The Strange Thing About The Johnsons - A Film Unsettling Many
There's a film that has quietly, yet quite powerfully, made its way into conversations about unsettling stories and family secrets. It's a short piece of work, and it comes from a director whose later efforts would truly shake up the world of cinema. This particular movie, called "The Strange Thing About The Johnsons," first came out in 2011, and it really got people talking, sparking a whole lot of discussion and even some strong feelings. It just kind of appeared and then, over time, it turned into something people sought out, perhaps to see what all the fuss was about, or maybe just to understand its unusual nature.
This film, in a way, offers a peek into a family that seems, on the outside, to have it all together, but holds a very dark secret. It touches on topics that are, you know, really hard to talk about, things like very personal boundaries being crossed and deep emotional pain. The way it shows these difficult subjects made some viewers quite uncomfortable, and that's probably why it got such mixed responses. It really does push some boundaries, and that's something that sticks with you.
Before this director became widely known for his longer, more famous movies, this short film was actually his project for school, his way of showing what he could do. It's almost like a first step into the kind of storytelling he would become known for, stories that make you think and feel things you might not expect. So, it's a piece of work that has a lot of history, and it continues to be something people discover and discuss, even all these years later.
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Table of Contents
- What is The Strange Thing About The Johnsons?
- What makes the Johnsons so unsettling?
- How did the film cause such a stir?
- Where does The Strange Thing About The Johnsons fit in Aster's work?
What is The Strange Thing About The Johnsons?
This film, "The Strange Thing About The Johnsons," is a short picture, made in America, that came out in 2011. It was put together by Ari Aster, who wrote the story and also guided the whole production. It’s a piece of work that really sits in the mind, you know, kind of a psychological horror, but it also has strong elements of a family drama. It’s about a family, the Johnsons, and the very deep, dark secrets that they keep hidden from the outside world. The story centers on the father, Sidney, who is a well-known poet, someone people admire for his gentle way and kind spirit. Then there's Joan, the mother, who seems like the kind of person who keeps her home perfect and is always the life of any gathering. Their son, Isaiah, is presented as someone with a lot of charm, a really appealing young man. You might think, looking at them, that they are just like any other happy family, but there’s this one thing, this really big secret, that sets them apart from everyone else, and it’s something that truly turns things upside down for them. The film really just shows you how appearances can be so deceiving, and how what goes on behind closed doors can be quite different from what you see on the surface, in a way.
The strange origin of the film
This movie actually began as a school project for Ari Aster. He made it while he was studying at the American Film Institute's graduate school. It was his thesis film, the big piece of work you do to finish your studies, so it had a lot riding on it, I guess. It was released to the public in 2011, and it didn't take long for it to get noticed. Over the years, it picked up speed and became something of a sensation online, something people passed around and talked about quite a bit. It’s almost like it had a life of its own, growing in popularity through word of mouth and online discussions. The film’s file size is about 425.7 megabytes, which is pretty standard for a short film, but its impact, you know, was far larger than its size. It’s available in English, and it covers topics that include video as a medium, short films as a format, and of course, the work of Ari Aster himself. It features actors like Billy Mayo, Brandon Greenhouse, and Angela Bullock, who bring these difficult roles to life. So, it really started out as a student’s project, but it ended up having a much wider reach and influence, which is kind of interesting to think about.
What makes the Johnsons so unsettling?
What really makes this film stick with you, what makes it so unsettling, is the subject matter it dares to show. The story, at its core, is about a very dark secret shared between the father and son. It gets into things that are, frankly, very hard to even think about, let alone see depicted on screen. The film suggests that the son has been, for a long time, doing very bad things to his father, things that are deeply personal and hurtful. It shows how this kind of abuse can happen, even within a family that seems, to the outside world, to be quite normal and loving. This secret, it’s been going on for years, hidden from everyone else, even from the mother, Joan. The film doesn't shy away from showing the son's actions and the father's attempts to deal with what's happening to him. It also brings in another layer of shock: the mother, in a desperate turn of events, does something truly awful to her son. This whole situation, you know, the way it unravels, it makes you feel a deep sense of unease. It really challenges what most people think of as right and wrong, and it forces you to look at the very worst parts of human behavior. It’s a kind of story that stays with you, because it touches on the most private and painful kinds of harm, making it a very difficult watch for many, as a matter of fact.
