Wow! And the film runs out of narrative, and darkness is all thats left. The manuscript chronicles the years of sexual abuse Sidney has faced at the hands of his own son. Well acted and frightening for multiple reasons. Wow! The Strange Thing About The Johnsons is not a true story, but it could be anyones story, and now more than ever, we as an audience are cognizant of the true extent to which abuse can have anyone, big and small, in its clutches. Anyway, the longer the film runs, the more dramatic it becomes. It is an interesting perspective that I have never seen on film before but be warned it is quite disturbing. Lambing: Parents, and the Baby They Must Choose, Cairn: The Ancestral Home as the Repository of Generational Sins and Secrets, Dreamers: A Well Choreographed Screen Dance To Explain The DACA. We stand out amongst the short film review sites for being multi-diverse & global in our platform and reach. Well done, Ari Aster. web pages This is Aster's most genre film as it feels almost 100% a drama. And I know that most people say that this short film is more disturbing than Midsommar and Hereditary. In this way, we are all Isaiahs mother. Sign in to vote. Since his debut film, Ari Aster has dialed back his penchant for controversy. The Strange Thing About the Johnsons is the short submitted by Ari Aster for his thesis, this before he established himself as one of the most talented directors in the contemporary horror film scene. Trying to dodge the question, Isaiah says that he doesn't remember but Joan asks if that's when "all this" started. 6.4K Likes, 425 Comments. If the message is that there is no way to stop bad things from happening to you, no sacred or sane combination of words and deeds that will protect you, then the message is also that you are more than your attitudes, more than your social contexts, more than your beliefs. For a 30-minute film, not a line or frame is out of place, showing the merits of a filmmaker who was still in their creative infancy. Be the first one to, Advanced embedding details, examples, and help, Terms of Service (last updated 12/31/2014). Reviews There are no reviews yet. In terms of the internet, that means it's a hit. We are shown more than enough to understand, but we are never shown more than is necessary. "[4], As an African American incest and child sexual abuse survivor, Malcolm Harris of The Huffington Post wrote that Billy Mayo's performance was "brilliant" and that "we should be applauding the fact that someone has finally shown true courage in proposing the question, 'What If? The long held idea that all roles played by African American actors must Uplift the Race wasnt followed by this films cast and crew, who appear to have hewed to the attitude put forth by the African American actress/author Carol Speed, who once questioned If Jane Fonda could play a prostitute, how come I couldnt play one?The white people never expected Jane Fonda to carry their moral issues. You never gave it a chance to be good.. But not because someone does not like a movie means it's not good. That said, Ari Aster shows a command for storytelling that many other amateur filmmakers simply do not possess. The Internet Archive is a nonprofit fighting for universal access to quality information, powered by online donations averaging $17. 2014 - 2016 The-Solute | Hosted, Developed and Maintained by BellinghamWP.com. I stumbled across this short film on YouTube. I'd really have to disagree about the comedy part- unless you find the disturbing story absurd enough to be funny? Join the one in a thousand users that support us financiallyif our library is useful to you, please pitch in. . And I'm sure that was Aster's aim. Directed by Ari Aster Writing Credits Ari Aster . Over the past few weeks a short film entitled The Strange Thing About the Johnsons has been quietly making the independent film circuit while a leaked (wink-wink) copy has been creating quite a stir on the internet. It is this balance that makes The Strange Thing About the Johnsons so mesmerizing. However, it falls short in the same way that many student films do. What if these strange events were happening behind the closed doors of The Smiths, The Rosenbergs, The Mortimers, The Herreras? Sidneys suicide after that point is inevitable. Before helming Hereditary, director Ari Aster took an even more brutal look at family dysfunction with the excellent one-quarter-satire-three-quarters-Greek-tragedy short film The Strange Thing About the Johnsons. In fact, only thing separates the Johnsons from their charming friends and neighbors: Isaiah, the son, has been molesting Sidney, the father, since he was 12 years old. Ari Aster. In 2009, during Isaiah's wedding reception, the matriarch of the Johnson family, Joan, discovers her son in a secluded part of the backyard performing fellatio on a distressed-looking Sidney. It addresses what cannot be addressed: a father who is sexually abused by his own son. There are no reviews yet. See production, box office & company info. His father, Sidney Johnson (Billy Mayo), walks into the room. It's also quite horrifying to actualy think that something like what you witness in this short could happen in real life, if you like well made original short films which leave you gasping in terror have a look at "The Strange Thing About the Johnsons. I'm certain this happens around a lot and that's the scariest fact. And then to figure out what makes that palatable and how to make that work. #CapCut #reddit #redditstories #redditreadings #reddit_tiktok #game #askreddit #fyp #AITA #fouyou #viral #storytime #stereo". This short is amazing. I didn't understand the mother's actions/inactions, but other than