home?

[@kalebh3419]

Actually on SEVERAL occasions during the film, there ARE figures in the darkness, the family is being actively stalked the entire time

[@brialyssy2834]

I actually had a panic attack in the theater when we see the mom hacking off her own head. I think because so much was happening and that was just too much for my brain. overload

[@corkscrewfoley]

That image alone still creeps me out.

[@darksided6527]

I had the exact same experience it almost made me cry it scared me so bad 😂

[@concertino58]

Same... from the moment when Peter gets all fucked up in the classroom to the end...my anxiety was building and building with each scene.

[@user-lb7zw5bb7n]

Lol no you didnt

[@ShadraqsVids16]

I just saw this movie a few nights ago. I was searching "scariest movie ever" "creepiest movie ever" because I wanted to find something that was actually going to scare me and everything I had already seen or I knew it was just going to be another bad "paranormal" movie. But I found this gem and it did more than scare me. It made me uncomfortable and feel emotions ive never felt during a film.

[@evanlusmann2689]

Rocky Balboa for life

[@annasloan2349]

Same here. I wanted to watch something scary but didnt want my time wasted...and got lucky to see this and it still fucks with me and i wonded what all i missed.

[@PotatoMaGobinus]

@@annasloan2349 have you seen The Witch, The Lighthouse, Midsommar? They're all the exact same genre and from the same production studio, those movies are AMAZING

[@wariowuzo9433]

Watch Bone Tomahawk. It’s a western horror film and it’s the same sort of vein. A horror movie that truly terrifies and disturbs you to your core.

[@PotatoMaGobinus]

@@wariowuzo9433 I saw bone tomahawk and that was FUCKED TO THE MAX. I loved every second. I also loved brawl and dragged across Concrete by the same director

[@wrongendofyourcigarette]

The film is a heart-breaking depiction of intergenerational trauma and thw circle of abuse. Annie gives her all to avoid becoming like her mother, but having grown up with her abuse she just can't avoid her fate and is possesed by the demon in the end as well.

[@mermaidaw]

Her mother wasn't just any "mother" with her maternal cathexsis, She was a SATANIST.

[@chico1342]

So many movie goers doin my watch started screaming as soon as they saw Annie hanging from the ceiling. It took about 15 seconds for everyone to notice and that had to be the best experience I had ever had in a movie theater. Everyone felt in tandem

[@aaronshouting588]

CHICO lucky you! My theatre was dying of laughter during my screening. Kind of took away the theatre experience for me. But then again, I never missed a second of the film, and it is a masterpiece!

[@BirdLadyy]

@@aaronshouting588 That's why I always wait for when it releases. Watching these kind of movies at theater ruins my experience. All I ever hear is laughter. I am trying to take in the whole story while people only seek to get scared (which I don't think is possible, our society is very desensitized) so I feel like no one appreciates a movie of this genre anymore.

[@aaronshouting588]

Tadukhipa that’s why I watch movies a week later after their releases. Not so packed. And opening day for movies in general, are a nightmare!

[@Droemar]

Omg, THANK YOU. The HUMAN STORY is what matters; the supernatural elements could be replaced with anything. I had to stop watching another video essay because they made Paimon's origin so significant when it DIDN'T MATTER. Yes, the supernatural element is what makes the story a horror, but the horror is not derived FROM the supernatural elements: it's derived from the human elements.

[@Rpxvision261]

I think you missed the point of the movie!

[@Droemar]

@@Rpxvision261 Yeah, because Stephen King never writes about how there's everyday horror in life and Humans Are The Real Monsters isn't a trope.

[@mjjjermaine]

This is such a good point! It was the human elements that made me feel the strongest (grief from the loss of a child, rage at the other family members) the supernatural elements would not be as scary without the inherent link to the human. I think this is why other horror movies don’t scare me as much as this film did.

[@miaou6747]

I remember reading somewhere that the demon being based off of paimon specifically was somewhat of a last minute decision, so it really could've been any demon/being

[@LPLimbos]

@@mjjjermaine Hell, even the cult was scarier because it was a cult. If it was only this demon king that was fucking with them it wouldnt have been as scary but the fact their grandmother and a bunch of other people external to their lives doomed them to this fate is terrifying.

[@omahabibblemaddox2181]

I knew nothing about this movie going into it and I was blown away with pleasant surprise at how much it pulled me in and kept me interested. It's a really fantastic psychological experience. Thanks Collative Learning!

