The movie that makes Ari Aster “want to pull my arms off”
Even in a short period of time, Ari Aster has carved out one hell of a reputation for himself in the horror corner of cinema. With films possessing genuine psychological depth, imagery of the most visceral kind and unique, chilling narratives, Aster has emerged as one of contemporary horror’s most significant names.
From his excellent debut Hereditary to his pagan horror Midsommar and his mommy trauma-horror Beau is Afraid, Aster has dived fearlessly into the darkest recesses of the human consciousness and delivers such explorations with rich emotion and symbolism, allowing audiences to project their own fears onto his characters and stories.
In terms of Aster’s personal inspirations, he has mentioned some of his favourite horror movies, and in a feature with A-Frame, he once went into detail concerning his top picks. After running through the likes of Possession, Don’t Look Now, and Carrie, Aster turned his attention to Charles Laughton’s 1955 film noir thriller The Night of the Hunter.
“What else might Charles Laughton have made?” Aster said before noting the film’s legendary status. “As with Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom, the custodians of culture deemed it pornographic and prevented Laughton from ever making another film, but its legacy is unmatched.”
The Night of the Hunter is a truly timeless masterpiece of American cinema. Directed by Charles Laughton, the psychological thriller first explores the nature of good vs. evil and delivers a narrative of genuine atmosphere with some of the most impressive visual moments of the 1950s.
The film focuses on the chilling and sinister Reverend Harry Powell, played with admirable intensity by Robert Mitchum, as he instils fear and terror in a widow and her search whilst searching for $10,000 of cash hidden by her late husband and their father. Suspense is not the only motif, though, as Laughton also explores the nature of faith and innocence.
There’s a deep sense of dread that lurks throughout The Night of the Hunter as a result of its striking cinematography and contrasting lighting. Audiences are drawn into the dreamlike story by the impressive performances of Mitchum and Lillian Gish in the process.
Going on to explain how influence Laughton’s film proved to be, Aster noted, “Prefiguring so many coups to come — from Lynch’s work to the Coens’ to Kubrick’s to Greenaway’s — Laughton’s Expressionist masterpiece is so great that it makes me want to pull my arms off.”
Check out the trailer for The Night of the Hunter below.