that, I was riveted! This enabled his films to reach and be palatable to mainstream audiences. In scenes in which adult Isaiah (Brandon Greenhouse) confronts his family members, the cracks begin to show. And a monster of a son! [1] [2] The film stars Billy Mayo, Brandon Greenhouse, and Angela Bullock as members of a suburban family in which the father is involved in an abusive incestuous relationship with his son. The Strange Thing About the Johnsons opens on a scene of a young teenage boy, Isaiah, masturbating. Both demonstrate an affinity for the outrageous and overwrought, qualities very much in evidence throughout THE STRANGE THING ABOUT THE JOHNSONS. document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() { document.body.addEventListener("click", function(event) { if (event.target.matches(".comment-reply-link, #cancel-comment-reply-link")) { turnstile.reset(".comment-form .cf-turnstile"); } }); }); Announcing Indie Shorts Mag Short Film Festival(ISMSFF) 2023. Play Trailer; Overview. This short film is a masterpiece. Thumbs up. Before either, Aster had made several short films that would come to define his style. When in the end she burns the evidence of the abuse, she effectively erases the last cry for help of a voice that had already been long silent. We want the story to be over, or to simply never have happened at all. Asters not satirizing the idea of a functional black family, hes taking aim at the idea that dysfunction is something that happens to other people, to people who are only either the recipient or the embodiment of social ills and pressures. Be the first one to, Advanced embedding details, examples, and help, Terms of Service (last updated 12/31/2014). The Johnsons exist squarely in the moneyed middle class, so their problems dont stem from poverty, but they arent part of the traditional (and traditionally white) narrative of suburban secrets and WASP reticence, either. "The Strange Thing About the Johnsons" is just that. a Addeddate 2021-02-13 15:14:12 Identifier the-strange-thing-about-the-johnssons Scanner Internet Archive HTML5 Uploader 1.6.4. plus-circle Add Review. The production values, cinematography, acting, writing, directing, and editing were absolutely phenomenal. I just LOVE his twisted mind. We certainly assumed that casting black actors in a film that tackles such transgressive themes would create something of a stir, and it would be a lie to say that we weren't hesitant, especially as many people were advising us against the decision. [4] He worked on the production with fellow students from the school. Year of the Month: Son of Griff on CROSSFIRE, Trying to Catch Up with THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI (Year of the Month), The Untalented Mr. Ripley: The Craft of Standup Comedy and the Non-Comedy of TOM MYERS. He was portrayed by Brandon Greenhouse, while his younger self was portrayed by Carlon Jeffery. I firmly believe that you cannot fault the film for being overly controversial, as that was Asters intention from the start. They are usually only seen by film-aholics or by people involved in the film arena (directors, producers, cinematographers, film critics, film students & professors, etc.) (original score by) Cinematography by Pawel Pogorzelski . I have read allot of different reviews about this short; most negative. The performances are quite strong, particularly that of the veteran supporting actor Billy Mayo (19572019), who generates an enormous amount of sympathy as the put-upon Sidney. Power your marketing strategy with perfectly branded videos to drive better ROI. Required fields are marked *. It was not at all what I expected it to be. The thing is the son has been molesting his father since he was 12 years old. Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. 16 Aug 2022 in Reviews 0 Best known today for Midsommar and Hereditary, AFI Conservatory graduate Ari Aster's horror-drama The Strange Thing About The Johnsons can perhaps be better understood today than it was ten years ago, on its release in 2011. What's not normal, however, is how the rest of the story unfolds. He backs out hurriedly, apologizing awkwardly through the door, and asks to come back in and have a talk. Bullocks character emerges with the true character arc, while for most of the film she grew silently on the sidelines. By what name was The Strange Thing About the Johnsons (2011) officially released in Canada in English? director is a Jewish man, his breakout short film. This movie is great. Though Joan doesnt speak of what she saw, Sidney attempts to communicate with her by way of a book. It is about a seemingly harmonic family, but reality is different. If we cant confront issues like incestuous relationships and sexual abuse in a fictional movie, theres no way we can confront them in real life. Having lost her family, an utterly distraught Joan throws the last copy of Cocoon Man into the fire as the credits roll. The performances of Billy Mayo, Brandon Greenhouse, and Angela Bullock are grounded in realism, and it is impossible to pick the superior. Joan, the wife and mother, is an obsessive homemaker and the life of every party. This is evinced by the many reaction videos posted on YouTube in which non-rich (and, for the most part, non-white) viewers are filmed watching THE STRANGE THING ABOUT THE JOHNSONS; their shocked and appalled reactions are priceless, and cast serious doubt on the claim that Aster had aspirations other than those of the shock-horror variety. He doesnt want his son to view sex as squalid and shameful. And it is through her that the film shows you how much people can be shaken, and how well they refuse to change beyond a point. His most