[@collativelearning]

Same here. I avoided reading reviews or anything. The trailer alone sold me on it. It knocked me out.

[@cidevant002]

Another piece of foreshadowing that is kinda obvious happens on the classroom where the guy is barely paying any attention and the teacher is talking about something to do with tragedy. He asks the students if it is more tragic when the falling of a hero is something they could avoid or not, if is something that was predetermined by the gods or not, and one of the girls say something along the lines that is more tragic when they do have an option because then are left pondering forever what they could have done to prevent it. Same when Charlie dies, Peter feels incredibly guilty for a situation that he maybe COULD have prevented but will never know for sure.

[@tonywords6713]

Ya it’s invoking the Greek Tragedy the girl describes the characters as “hopeless pawns”, sort of like toys in a dollhouse.

[@chgvfx9512]

He noticed a million cool and interesting details about the movie and made a excellent video for free. Everyone: DIS NUTS. GOT EM'!

[@luqas99]

That sweater was quite clearly orange.

[@spenser9908]

And the vegetables were quite clearly nuts.

[@ZwarteKonijn]

Something I want to add what made the movie more unsettling is the camerawork; a lot of the shots are from a more distance, no blurriness, what makes it harder to know what to focus on, so you'll focus on more aspects of what you are seeing, especially for a longer time (what happened a lot) what creates a feeling you don't know what to focus on, what going on, and if there is something happening on the side of the screen instead of only in the middle (what you first think you need to focus on). I really loved how this movie used camerawork to influence the movie :D

[@annasloan2349]

Yes! Great point

[@yolonaturally]

A little easter egg (imo) in the film is Annie's name..."Annie Graham". I think Aster paid homage to Rosemary's Baby.... " The name is an ANAGRAM."

[@davidhoffman6980]

Good catch.

[@freebretth]

Holy shit.

[@fakeplasticgamers9850]

I've never been this scared by someone cranking up the brightness.

[@DrKhaos23]

I tried showing this movie to my friends cause it's practically my favorite horror film to come out in a long time. They barely paid attention, thought Toni Collette (Annie) was a shit actor, and laughed at the naked people scene around the end. Needless to say, some people just don't have the mindset to watch movies like Hereditary. They'd rather watch horror films with a killer that kills and tortures for no reason with half naked girls screaming their heads off, obscene gore, jumpscares and rampant stupidity. Hereditary is fucking awesome because it takes all those horror movie cliches and slaps you in the face with existential dread unlike anything seen today.

[@anonymous-hz2un]

Get new friends, pronto

[@Winter-Alpha-Omega]

Your friends suck and are not real friends.

[@Drforrester31]

I definitely noticed Annie up in the corner first time around, and it was ridiculously unsettling. Made all the worse when she seems to swim/crawl out of the room in such an inhuman manner

[@pollyward98]

I noticed it right away and I did not sleep that great after watching the movie. Lol.

[@Neptunequeen42]

It would probably help a lot with the analysis of this movie to brush up a little bit on goetia. The movie shows a clear understanding of actual solomonic magick techniques despite not leaning on it too hard, which would confuse the layman viewer - the triangle painted on the floor of grandma's bedroom was an especially nice little touch because it shows that she evokes this demon quite frequently. Reading up on occult sources about Paimon/Paymon would help too - that's his actual goetic seal they use in the movie, and most sources claim that one of his main powers is the ability to extend the life of people for several weeks after they should be dead. He's also most well known for being preceded by the trumpeting of horns when he's called, which is exactly what happens with the soundtrack in the last scene of the movie. The cult itself is quite unusual for people who seem to be following solomonic techniques so I'm sure they just took their liberties there in order to have a creepy cult in the movie. Ordinarily you're binding the demon to your will, not worshipping it, and a physical vessel is never really something that comes up as offerings - it's usually exposure of their seal (like by wearing it as a necklace everywhere you go...) or spreading praise of their name. Anyway all this is to say it would be beneficial to have context for the occult stuff in this movie since it does draw from real sources even if it takes some liberties for the sake of being a movie. Edit: ALSO paymon's color is gold, he's a king and therefore a solar entity, blah blah blah so of course the sun motif is right on for him. But the little light shimmer that shows up to indicate a ghost or spirit isn't gold, it's blue, which is the same color that often appears when annie's being coerced to follow the cult's plan. (blue paint!) Personally I think gold is the color of paymon but blue is the color of grandma, and the blue light is her spirit sticking around to oversee her plan.

