Line #44 Creator/AriAster


1	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ari_7.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:250:Films that are [[NightmareFuel fun for the whole family!]] [[BlatantLies Honest!]]]]
3
4	->'''[=Waffle2006=]:''' You ok?\
5	'''Ari Aster:''' Nope.
6	-->-- [[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D_Ne65wXoAMGhnz.jpg:large Reddit AMA]]
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8	Ari Aster (born July 15, 1986) is an American film writer-director and producer known for his work in the genres of {{psychological horror}} and family drama, with recurring elements of {{black comedy}} and {{satire}}.
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10	After becoming obsessed with films as a child (namely in the horror genre), he pursued his passion by studying film at what is now the Santa Fe University of Art and Design[[note]]at the time of his enrollment, it was the College of Santa Fe[[/note]] before getting a Master of Fine Arts in directing at AFI Conservatory, where he met many of his future collaborators.
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12	For the next few years, Aster would make a name for himself with a series of controversial and provocative short films, the most popular being ''Film/TheStrangeThingAboutTheJohnsons'', that would eventually attract the attention of independent entertainment company Creator/{{A24}}, after which he transitioned to making feature films. The company has distributed all of his features thus far, with his first two (''Film/{{Hereditary}}'' and ''Film/{{Midsommar}}'') going on to become some of their biggest commercial successes, and his third (''Film/BeauIsAfraid'') being their most expensive film at the time with a budget of $35 million.[[note]]For perspective, ''Hereditary'' was made for $10 million, and ''Midsommar'' for $9 million.[[/note]]
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14	Shortly before ''Midsommar''[='=]s release, [[https://deadline.com/2019/06/hereditary-director-ari-aster-launch-square-peg-producer-lars-knudsen-midsommar-1202635495/ Aster announced]] that he and Lars Knudsen, co-producer of both of his first two features, had started a production company called Square Peg, self-described as "a home for artists, weirdos and freaks", that will develop and produce film and TV projects for a number of emerging artists, as well as future projects by Aster.
15	----
16	!!Filmography:
17	!!! '''As director'''
18	* ''TDF Really Works'' (short; 2011)
19	* ''Film/TheStrangeThingAboutTheJohnsons'' (short; 2011)
20	* ''Beau'' (short; 2011) [[note]] The origin for ''Film/BeauIsAfraid''[[/note]]
21	* ''[[Film/Munchausen2013 Munchausen]]'' (short; 2013)
22	* ''Basically'' (short; 2014)
23	* ''The Turtle's Head'' (short; 2014)
24	* ''C'est La Vie'' (short; 2016)
25	* ''Film/{{Hereditary}}'' (feature; 2018)
26	* ''Film/{{Midsommar}}'' (feature; 2019)
27	* ''Film/BeauIsAfraid'' (feature; 2023)
28	!!! '''As producer'''
29	* ''Film/DreamScenario'' (2023)
30	----
31	!!Tropes applying to his films:
32	* AbusiveParents: While [[AbusiveOffspring inverted]] in ''The Strange Thing About the Johnsons'', his films ''Munchausen'', ''Hereditary'', and ''Beau Is Afraid'' played this trope straight and explore it.
33	* TheBadGuyWins: What make his films unsettling is that the antagonists come out on top in one way or another -- and as ''The Strange Thing About The Johnsons'' demonstrates, even if they ''are'' defeated, they've already wrought so much damage that [[PyrrhicVictory it means absolutely nothing]].
34	* BlackComedy: Aster's sense of humor is rooted in things you'll definitely feel uncomfortable laughing at, often appearing in the form of {{bathos}}.
35	* BodyHorror: Played for horror in his features, and for equal parts horror and [[BlackComedy very]] [[CringeComedy dark]] comedy in ''TDF Really Works'' and ''The Turtle's Head''.
36	* CreatorCameo: Aster cameos in ''Beau'' as a hostile neighbor with one line to the protagonist ("You're ''fucked'', pal!"), in ''Strange Thing'' as Dr. Storm Rickles, Ph.D, who made the "words of encouragement" tape that Sidney listens to, and in ''Hereditary'' as a voice calling Annie about her art exhibit.
37	* CreatorThumbprint: Many of his works share common traits:
38	** Character-wise...
39	*** Protagonists (preferably female) with intense family trauma and anxiety issues.
40	*** Characters letting out ''extremely'' realistic wails of grief following a deeply traumatic event.
41	*** Characters crossing the DespairEventHorizon and/or losing their mind.
42	** Visual-wise...
43	*** Symmetrical wide shots.
44	*** Long, patiently-paced takes.
45	*** Extreme violence against people's [[OffWithHisHead heads]]/[[FacialHorror faces]], usually with a subsequent GrossUpCloseUp of what's left.
46	*** Full-frontal nudity used for FanDisservice and horror.
47	* DespairEventHorizon: Characters in his works have a tendency to cross this.
48	* DownerEnding: Many of his films end this way.
49	* DysfunctionalFamily: Pretty common in his films.
50	* EvilMatriarch: A recurring trope in his feature films so far, with Ellen in ''Hereditary'' and Mona in ''Beau is Afraid'' being straight examples, while ''Midsommar'' can be considered a [[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain journey]] into this for Dani.
51	* FacialHorror: Head trauma has been at the center of the most disturbing parts of his features; according to public statements from Aster, multiple unreleased scripts of his also involve it in some way.
52	* GagPenis: Abnormalities involving male genitalia as a form of humor (and horror) is included in some of his movies, like in the shorts ''TDF Really Works'' and ''The Turtle's Head'' or in the feature ''Beau is Afraid''.
53	* GainaxEnding: Bizarre endings have been included in his feature work (''Hereditary'') and his short work (''Beau'').
54	* {{Gorn}}: Unless you have a brown bag or two on hand, you'd best not go into an Aster film expecting the squeaky clean brand of violence.
55	* InsaneTrollLogic: Predominantly in his absurdist short films, though his features still maintain a certain unhinged quality.
56	* KillItWithFire: Fiery deaths are a recurring factor in his work.
57	** ''C'est La Vie'' references the protagonist's parents' death in an accidental fire.
58	** ''Johnsons'' has an attempted murder by fireplace.
59	** Both of his first two features have a character being burned alive.
60	* LeaveTheCameraRunning: Long, uninterrupted takes abound in each of his movies.
61	* OffingTheOffspring: A running theme of mothers killing, or attempting to kill, their sons.
62	* RefugeInAudacity: A majority of his films seem to be in full-blown taboo topics that he ''knows'' will piss or upset people off, but he rolls with it. ''The Strange Thing About the Johnsons'' in particular is infamous for this specific factor and actually got him some acknowledgement before he made it big with ''Hereditary''.
63	* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism: Aster's works are as cynical as cynical can get, with plenty of trauma, backstabbing, horror and despair to go around.
64	* TraumaCongaLine: His films are absolutely ''merciless'' to their protagonists, and none of them ever [[DownerEnding receive happy endings, either]].
65	* {{Troll}}: Downplayed; he doesn't throw it in people's faces much, but he's fully aware of the public's reaction to his work and doesn't seem to be apologizing for it anytime soon.
66	* ViolenceIsDisturbing: Taken to significant extremes, with [[spoiler:Charlie's death]] in ''Film/{{Hereditary}}'' and [[spoiler:the Ättestupa]] in ''Film/{{Midsommar}}'' being prime demonstrations.

Context Creator / AriAster