New ‘Midsommar’ Book Includes 62 Pages of Ritual Artwork and Martin Scorsese Intro
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A24 is celebrating the one-year anniversary of “Midsommar” this July by releasing Ari Aster’s 171-minute director’s cut on Blu-ray accompanied by a 62-page book of ritual artwork that was used in the film. The book includes an introduction by Martin Scorsese, who writes, “A couple of years ago, I watched a first film called ‘Hereditary.’ Right from the start, I was impressed. Here was a young filmmaker that obviously knew cinema. The formal control, the precision of the framing and the movement within the frame the pacing of the action, the sound — it was all there, immediately evident.”
The illustrations in the book come from Ragnar Persson, the artist behind the murals seen in “Midsommar.” Persson spent months researching old hälsinge murals so that the artwork in “Midsommar” would accurately represent the traditions and style of the eponymous 90-year festival. A24 is selling the Blu-ray and book in a $45 package that comes enclosed in a clothbound, Hårga-yellow slipcase. Orders begin shipping July 20.
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The theatrical cut of “Midsommar” opened July 3, 2019, followed by the debut of Aster’s director’s cut in August during Film at Lincoln Center’s Scary Movies XII festival. The film stars Florence Pugh as a grief-stricken young woman who vacations to a remote Swedish commune with her boyfriend (Jack Reynor) and his friends. IndieWire’s David Ehrlich wrote in his review that the director’s cut is “a better, darker, and more rewarding experience” than the original “Midsommar” theatrical cut.
“The director’s cut of isn’t a radically different movie, but it’s a much richer one,” Ehrlich wrote. “Some of the added moments are less vital than others, but all of them help to create a more textured experience, and — perhaps most importantly — give you the time required to fall even deeper under its harsh psychedelic spell.”
“Midsommar” has turned into an enduring word-of-mouth hit for A24 over the last year. A recent auction of A24 props included memorabilia from “Midsommar,” and the items from Aster’s film sold for over $100,000. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences notably spent $65,000 to acquire the flower dress worn by Pugh’s character during the film’s climax.
Click here to purchase the “Midsommar” director’s cut Blu-ray and illustrated book. Check out a preview of the artwork below.
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