About Hereditary

Hereditary is a 2018 American psychological horror film written and directed by Ari Aster, in his feature directorial debut. It follows the harrowing story of the mentally disturbed Annie Graham and her family. After the death of her secretive mother, Annie and her family begin to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry. As they try to overcome the disturbing events, they discover that they inherited a sinister fate they cannot escape.

Making / Production

Ari Aster directed Hereditary as his feature film directorial debut. His articulate writing and direction mark a strong start for his career. The movie was produced by PalmStar Media and released by A24. The cinematography, done by Pawel Pogorzelski, added a chilling touch to the terrifying plot.

Actors

• Toni Collette as Annie Graham: Collette brilliantly portrays the deeply disturbed Annie, giving an unforgettable and terrifying performance.
• Alex Wolff as Peter Graham: Wolff convincingly depicts the fear and terror of a teenager haunted by unseen forces.
• Milly Shapiro as Charlie Graham: Shapiro plays the peculiar and eccentric Charlie to spine-chilling perfection.
• Gabriel Byrne as Steve Graham: Byrne strongly plays the role of the skeptical but supportive husband, struggling to maintain a semblance of normalcy amid the chaos.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The original cut of Hereditary was three hours long. An hour was cut out for the final version.
• The director Ari Aster considers the film more of a family tragedy than a horror movie.
• Toni Collette was not a fan of horror movies but signed on because she was so impressed with the script.

Awards

The film received overwhelming praise, especially for Toni Collette's performance. She won the Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Annie Graham. The film also received nominations for various other awards.

Quotes

• "It's heartening to see so many strange, new faces here today..." -Charlie
• "Don't you ever raise your voice at me! I am your mother!" -Annie
• "I just want to die!" -Peter

Music, Soundtrack

• "Reborn", a haunting composition by Colin Stetson, forms the backdrop of the movie's climactic scene.
• "Party, Crash", another composition by Stetson, adds to the suspense and horror of the crucial scenes.
• "Funeral", an ominous track, sets the tone for the beginning of the unraveling of family secrets.