CAUTION: This text delves deeply into the ending of the highly-rated film ‘Hereditary‘. If you haven’t watched this A24 production yet, beware! Reading further may spoil it for you. Proceed with caution if you wish to avoid any potential surprises about the movie’s climax.
I’ll never forget the chilling first time I laid eyes on “Hereditary”. With its heart-wrenching portrayal of sorrow, mind-bending plot twists, and Toni Collette’s emotionally charged acting (a casualty of one of the most unjust Oscar snubs in horror cinema history), it instantly became more than just one of the best A24 horror movies I’ve ever seen – it was one of the best horror films I’ve ever encountered, hands down, and easily my favorite movie of 2018.
Yet, it wasn’t until my third viewing of Ari Aster’s debut film, the story about a family’s eerie, puzzling downfall after a tragic event, that I truly grasped one key aspect that sets this tale apart: its music. Let me elaborate on that…
The Film’s Score Sets The Ominous Tone Perfectly
Colin Stetson’s composition for the movie “Hereditary” might be considered one of the more unusual film scores from its era. This fits well with the unconventional nature of “Hereditary”, a movie that breaks away from traditional horror conventions, and is also quite divisive among viewers.
Upon debut, Aster expressed to NPR that he considers the movie primarily as a deep-rooted family drama. The soundtrack by Stetson, in alignment with this, initially presents a subtle yet undeniably somber atmosphere, which intensifies gradually as Annie Graham’s (Collette) and her family’s turmoil escalates. Interestingly, the music undergoes a radical transformation when the film reaches its startling ending.
The Music Really Kicks Into Gear For Me At The Very End
In the finale of Hereditary, it’s uncovered that the horrors experienced by the Graham family were meticulously orchestrated by a secretive cult, once headed by Annie’s deceased mother. The objective of this cult is to move the spirit of their deity, Paimon (one of the eight rulers of Hell), from Charlie, Annie’s daughter (played brilliantly by Milly Shapiro), who meets an unfortunate end through decapitation, into a suitable male human vessel, specifically, Annie’s teenage son, Peter (Alex Wolff, in one of his most demanding performances).
In a chilling turn of events, the cult reaches its terrible objective, prompting the musical accompaniment to shift unexpectedly towards a triumphant and inspiring arrangement. Titled “Reborn,” this stirring composition seems wildly out of place within a horror narrative, instead fitting perfectly as the climax of an uplifting sports drama. The stark contrast between the piece and the horrific scene it underscores leaves me feeling uneasy, a sensation that stands out even amidst the overall unsettling atmosphere of the film – a remarkable achievement indeed.
As a fan of horror films, I typically appreciate scenes that are chilling without any background music, finding that such moments can create a more intense fear. However, the score in the movie “Hereditary” is an exceptional instance where it significantly enhances the unsettling nature of an already disturbing tale, doing so in a remarkably clever and subversive manner.
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2025-04-28 18:09