Martin Scorsese Calls Ari Aster “One of the Most Extraordinary New Voices in World Cinema”

Last night’s “Beau is Afraid” Q&A with Martin Scorsese and Ari Aster was a fascinating conversation about the film and the thought process behind it.

Scorsese is a very big fan of Aster’s films. He already praised “Hereditary” and “Midsommar” to the high heavens. It seems as though Scorsese is a big fan of the current A24-approved new wave of horror; if you remember, he also has very kind words to say about Ti West’s “Pearl” last year.

Regardless, at last night’s Q&A, Scorsese introduced Aster as “one of the most extraordinary new voices in world cinema.” That kind of praise from the master should not be taken lightly.

Scorsese added, “This film was remarkable for me on different levels. The second time I saw it I noticed the technical artistry behind it. The first time I didn’t know what it was about, nobody had told me anything about it. I was impressed by the language of it which was so unique and so original. The risk taking is so unique and so powerful and there aren’t many filmmakers who can’t do that on that level today.”

Here’s what Scorsese said about “Midsommar”:

I can tell you that the formal control is just as impressive as that of Hereditary, maybe more so, and that it digs into emotions that are just as real and deeply uncomfortable as the ones shared between the characters in the earlier picture. I can also tell you that there are true visions in this picture, particularly in the final stretch, that you are not likely to forget. I certainly haven’t.

There has been contentious debate, and not just on this site, about Aster’s brand of cinema. Some people loved “Hereditary,” others hated it. The same can be said about “Midsommar.” This kind of polarization has even had Aster admit, numerous times, that he’s not well-liked in some circles and that he “loves it”.

“Beau is Afraid” will not convert the haters one bit. In fact, it’s probably Aster’s most polarizing film, and that’s saying something. The reviews and crowd reactions have been mixed. However, those who dig ‘Beau’ seem to really love it. I’m strangely in the middle. A rewatch will be needed.

Meanwhile, it looks as though Aster will be shooting his new film very soon. His DP Pawel Pogorzelski briefly mentioned over the weekend that Aster’s next movie is the neo-western “Eddington,” set to shoot this summer.