Ari Aster is a master of heightened horror, providing a ton of unseen scenes Summer solstice Easter eggs throughout the film. Nicknamed “folk horror”, Summer solstice is unique in that there is no physical darkness throughout the Technicolor journey. However, Aster’s story is no less frightening, as he unfolds unflinchingly bloody scenes of loss, betrayal, and ritualistic violence.. Summer solstice sees student Christian (Jack Reynor) reluctantly take his girlfriend Dani (Florence Pugh) on an educational trip to Sweden to observe the customs and practices of Pelle’s (Vilhelm Blomgren) home commune for the midsummer festival.
Dani recently suffered a tragic loss, as her parents were killed by her younger sister, who took her own life shortly afterwards. As Dani, Christian, and the rest of the group visiting Hårga slip into cult practices with the help of hallucinogens, the rituals become shockingly strange and violent. Upon rewatching Aster’s self-proclaimed “breakup” film, audiences will notice a number of Summer solstice Easter eggs that were previously missed in the initial preview. There are several Summer solsticehidden details in his rich, terrifying images, which often have a deeper meaning or foreshadow important plot points.
15
The famous close-ups of Aster’s head trauma come from childhood fears
Midsommar contains one of the horror director’s classic tropes
Fans of film director Ari Aster may have noticed a tendency to see gruesome close-ups of head trauma. In HereditaryOne of the most disturbing and shocking scenes showed Charlie having his head severed by a telephone pole when she placed him out of the window. In Summer solsticeviewers see the aftermath of the ritual suicide scene and several gruesome close-ups of a broken head. Those Summer solstice The Easter eggs are actually rooted in Aster’s childhood fears.
According to an article by SquireAster likes to use images that terrified him as a child. He also stated that he will never stop using bloody scenes of traumatic brain injury in his films. Interestingly, both moments occur in the first act of the film and signal a turning point in the story when things take a dark turn. In case of Summer solsticeis the first hint of the brutality of this festival and that Dani and her friends may have gotten more than they bargained for.
14
Mark’s tick phobia is Aster’s fear in real life
Head trauma isn’t the Midsommar director’s only personal touch
More interesting Summer solstice The Easter eggs have additional roots in Aster’s real-life fears. In the film, Mark (Will Poulter) freaks out about ticks and the possibility of them being on him. Several of the other characters tease him about this, but is based on Ari Aster’s real-life fear of ticks. As mentioned previously, Aster loves to base elements of his stories on his own life.
Some people deal with trauma and fears by using them in their art, and Aster is that kind of person. He wore at least two pairs of socks when walking in places known for ticks, to try to prevent them from attaching themselves to him.. Mark’s fear adds to the film’s tension that there is something foreboding surrounding them. However, it also shows how out of their element these characters are, highlighting that they are outsiders who don’t belong.
13
Simon’s death is based on a real Viking ritual
One of Midsommar’s most brutal deaths comes from history
Each character has a shocking death in Summer solsticebut Simon (Archie Madekwe) has by far the most brutal appearance. Simon disappears from the film shortly after the group witnesses the brutal deaths of some of the cult members. Locals insist he left (without his girlfriend) and caught a train. However, Christian later finds her body among the other dead visitors.
Few people may have understood what was happening during Simon’s death scene. His body was shown skinned alive, his lungs extended like wings in an extremely visceral and bloody manner. The film only offers viewers a brief glimpse. Simon’s method of death was based on a true Norse execution ritual known as the Blood Eagle.suggesting the long history of this cult and the disturbing traditions that date back centuries. It’s even scarier because Simon was alive when it all happened and was still alive when Christian found him.
12
Mark becomes a victim of a Midsommar game
Mark being skinned was secretly foreshadowed in Midsommar
It can be easy to miss what happens to Mark upon first viewing of Summer solstice as he is another character who suddenly disappears only for his body to be found later. However, Mark’s death is caused earlier in one of the Summer solstice Easter Eggs. During one of the scariest Summer solstice scenes where Josh (William Jackson Harper) sneaks out at night to take a forbidden photo of the cult’s hidden book, he is confronted by someone wearing a scary mask.
Mark literally becomes the skinned idiot after peeing on the branch of the sacred tree and being drawn to his fate
However, what audiences may have missed is that the mask used is made from Mark’s skin. At the beginning of the film, a group of people were playing a game called “skin the fool”. Mark literally becomes the skinned idiot after peeing on the branch of the sacred tree and being drawn to his fate. By the end of the film, it becomes clear that all of the visitors were marked for death as soon as they arrived, except Dani. However, the horrific nature of Marcos’ death suggests that they sought to punish him in a special way for his transgressions.
11
Midsommar trailer teased final scene
Midsommar marketing managed to reveal the spoiler-free ending
This is one of Summer solsticedetails hidden in the trailer and not in the film itself, but in it, the editors gave viewers a little fakery. During the trailer, audiences get a look at the film’s infamous final scene, where bodies are filed away in the temple and set on fire. Except, as viewers can see, the trailer version is very different from the real one.