[@collativelearning]

Thanks, yes I've done some bits of reading up on that stuff already to the point where a lot of what happens makes much more sense to me now, especially the crazy lead up to the ending. Actually even without reading up on it the film gives a lot of clues that can be nicely pieced together, but the clues are very subtle at times.

[@VendErre]

Fascinating. I'll have to give this movie a watch. I do love the occult, but have stuck more to meditational practices rather than any more so strict constructs.

[@castoputa]

Lamentable that the goetia is such unadulterated and unqualified gibberish though. If only it held a fraction of he elegance of this film!

[@infinitesimotel]

Just clock at the name of the director OY VEY!

[@tonywords6713]

very interesting! LOVED the soundtrack in this movie a whole lot more once I looked into all that. A truly masterful film. Ari Aster is on record saying that gold is symbolic of paimon colour wise.

[@superpato7559]

24:16 i know its a commum way of putting chairs in psychologists office, but in this scene, the brown chairs are facing him the same position as the headless bodies at Paimon in the end. I dont know if its the brown color scheme, but it really made me remember the bodies

[@BiohazardBunney]

This is a horror movie that uses the complete opposite of jumpscares, which is such a breath of fresh air, but at the same time keeps your lights when you're trying to sleep. You're forced to look closely into the dark, and when you finally do see the scary thing, it's petrifying. Ari Aster is a precious treasure and must be protected at all costs.

[@lukas4112]

The ladder being down for the son to go in the attic was sort of foreshadowed. There was a thumping sound as he was downstairs, which could be the noise of the ladder hitting the ground

[@deathhzrd]

Colin Stetson’s soundtrack is so fantastic in this movie The amount of tension from the sax alone is palpable enough to make orange juice

[@hangedups2608]

MirumExMachina ORANGE PALP ?

[@reganmccarthy8409]

One thing I noticed, not sure if it’s meant to mean anything but the girl chopping the nuts, it’s like it’s the exact same motion and speed as when Annie is banging her head against the attic door later in the movie, might just be a completely random coincidence but after seeing this movie 3 times now it’s just something I noticed.

[@dewydumpling6804]

when watching in the cinema i realised they music throughout the film was this low binaural beat that filtered back and forth through speakers creating such a hypnotic tense feeling

[@vexinglex4996]

I have a particular interest in the progression of the transitions in this film. In the first half of the film, several scenes fade to the next one in either a slow or quick pace, giving me the feeling of being "let in" to the moment. However, as the evil continues to permeate into their lives and more supernatural scenes begin to visually pop into view, transitions just... snap... This is apparent during the day to night shifts and vice versa. I don't currently have a particular interpretation of this other than the fact that their world is no longer subject to the conceit of time and space. Everything is happening through the will of the demonic presence and their entire existence is now, like the ending, in a vacuum of malevolent space.

[@Ujuani68]

You nailed it.

[@loganwelty7094]

Damn, well stated

[@negativespace261]

Easily one of the most horrifying films I've watched. Even seeing this analysis of it had me tense the entire time. As always, excellent analysis of the film!

[@zacharyantle7940]

Also I'll say this, the movie didn't exactly "save my life", but I had a horrific experience majority of the year not unlike the characters (no one died), but seeing this was so oddly therapeutic for me. I cried several times.

[@tonywords6713]

same, came from a weird family background with lots of inherited trauma. The Director said he went through a very rough period where his family felt "cursed" and this film is a good representation of how that feels.

[@couchpotato3197]

I think everyone will go through that feeling in their life. Life is hard.

[@SomeKindOfScum]

Absolutely same for me as well. The movie had me entranced in the final finale, and as the credits started to roll, I snapped out of it and started to have one of the most visceral emotional upheavals I've ever experienced from watching a movie.

[@matiauka1]

I hope youve felt better since then my friend

[@Daisy-zr3qm]

tonywords his family was actually cursed lmao

[@HeavyMetalSonicRM]

I LOVE how Annie up in the corner was not spoiler with an obnoxious jump scare noise. My first time seeing the film was blu-ray on an OLED TV. I could see everything perfectly. It's very satisfying to notice things on your own without noises.