well-known short film is a little piece called The Strange Thing About the Johnsons. He understands that the camera is there to show images, but that images do not a great film make. From a technical standpoint, The Strange Thing About the Johnsons also does about as well as any other student film. On a positive note, the actor who played the father was quite good. It looks like we don't have any synopsis for this title yet. January 04, 2021 In recent years, few films have been as controversial as Ari Aster's 2011 short film, The Strange Thing About The Johnsons. However, few of them deal with the subject matter in a way that is repulsive without being reprehensible. To put it briefly, it resonates. Search the history of over 815 billion In just 29-minutes, the shocking and taboo short film, which was also Asters thesis film from American Film Institutes graduate school, AFI Conservatory, absolutely shocked the film world. We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us! Obviously I haven't watched it yet. Original idea, well written, well acted, directed well and looked gorgeous shot on silky 16mm. What if these strange events were happening behind the closed doors of the Smiths, the Rosenbergs, the Mortimers, the Herreras? Join the one in a thousand users that support us financiallyif our library is useful to you, please pitch in. ari aster Addeddate 2020-07-14 08:26:28 Identifier the-strange-thing-about-the-johnsons-sub-espanol Scanner Internet Archive HTML5 Uploader 1.6.4. plus-circle Add Review. The Strange Thing About the Johnsons (2011) 01/22/2011 (US) Drama, Horror 29m User Score. Matthew Jones is a freelance writer who has written for dozens of local and international businesses, in addition to his publications on film and philosophy. Isaiah is first seen in his room pleasuring himself to a picture he had in his hand. The story flows seamlessly without the need for endless dialogue. Joan is a mother who wants to act as though the past 14 years never happened, while Sidney is a tortured father whose only hope for salvation is his own story. Despus de que el. Many were divided on the film's controversial themes, although Mayo and Bullock received widespread acclaim for their portrayals of Sidney and Joan Johnson, respectively. The Internet Archive is a nonprofit fighting for universal access to quality information, powered by online donations averaging about $17. Todd Solondz wannabe short film that may or may not be a satire or melodrama or both about rape in the family. at the time, The color of the family isnt important. What ifthese strange things were happening to me?. The father, an acclaimed poet; the mother, a legendary homemaker; and the son, recently married to a woman just as charming as he is. Aster toldShadow and Actat the time, The color of the family isnt important. Billy Mayo. Too many people not seeing the deeper meaning!! 94 InkintoDark 3 yr. ago My point is "The Strange Thing About the Johnsons" is a half-hour live action short film from five years ago that features a predominantly Black cast. He burrows into self-help books about how your day will be determined by your own positivity, a thing his own life has already conclusively disproven; the phrases and rhetoric he clings to are ones his son uses against him. on the Internet. These quiet, empty spaces lead us to a climactic ending that is both tragic and horrifying. Incest is at the heart of the story, but it is put in the minds of the viewers through sound and implication more than anything else. The story is very engaging as it is subject matter most of us have not seen portrayed in film before. It is a psychological horror drama that revolves around members of a suburban family where the son is involved in an abusive incestuous relationship with his father.I know! In 1995, Sidney Johnson, an acclaimed poet, accidentally interrupts his twelve-year-old son, Isaiah, masturbating. If you are not, you should probably avoid this one. The film stars Billy Mayo, Brandon Greenhouse, and Angela Bullock as members of a suburban family in which the son is involved in an abusive incestuous relationship with his father. But its also a necessary film. stars Billy Mayo, Brandon Greenhouse, and Angela Bullock as a Black family caught in a web of insect and abuse. Youre my friend, youre my best friend. You never feel as though Ari Aster has ill intentions; nor do you feel that he wants to punish his audience. The Strange Thing About the Johnsons has long been Aster's best-known short, though new attention is being paid to "Beau," which his upcoming feature Beau is Afraid is based on, and which A24 has . The short was shot on 35mm film. By turning expectations on their head, the film actively demonstrates how easily people can be made victims, and their autonomy taken from them. This film festival is held annually in Park City, Utah, and mainly focuses on emerging artists. producer (produced by) Music by Brendan Eder . on the Internet. Hes caught in a tangle of his sons rationalizations, and he takes the only noticeable way out of the Gordian knot. THE STRANGE THING ABOUT THE JOHNSONSAmerican Film Institute, Director: Ari AsterProducer: Alejandro de LeonScreenplay: Ari AsterCinematography: Pawel PogorzelskiEditing: Brady HallongrenCast: Billy Mayo, Brandon Greenhouse, Angela Bullock, Daniele Watts, Carlon Jeffrey, John C. Johnson, Reatha Grey, Connie Jackson, Stanley Bennett Clay, Casey Desmond, Anna Jean, Matt Baker, Matthew McCray. The Strange Thing About the Johnsonsfollows Sidney Johnson (Mayo), an acclaimed poet who had endured years of sexual abuse at the hands of his son, Isaiah (Greenhouse).

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