Eagle-eyed fans in YouTube comments and other online forums noticed this detail. Instead of seeing the bear or the strange bodily arrangements of the other Americans, viewers see large hazmat-like suits, making it seem less sinister than the actual scene. Although there are many movie trailers that reveal a lot, This clever editing avoided spoiling the film’s ending while also subtly hinting at what’s to come by adding a few new scenes.
10
The opening tapestry foreshadows the story of Midsommar
Midsommar characters and events are teased before the film even begins
Summer solstice opens with a decidedly spooky tapestry marking the changes between winter and summer. At first, it appears that the tapestry depicts the passing of the seasons, with some viewers suggesting that Summer solsticeDeaths represent the four elements, featuring two frightening faces marking the middle of winter and summer. However, upon closer inspection, Characters from the film appear at each stage of the tapestryrepresenting what they will do at various points.
It’s a scary way to start the film with the characters’ fates explained
Before the plot even begins, the audience receives Summer solstice Easter eggs and the feeling that everything was pre-planned. It may be that this was something the community itself did as a representation of the ceremony and its sacrifices.. It could also be that it is something created after the festival as a form of celebration. Either way, it’s a chilling way to start the film with the characters’ fates explained.
Reflective surfaces are a key visual element
As Summer solstice is, at its core, a breakup film, it naturally requires your leadership, Dani, to do a lot of self-reflection. One of the most effective ways the film does this is through the use of mirrors, one of the most interesting ways Summer solstice hidden details. Viewers learn of their parents’ deaths by seeing their bodies reflected in a mirror. Furthermore, the closest Summer solstice The traditional scare comes when Dani sees someone’s shadow reflected in a mirror.
It seems that Aster uses mirrors as a way to reveal reflections, not of the characters themselves, but of their inner thoughts and fears. Interestingly, these moments and reflections occur at the beginning of the film, when Dani is still trying to escape her pain. The more she moves away from society and enters this isolated community, the more she distances herself from this self-reflection. She is able to escape the inner turmoil that consumes her.
8
The flower crown at the scene of Dani’s parents’ death
A brief glimpse of Dani’s iconic hat appears much earlier in Midsommar
At first glance, it is not immediately clear that the main characters may not be in control of their actions, giving way to many Summer solstice theories. After all, Dani only really wants to come on the trip because the loss of her parents left her feeling alone and vulnerable. That is until eagle-eyed viewers I saw a wreath next to Dani’s dead parents. It’s shown early enough in the film that the audience doesn’t understand the context, and placed subtly enough that they might forget about it by the time Dani arrives in Sweden.
Once this was discovered by fans, strong theories arose that Dani’s parents were killed by the community at the center of the Swedish festival as a way of luring her to them. While it’s certainly an odd thought, it also robs the film of many important elements from the opening scene.like Dani worrying about her sister and Christian dismissing those concerns only for his sister to seemingly kill herself and her parents. It’s possible the crown was included simply as an ominous detail for fans to notice.
7
Christian’s drinking signaled his fate in Midsommar
The hair in Christian’s food was also clever foreshadowing
Many people will have noticed one of the most obvious Summer solstice Easter eggs, that Christian drink in the last act was a different color than everyone else’s. The scene comes as Christian and the others are enjoying a meal with the community, but he discovers pubic hair in his food.. He removes himself from the moment by taking a sip of his juice with the camera facing him as the red drink stands out next to the others’ orange drink.
In hindsight, it couldn’t be clearer why – he was selected for the traditional mating ritual. However, on second viewing, the dark red color of the drink has different meanings. Many of the rituals in Summer solstice revolve around fertility and the menstrual cycle. When Christian found pubic hair in his food, it was a more obvious warning than what must now clearly be seen as the blood mixed into his drink.
6
Midsommar has hidden psychedelic imagery
Midsommar’s drug sequences contain a lot of visual cues
There are many medicines consumed by Summer solstice characters. Once they arrive at the lush and isolated place, they decide to take some food. The drugs cause anxiety in Dani, but they also trigger a somewhat psychedelic sensation that persists throughout the rest of the film. Of course, this is part of the process of seeing the “true” nature of the world, but even so, the main characters spend a lot of time hallucinating.
Director Ari Aster shows the effects of drugs by making plants and flowers move as if they were breathing and form impossible shapes. However, as the film progresses, the screen fills with hidden details as a result of drugs. In one sequence, an entire forest takes the form of a glowing face. Some claim it is Dani’s sister’s face, which suggests these visual oddities are seen through her perspective.. When viewers watch again, more and more hidden images suddenly become visible.
5
The lack of subtitles in Midsommar was deliberate
The language barrier was used to create a feeling of isolation
Although it is set in Sweden, most of it Summer solstice is in the English language. Some of the characters, however, speak Swedish, but, interestingly, their lines are not subtitled. This is one of the deliberate Easter eggs that serves to further isolate Americans from their European hostsbut it also has an interesting effect on the audience. Viewers feel as isolated as the main characters, and any hope the audience may have had of gaining some insight into the hosts is eliminated by the lack of subtitles.