[@lenejaV]

I saw it twice in the cinema when it came out because I had a feeling I couldn't get through it on my own (and I was right, I couldn't even look at the half of your video lol). It was the most intense movie theater experience I ever had, I really allowed it to traumatize me. Every friend I went with and half of the people in the audience laughed at the some of the most difficult scenes, and it was a classic coping mechanism I had felt too but kinda had to shut out in the beginning. It was really interesting to see how my friends who didn't like the movie just couldn't let themselves be attacked by it. A torment and a cathartic pleasure of consuming a masterful work of art in the end is priceless.

[@collativelearning]

I've heard a few people talk about it being funny, but when I was in the cinema everybody was silent all the way through. I've got a strong stomach for horror, but this was one of the scariest movies I'd ever seen. I mean i saw The Exorcist when I was about 11 and even that didn't bother me too much.

[@Slechy_Lesh]

A torment and a cathartic pleasure, I agree, very well put. It really offended me how some people said they laughed, found it ridiculous or twee or whatever. Mark Kermode pissed me off - these various people who certainly have a stronger knowledge of film than me but who have no imagination, they fail to get into it or acknowledge something. I feel jealous, I think, that they lack whatever it is I have that gets me so disturbed by films like this.

[@crieverytim]

audience reaction was one of my favorite parts of the experience - i went 5 times and every time was exceptional

[@BadBloodwillout]

honestly, I laughed and I LOVED the film. It's just so over the top. And it works. It was one of my fave films of the year and I laughed through a lot of it.

[@crieverytim]

@@BadBloodwillout yeah, lots of hysterical moments. belly laughs to nervous laughs

[@esyphillis101]

That shot at 4:07 is one of the creepiest moments in the movie. Is it really nothing? It looks like Annie hunched over, and would foreshadow her actual stalking of him and attacking him in his sleep.

[@collativelearning]

Yeah it looks like a figure, but it seems to just be some coats draped in a creepy way.

[@Shaft0]

This happens a lot to people when they wake up and are suggestible from it. Meaningless objects juxtaposed or positioned in unfortunate ways will trigger that kind of pareidolia. Likewise when you have people saying they turn their sight to something from peripheral vision because it looked like something creepy (insects or whatever). Where someone else would have not had something on their conscience to be so inclined to imagine it being something creepy.

[@tonywords6713]

yeah it sort of resembles the headless corpse at the end of the film

[@theproplady]

I thought it was a shout out to Poltergeist as well (the scene with the clown toy in the chair.)

[@vin-cc9nk]

Holy shit I've never noticed the mom in the corner until now, when you bumped up the brightness it was actually terrifying, guess I'm not sleeping tonight lol.

[@simonelisee8214]

The staff held by the Paimon statue in the last scene directly resembles Peter's raised hand right before he slams his face into his desk in class. Right before Annie's husband is burned alive in the living room, the camera angle shows him directly between the two edges of the fireplace possibly as subconscious foreshadowing. Fire is a motif throughout the movie, (candles, matches, lighter, fireplace, etc.) and the red space heaters resemble the red of fire within the tree house that is central to demonic activity.

[@78deathface]

I think she’s chopping nuts, not vegetables. But more importantly WHY is she chopping them LIKE THAT?

[@Shaft0]

Teenage euphoria + party euphoria + psychedelic euphoria = happy narrative coincidence

[@tattootania]

perhaps it creates a sinister feel to them,makes them a point of reference to the later allergy,and because they are indirectly a murder weapon?

[@kevlow9494]

Another sign of Paimon under control since it mirrors possessed Annie when she is banging her head on the attic door?

[@kevlow9494]

Whoopsie he explained that already as foreshadowing/Paimon.

[@starsareangels]

The use of nuts might be a reference to how Annie has gone "nuts" in the later scene.

[@Stravalnak]

Why do I keep watching this film before going to sleep. 4 days in a row now.

[@adb2u]

stop the demon is pulling you in. Pray for protection

[@turq1824]

In the final scene in the treehouse when the conjuring is complete, the long black haired guy with his hair in a bun kneeling in the front is one of Peter's high school friends.