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The strange family at the center
The family at the heart of this film, the Johnsons, are portrayed in a way that makes their hidden reality even more disturbing. Sidney, the father, is someone who seems to have a gentle soul. He's a poet, someone who works with words and feelings, and he's known for being kind. This image of him makes the abuse he suffers even more painful to witness, you know, because it's so contrary to who he appears to be. Joan, the mother, is shown as someone who likes to keep things in order, an obsessive homemaker, and she’s always the life of the party, someone who brings energy to any gathering. Her role in the story, especially her eventual action against her son, adds another layer of deep trouble to the family dynamic. Then there’s Isaiah, the son, who is described as being very charming, someone who can win people over with his personality. This charisma, however, hides a very dark side, a capacity for actions that are truly awful. The film really highlights this contrast between their public faces and the secret darkness that lives within their home. It’s almost like they are performing a perfect family life for the world, while something truly broken and harmful is happening behind the scenes. This focus on a suburban family with such a terrible secret is what gives the film its raw power, and it really just shows how things aren't always what they seem, you know, on the surface.
How did the film cause such a stir?
When "The Strange Thing About The Johnsons" first came out, it definitely got people talking, and not always in a good way. The film touched on topics that are generally considered off-limits, things like incest and abuse, and it didn't shy away from showing these dark sides of life. This direct approach led to a lot of discussion and, frankly, a good deal of disagreement among those who saw it. Some viewers found its depiction of sexual abuse to be very graphic and deeply unsettling, which made it a source of great controversy. It sparked many strong feelings, with people either finding it to be a powerful, thought-provoking piece of work or something that was simply too much to handle. The fact that it was a short film, yet managed to create such a widespread conversation, is pretty telling. It became a viral sensation, meaning it spread quickly online, with people sharing it and discussing its content, its meaning, and its impact. This kind of widespread reaction, you know, really shows how much it affected people. It's the sort of film that, once you've seen it, you can't easily forget it, and it tends to make you want to talk about it, even if just to process what you’ve witnessed. The film’s ability to generate such strong, divided opinions is a big part of why it's still talked about today, really.
The strange reactions and talk
The reactions to "The Strange Thing About The Johnsons" were, in a way, as strange and varied as the film itself. Reviews were very polarized, meaning people either loved it or hated it, with very little middle ground. The content, as mentioned, pushed boundaries that many people aren't comfortable seeing crossed on screen. The film's portrayal of the son's actions against his father, and the mother's extreme response, really challenged viewers' ideas of what a family should be and what can happen when secrets fester. It was controversial because it dealt with these very raw and graphic themes, and many people found it quite hard to watch. Despite, or perhaps because of, this difficulty, it gained a significant following online. People were curious, you know, to see the film that everyone was talking about, the one that was so shocking. It became a kind of cultural phenomenon in certain circles, a piece of art that demanded a reaction. This widespread discussion, the debates, and the strong emotional responses it caused, all contributed to its status as a piece of cinema that truly stands out. It's a film that, in some respects, forces you to confront uncomfortable truths, and that’s why it keeps popping up in conversations about unsettling movies, even now.
Where does The Strange Thing About The Johnsons fit in Aster's work?
For many people, the name Ari Aster brings to mind his later, well-known feature films, like "Hereditary" and "Midsommar." These movies really made a splash and showed the world his unique way of telling stories that are both deeply disturbing and artistically compelling. However, before those bigger projects, "The Strange Thing About The Johnsons" was his earlier effort, a kind of preview of the kind of filmmaker he would become. This short film, in fact, established his particular liking for exploring things that are often left unsaid, or things that are considered too dark to speak about openly. It shows his interest in the psychological aspects of horror and drama, focusing on the internal lives of characters and the hidden horrors within seemingly normal settings. It’s almost like a foundational piece, laying the groundwork for the themes and style he would develop further in his longer works. So, while it might not be as widely seen as his later films, it’s a very important part of his creative journey, showing where his unique vision first began to take shape. It truly is a key part of understanding his artistic voice, you know, and how he approaches storytelling that makes people feel deeply.
The strange path of Ari Aster
Ari Aster’s path to becoming a celebrated director really started with this strange short film. It was his thesis project, a significant step in his education at the American Film Institute’s graduate school. This film, released in 2011, quickly became a viral sensation, spreading through online communities and generating a lot of buzz. It was, in a way, his most disturbing project to date, even more so than the films that would later shock audiences worldwide. The film shows his early talent for creating a sense of deep unease and for exploring very difficult, taboo subjects. It’s a drama at its core, focusing on the family dynamics and the terrible secret they hold, but it has that unsettling feeling that would become a hallmark of his later work. You can find out where to watch this film, stream it, see trailers, and check out the cast details on various movie information sites. It’s available through different streaming options, rental services, and places where you can buy movies, so it’s pretty accessible if you want to see it for yourself. This early work really cemented Aster’s reputation for tackling the unspeakable, setting him on a course that would lead to some truly memorable and impactful films, which is pretty cool to think about.
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