While dancing with the other girls in the community during the May Queen ceremony, she suddenly discovers that she can speak their language.
Viewers are trapped, forced to watch events unfold as they happen, without any means of protecting themselves. This detail becomes even more convincing in Dani’s case throughout the film. Although she is in pretty much the same position as the others for much of the runtimeWhile dancing with the other girls in the community during the May Queen ceremony, she suddenly discovers that she can speak their language.
4
Midsommar uses camera tricks to play with time
The uncertainty of events increases for the audience through subtle techniques
In a Summer solstice sequence, the camera pans from right to left as the main characters explore their surroundings. The plan ends when passing through a series of tapestries representing a ritual. Each of the tapestries depicts an aspect of the ritual, as if it were a comic book. However, they are also hung and therefore presented in right-to-left reading order, suggesting that the perception of the passage of time can be distorted.
The audience once again experiences the same confusion and discomfort as the main characters.
The guests in Summer solstice We’re already confused by how late the sun stays, and effects like this are just one of the many ways the film plays with a non-linear perspective on time. It’s a small detail that contributes to the disorienting nature of the film. The audience is once again made to experience the same confusion and discomfort as the main characters.
3
Numbers play a big role in Midsommar
Midsommar is full of numerological themes
Another way Summer solstice Easter eggs create a sense that predetermined, non-linear time is through repeated use of the numbers 8 and 9. Turned on its side, the number 8 resembled the infinity symbol and is present in much of the Swedish village architecture. This may be a sign of the longevity of this community and their belief that these rituals and sacrifices will allow them to continue indefinitely.
Additionally, in a brief moment of explanation, one of the hosts details elements of their culture, particularly the idea that they see their lives divided into four main sections that are made up of a number of years that are multiples of 8. Death comes to the villagers at 72, the number when 8 and 9 are multiplied, and the ceremony takes place once every 90 years.. 9 is also the number of deaths required of the community as part of their ancient ceremony, which is probably why it is such an important number to them.
2
The cult’s symbols are never explained
Midsommar’s Hårga iconography is kept deliberately ambiguous
The most obviously repeated symbols in Summer solstice are the numbers, as mentioned previously. However, there are other Summer solstice hidden details placed throughout the film and each of them has the same effect. They have to mean something, but viewers have no idea what. Instead, the audience is forced to come up with their own explanations, using these hidden details to explain others they have identified.
It’s a highly effective trick to keep the audience’s brain engaged with the guesswork, but viewers still don’t know what might happen next. Similar to the language barrier in the film, the lack of answers when it comes to the symbols is purposeful and increases the characters’ tension.. There’s an ominous quality that could be clues and warnings that are staring the characters in the face, but they just don’t know what they mean.
1
Midsommar Explores Death Twice
Ari Aster seeing Midsommar as a breakup movie is incredibly important
Aster described Summer solstice like a breakup movie, and usually that means watching someone go through a breakup and come out changed on the other side. The way this works is very similar to pagan attitudes toward an injunctive death.. This was basically the idea that when someone dies, their body must be prepared for their new life in the society of the dead. Essentially, they die twice.
Spanning the entire structure of the film, Dani’s own journey Summer solstice is marked by two cases of death; the violent death of Dani’s family and the ceremonial deaths of her friendswhich mark the beginning and end of a change in Dani’s life. The terrible loss of her failure sends Dani into a spiral of sadness and anxiety. While the unforgettable scene in Summer solsticeDani’s final moments, in which Dani is seen smiling as Christian burns, have been debated endlessly, it seems she has found some kind of peace, suggesting she has been reborn in a way.
Midsommar Easter Eggs Make Repeat Views Special
Although it is not an easy film to watch once, Summer solstice is one of those horror films that often almost demands a second viewing. Not only does it offer new looks at what happens with a fresh pair of eyes, who know the secrets in advance, but it also provides a bit of fun thanks to the Summer solstice Easter eggs scattered throughout the film. It is worth revisiting the symbolism and imagery surrounding pagan rituals and beliefs. without the weight of intense dread that permeates the film.
Of course, some of the Easter eggs are nothing more than trivia about why certain moments are in the film. With that said, others take on an entirely different meaning with context. One example is the death of Simon. Although it was a horrific and brutal scene when first seen, upon learning more about the Viking ritual it is based on, the entire setting and grotesque imagery takes on a different feel, knowing the history of the moment. .
An even bigger thing to do on the rewatch that makes it special is to stop and look at the opening tapestry while you pause. Knowing the story and plot of the story, it’s fun to watch this part of the film again and see the moments that unfold in the artwork here. This is the kind of Easter egg that makes rewatching a movie feel like Summer solstice priceless and provides entertainment that wouldn’t otherwise be possible in a horror film like this.