[@eatallnowsavenone4later342]

That cluck sound in the car while Annie was driving was very terrifying ,and the thump you heard when Annie decapitated herself and her head hit the ground.🥺

[@tHeWasTeDYouTh]

3:13 YES!!!!! when I was a little kid the thing that scared me the most was silence, being alone and having very low light in which object have shadows. My parents turned the attic of our house into a room so you can say the entire roof area of the house was my room. It was huge and nothing scared me the most as a kid that walking up and looking at my huge room with the moonlight shinning all over(had big windows) I would sometimes be paralyzed with fear and my heart would go insane and beat so hard. I am glad all that passed but for some reason when I go to my parents house I still get an uneasy feeling when I sleep in my old room (I am 31 today). I always have wondered why I feel that way and only in my room

[@damiano94]

I felt that as a kid aswell

[@jewliaj]

this movie disturbed me so much that it invaded my mind for days after...even watching this video was difficult for me despite the fact that i've had plenty of time to process it and at 20:14 when you show the clip from that scene i IMMEDIATELY felt the same sense of dread i felt the first time i saw it. i wasn't really freaked out by the "horror" aspects of the film so much as i was haunted by the thought of how it would feel being in a situation like that...it just so happens that i am the older sibling of a brother with asthma/allergies and it churned my stomach to imagine what it would feel like to be in peter's place.

[@diablocell]

Something I noticed that you didn't touch on in this video, and that I haven't read in the comments is that Charlie sort of got a foreshadowing of her own death. When she's at school a bird slams into her classroom window and dies, she later cuts its head off. Much like when she slams her head into a hard object(utility pole), and loses her head. More to that point the women in this movie seem to ((lose their heads)) in death. The grandmother lost hers, presumably when she was dug up, Charlie lost hers in death, and the mother cut her own head off at the end. Meanwhile, the mother burned the father alive and had a sleepwalking dream about burning her son alive.

[@ealdie24]

I saw the mom in the dark corner of the wall when I first saw this movie and I silently freaked out then my neck froze, avoiding me from turning my head to my own room's wall

[@mikeoshea12]

One thing I noticed is the medium said her grandson was named Louis. She exclaimed, "I love you Louis!" I felt that she was exclaiming that to Lucifer.

[@bluepsiongamer4909]

I like to exclaim baby talk my dog and one thing I love to say is "I love you my Lucy-girl!". ... I am a Luciferian but not going to be summoning any demons any time soon.

[@joeyk3134]

The things I was the most disturbed by were all the times creepy things were in frame but with no obvious jumpscare music cues. Also Annie's scream when she finds Charlie, and all the weird logistical stuff involving the possessions. However, the body floating up the stairs did make me laugh at first

[@ChibiMalin]

All I could think watching this was "that's not okay"

[@TheIcarusFalls]

I know I'm late to this, but I love this movie and this video you've made. One thing I would like to add is the shot of the house after Annie gets possessed where it switches from early morning to that night. Before the switch the sun is coming up and there's a sense of tranquility about it. Then as soon as it flips to that night you can see naked cultists scattered throughout the woods. It's something I didn't notice on my first viewing, but I think that simple shot summarizes the entire movie. At first it seems like a bright, normal day, then it just cuts to darkness where everything you see is saturated by the presence of evil. I think this movie deserved more praise, and Toni Collette truly should've won an Oscar for her performance.

[@Imanmagnet00]

Apparently at the end Peter was supposed to stab his eyes out like the drawing and pictures foreshadowed, so the black eyes on Grandma Ellen could have been a clue to that as well, being possessed at one point herself.

[@tonywords6713]

it's not anywhere in the script but I've heard some conflicting accounts on this so it's possible it performed badly during a test screening. A lot of people have noted this as being odd too

[@christophermacintyre5890]

I think you maybe correct, because this would parallel the story of Oedipis putting his eyes out with a hot coal after he realized he had slept with his mother and killed his father. In fact, if I recall the school teacher mentioned the Oedipus story in the movie (I could be wrong). In a way, that would have been a more positive ending, in that in implies Peter had enough of his soul left to end his life rather than be possessed by Paimon.

[@keveardo]

One of the best Horror movies I've seen in my lifetime

[@aaronshouting588]

ccdm515 no. Just no!

[@aaronshouting588]

ccdm515 ok yeah sure. But that doesn’t make it a “thriller”. It’s a horror film. Period! Nothing more. Nothing less.

[@LuisAngel-mu4zv]

@@ccdm515 are you the same one that said the same thing on that A quiet place video? Horror doesn't automatically mean Gore, so is The Excorcist not horror because it doesnt have gore? Or are The Omen,Nightmare on elmstreet(original) Halloween (also original), The Grudge or The Ring not Horror? Or the first Childs play? Wtf, also the first Texas chainsaw massacre doesnt have alot of gore in fact theres more thrillers that show more gore than what that film showed, so does texas chainsaw (original) not count as horror too? Thrillers are more like : Se7en or Zodiac, Parasite, Prisoners, The guest, Nightcrawler, Drive, thrillers are more leaned to action movies than horror just with less action and a bit darker, they can even be more gorier than horror films as well, so that whole gory or not bs, doesn't apply to genres you've sadly mistaken the torture porn and sadistic gore with Horror, wich many horror fans dislike btw because we know how great horror films can be with psychological scares and great writing like hereditary, and btw gore can be effective when used correctly

[@tattootania]

the strange scene where annie was filmed upside down was meant to show the inversion of satanic doctrine as above so below etc (imo) amazing to see an occult film written by someone with real knowledge of the subject

[@infinitesimotel]

Look at the ethnicity of the director. That will speak volumes on that matter.

[@JoeTuber72]

Check out A Dark Song on Netflix. Made by real spell casters.

[@tattootania]

@@JoeTuber72 is it a movie?tv show?

[@esyphillis101]

It’s a movie. It may be too slow for some but it’s depiction of the occult is amazingly spot on.

[@infinitesimotel]

@@JoeTuber72 Thanks, will do.

[@linaware8635]

I love this movie, but there’s so much disturbing imagery (the sisters decapitation especially) that I can never get myself to watch it again

[@adminacefast7473]

Whether subconsciously or consciously, Annie is in on the manifestation of Charlie as Paymon. It’s just necessary that she plays out the pretence perfectly, something that’s echoed in her ability to recreate real life in miniature form in her dolls houses.

[@mrsubject1]

The grandma's white miniature gettinf put in place in the party cutaway seems too perfect considering its the moment before everything starts to snowball.. like a finely done move of the queen in chess(alogorical with her being the coverns leader or queen) that springs the mousetrap. In this case being the sis eating the cake maybe mirroring the move that palan makes in the big game of chess? Also how the model enters the bedroom where gran coddled Charlie which allowed her her to have planned out most of the things that take place in the movie

[@CynicalBastard]

It also greatly denotes her "flawed vessel" (as another user well enough points out in the comments here) as a chess piece for the demon.

[@jesepiorlando2836]

Hereditary is so good I can never watch it again. I’m not scarred of the scary parts but I have 3 younger sisters and the real raw depiction of the main characters teenage idiocy leading to the most regrettable outcome of his life is too real for me to Handel. It straight up makes me want to but my sisters in a padded room forever to prevent anything bad ever happening to them. And the realistic way that the main character just goes to bed, too devastated to do anything after he gets home leaving his mom to find her, literally made me lose my lunch

[@AntiVegan]

yeah it ruined the movie

[@jmlkhan5153]

Peter going home and lying in bed without a word was the scene where I sat up and realized I had stumbled onto a masterpiece film

[@nataliaramirez688]

Something I noticed was when Charlie drew the picture of the pigeon she decapitated wearing the crown it was foreshadowing how she would end up in the tree house. This movie was great and amongst my favorites!

[@tarantulagirl]

As soon as the nut chopping was shown it was obvious the director wanted us to know she was gonna have an allergic reaction. People would say I knew that was gonna happen, but that’s what he wanted us to think and concentrate on. The fact that Charlie May die from asphyxiation, therefore when the beheading happened it was a completely unexpected and a total shock. The nut scene was designed to make us think we could predict the movie. When she came to Peter with laboured, heavy breathing I don’t think anybody thought she might be possessed as we all saw her eating the cake. I read an interview with the director who said that he wanted people to think at the beginning of the film that they could predict the cliched horror and the girl who played Charlie said she was paimon from the beginning.

[@thecinemaundergroundpodcas2278]

Excellent work. Hereditary is a fantastic film and I can't wait to see what Ari Aster comes out with next. Also, can't get enough of your analyses. Always insightful and thorough.

[@cchristianjeremy]

Did you see the trailer for Midsommer? It's out!

[@jonhartley7445]

I thought hereditary was so shit, I've just seen midsommer twice and think it's amazing and unlike anything I've ever seen. I don't get why everyone loves hereditary, I'm wondering if I needed to see it at the cinema rather than a TV screen, coz I reckon midsommer would seem nowhere near as good on a small screen

[@AquaticAbomination]

@@jonhartley7445 I'm late for the party, but while I do think Hereditary is a great movie, it's nowhere near Midsommar. Midsommar feels much more mature, more striking as it doesn't really need or contain anything overtly supernatural - and the psychological aspects are even more interesting. Also, while it's clear the cult is insane, the movie does make them seem, at times, almost heavenly. The soundtrack is brilliant in underlining that. I saw both just last week, on my computer ultrawide, and I can say I regret not seeing them in cinema, it was still effective. I didn't sleep on the following night after Midsommar lol

[@viddywell9903]

The purpose of the opening shot to me is just to hammer on the notion of fatalistic dread that looms over the characters. By the time we enter the miniature house and the film's action begins, we understand that the family is nothing more than "pawns caught in the gears of a hopelessly evil machine" (Fate is a topic of discussion in the first act, where the paraphrased quote is delivered by a student in reference to the question "is it more tragic or less tragic?" -- which feels like a nod to the original Halloween -- and is a piece of foreshadowing). There's also the smiling cult member at the Gma's funeral, who later appears smirking in Peter's closet, and there's a lot with Collette's backstory that implies that similar things were done to her brother (who hung himself claiming that his mother "put people in him"), and is more aware than we may think about what her mother is up to -- hence the subconscious want to burn her sleeping children, thereby saving them from an even more grizzly fate, which we watch unfold. Lots of foreshadowing to be found here.

[@soulnoodle471]

I literally couldn't sleep after watching this movie. And I was in a funk for at least a week afterward. I found myself in awe of it and the artistic merit of it is incredibly intriguing, but I wouldn't watch it again since it scared the ever-living shit out of me. But I still can't get over the attention to detail, how meticulous it is, and how it perfectly utilizes the concept of trauma to depict how you could be a part of a well-off family and live in a nice house, but still be isolated and endangered. Something that really got me about the film too were scenes where Charlie and Peter are at school. The camera rests on them, giving little or no attention to other people in the scene, perfectly conveying that though there are plenty of people in their lives, they are completely alone and doomed to meet a dismal fate. And I think that sort of social isolation is painfully realistic and relatable to the point that I find it terrifying.

[@LaurenMacP1994]

I went to see this film in the cinema on my own and I absolutely LOVED it. So much so that I'm here months later watching in depth analysis after analysis of the story. A lot of people I know hated it because they didn't pay attention to all of the little details and didn't make connections where they should have so didn't see what was supposed to be seen. The film making itself was incredible also. In fact, the story, the script itself, the camera work, the acting, everything about this film was amazing. I am so happy to say that I am still interested in this film and all of it's many layers. Thank you for these videos!

[@tonywords6713]

Yeah it’s really hard for me to take people seriously when all they say about stuff like this or The Witch is “idk it was just boring/stupid”.

[@lesaztec5]

Agree with you that this is definitely top of horrors of all time and this is rare especially with the crap that has been released. Once I saw this the first time, I said it was instant top 10...others looked at me as if I was crazy and said the Conjuring is better....i was disappointed in their opinions. Thanks for your analysis.

[@balaam_7087]

lesaztec5 agreed. Still enjoyed the conjuring, but this absolutely destroys it

[@lesaztec5]

@@balaam_7087 Don't get me wrong, for the time, The Conjuring is an ok movie relative to what was out in the same genre. However, for me personally, I didn't want to watch it again nor did it spark my curiosity to dive into it further and didn't "scare" me, which is what a genre like this should at least do. Again, it is an ok movie but Hereditary surpassed it to the point where I got back to my younger days of being scared to watch a top 10 horror film by myself alone in the dark...This is what Hereditary brought back and once I felt that...I knew this was has been lacking for such a long time. Agree with you, ABSOLUTELY destroys it, no question.

[@infinitesimotel]

Wot? The Cuntjuring is a jumpscare borefest.

[@lesaztec5]

@@infinitesimotel Never said it was the opposite. I just said it was ok for what was out and the lack of good horror films. For me, Conjuring at least tried, but agree with you it is boring.

[@Slechy_Lesh]

@@lesaztec5 I also felt that disappointment in other people's opinions. I haven't had such a feeling, on that specifically anyway, before

[@tonywords6713]

you got me back! happy to hear someone address the sound design! so underrated. I also loved the use of sound in the opening shot with the weird sirens, which are used subtly throughout.. I'm surprised you didn't mention the ultra low frequencies and contrabasoon notes which are like ENTER THE VOID, to subliminaly make the audience unsettled. They're really loud and noticable on a good sound system and you can't "unhear" them. NOTE: The 202 sign vague resembles the cult symbol, as well as whatever numerological connotations those numbers may carry. The camera indicates a feeling of watchfulness over these characters, as well as the films camera itself being a metaphor for Paimon (who, as the audience) is watching over us/them the entire time. Similar to THE SHINING which has the same use of camera (4th wall), mirrors, and aesthetic design.

[@BeccaBerneda]

If I ever need to cry on command Ill just think of Toni Colette’s scream in this movie. I’ve never seen (or heard) anything in any film that’s upset me more.

[@IlSH2]

Im glad this movie is getting some love, when it came out it had mixed review and a lot of people bash on it. But overtime i think this movie would be consider a classic of psychology horror. There's a lot of details i didn't notice, great video!

[@Shaft0]

It is a camera. The LEDs are for infrared low/night visibility. Room 202 sounds familiar. On searching, it shows up in a couple of creepy video games (Silent Hill, Dying Light), and it's the number of a "haunted" hotel room in Winnipeg. Also it's vaguely reminiscent of 1984's Room 101. Grandma was definitely possessed, as IIRC one of the characters explicitly refers to grandma being a previous "flawed" vessel, before ultimately the son's offered as a satisfactory host. Probably too obvious to mention, but the naked blond dude in the closet looking at the mother before she chases the son up the stairs, is the same guy (also with the same expression, as with the lady's hand repeated hand gesture) from the funeral that the daughter snaps a look at immediately after she visibly notices and recognizes the Paimon pendant on the grandma's open casket body.

[@hansalucas]

The flawed vessel is Charlie, not grandma. This is very explicit. Charlie says "she (grandma) wanted me to be a boy", also when paymon takes control of the son, the cultists call him Charlie.

[@jamilyn]

oh fuck i live in winnipeg and i know what you're talking about

[@joseserna375]

Shaft0 I was born in room 202 at my hospital lol

[@FreoganSavant]

Wow... this is probably the best review for this movie. He breaks down all the psychological layers of the impact the film has for the audience.

[@DarkoFitCoach]

rob ager is in my opinion the best movie and art analyst. just amazing, been watching him since the old skool days of full metal jacket videos. amazing!

[@pandakso3365]

Before Annie goes to see Joanie the first time, did anyone notice how when Annie "spills" the paint, she never touched it? The subliminal messaging is soo good!

[@hw7348]

I've watched this movie about 5 times now. There are so many nuances that it's hard to pick up until you've watched it a few times. I feel like every time I watch it, I discover some new element that I didn't notice before. Truly a great movie.

[@JediJuniper92]

I saw it 4 times in theaters and each time enjoyed it even more than the last. I love its attention to detail concerning Paimon and magik.

[@fattyjaybird7505]

The thimg that disturbed me the most was at the end of the movie when they give him the crown...he doesnt seem like a demon incarnate... he looks like a kid caught in an inescapable hell, you dont return to any sort of normalcy after that, any idea of self is gone, you literally are whatever the cult makes you

[@gavin9174]

i saw this movie when it came out but i still go on youtube too watch videos like this....

[@Terry-Cybil]

Ari Aster is brilliant. There! I said it. Change my thought process.

[@boneor...7022]

Ice cold take

[@BaneClandestine]

I watched the film twice already, and have no intention of ever watching it again. There are some movies that are so well done, but the baggage it places on you is too much ( another one I can think of, is a History of Violence ). I pretty much don't want that senseless, perverse, helpless, fated, orchestrated, doomed feeling again, so thanks but no thanks I'm done with Hereditary. A horror movie done so well, I will never watch it again.

[@Jude3e]

So I just watched the movie after seeing you released this video. I would like to bring praise to the very realistic mental health issues portrayed. Particularly the trauma Peter suffers from his mothers (seemingly at the time) delusions. Thanks for the recommendation and great analysis, Rob!

[@tomlla4113]

Cant wait for your next video on this, rob . Very excited indeed .