The Strange Thing About the Johnsons - An Analysis of the Taboo 2011 Short Film

Overview of The Strange Thing About the Johnsons

The Strange Thing About the Johnsons is a 2011 American short horror drama film written and directed by Ari Aster in his directorial debut. The film explores dark and taboo themes of incest and family dysfunction.

The film centers around the Johnsons, a wealthy family living in suburban New York. The father, Sidney Johnson, is a successful cardiologist while the mother, Ada Johnson, is a housewife. They have one son, Isaiah. On the surface, they appear to be the perfect nuclear family.

However, there are disturbing secrets lurking beneath this façade. Isaiah seems to harbor an unnatural obsession with his father, which leads to an incestuous relationship between them. This forbidden romance threatens to destroy the family from within.

Background and Production

Ari Aster wrote the screenplay for The Strange Thing About the Johnsons while he was still a student at the American Film Institute Conservatory. The film was produced by Borderline Films, the same company behind acclaimed indie films like Martha Marcy May Marlene.

The Strange Thing About the Johnsons was shot in Pomona, New York on a budget of only $7,000. To achieve the suburban setting, many scenes were filmed in the producer's own home. The small budget required creativity, such as shooting outdoor scenes guerilla-style at an actual neighborhood.

The film stars Billy Mayo as Sidney Johnson, Angela Bullock as Ada Johnson, and Brandon Greenhouse as their son Isaiah. All three leads deliver powerful performances despite the disturbing subject matter.

An In-Depth Look at the Film's Plot

Isaiah's Troubling Attachment to His Father

Early scenes establish that Isaiah has an unusually strong attachment to his father Sidney. While Sidney sees it as innocent affection, there are hints of something more sinister. Isaiah seems to crave intimate affection from his father, becoming jealous when Sidney pays attention to others.

Isaiah's behavior increasingly troubles his mother Ada. She notices Isaiah watching Sidney shower through a door crack. Later, he climbs into bed to sleep beside Sidney rather than with her.

The Truth is Revealed

The truth becomes shockingly clear through scenes intercutting between Sidney and Isaiah in bed. While the film only implies the incest, it is evident they have a sexual relationship. Sidney admits to being ashamed but seems unable to stop.

Isaiah tries to justify the taboo romance, claiming they have a special bond. He becomes violently angry when Sidney attempts to pull away, smashing belongings in his room. Sidney is disturbed but cannot bring himself to cut ties completely.

Confrontation and Escalation

Ada eventually discovers what has been going on behind her back. She furiously confronts Sidney, demanding he stop enabling their son's behavior. However, Sidney complains that Isaiah becomes uncontrollable when he resists.

The situation escalates when Ada tells Isaiah she knows the truth. He reacts by threatening her with a knife. The deranged look in his eyes suggests he will attack his own mother to keep his secret.

The Tragic Ending

In the chilling climax, a blood-soaked Isaiah stumbles down the stairs to find his father. It is implied that he murdered his mother after she discovered his incestuous relationship. Sidney is horrified but powerless to stop his clearly disturbed son.

The film ends with an emotionally gut-wrenching scene of Sidney cradling his son in his arms. Despite everything, Sidney seems unable to let go of the connection between them. This underscores the depth of Sidney's dysfunction and weakness as a father.

Analysis of Key Themes

Taboo Sexuality

The most prominent theme is the taboo of incest. Sidney's sexual relationship with his son is understandably shocking and transgressive. Their romance subverts ideas about normal family relationships.

The film suggests Sidney may have warped Isaiah's sexuality by accepting the intimacy. But Isaiah seems to pursue it obsessively, refusing to give up his claim on his father's affection.

Facades of Normalcy

On the surface, the Johnsons appear to be an ordinary, loving family. But beneath this façade lies a disturbing secret that they desperately try to conceal. This speaks to the façades many families maintain while hiding dysfunctions.

Even in the end when the truth comes out, Sidney cannot fully let go of the role he plays as a father. The film implies maintaining appearances is more important to him than addressing his son's deeply unhealthy attachment.

Failure of Family

The Johnson parents fail to protect their son or provide proper guidance as he develops a warped sexuality. Sidney's weakness and Ada's denial contribute to the disaster.

Isaiah's eventual violence against his mother further emphasizes the total collapse of the family unit. Instead of being Isaiah's protector, Sidney becomes his enabler in destroying their family.

Significance and Legacy

Despite its disturbing subject matter, The Strange Thing About the Johnsons received praise on the film festival circuit. It won several awards including the New Visions Award at the Sitges Film Festival.

Critics highlighted Ari Aster's skilled direction in eliciting powerful performances from the cast. The film's daring and provocative take on taboo themes left a strong impression.

The Strange Thing About the Johnsons put Aster on the map as an exciting new voice in horror and drama. His unflinching exploration of dysfunctional family dynamics prefigured themes in his acclaimed feature films Hereditary and Midsommar.

Though divisive amongst viewers, The Strange Thing About the Johnsons is an important piece of transgressive cinema. Its raw depiction of blurred sexual boundaries within a family shattered cinematic taboos and introduced Aster's singular artistic vision.

FAQs

What is the plot of The Strange Thing About the Johnsons?

The film centers on the Johnson family - father Sidney, mother Ada, and son Isaiah. It is revealed that Isaiah is having an incestuous sexual relationship with his father Sidney, who seems unable to resist his son's disturbing attachment. The mother Ada discovers the truth, leading to tragic consequences.

Who directed The Strange Thing About the Johnsons?

The Strange Thing About the Johnsons was written and directed by Ari Aster. It was his directorial debut released in 2011 while he was still a student. The taboo-breaking film announced Aster as an important new voice in independent horror.

What awards did The Strange Thing About the Johnsons win?

Despite its controversial subject matter, The Strange Thing About the Johnsons received praise and won awards on the film festival circuit. This includes the New Visions Award at the Sitges Film Festival in 2011.

How did critics respond to The Strange Thing About the Johnsons?

Critics highlighted Ari Aster's skilled direction in bringing out powerful performances from the cast. They praised the film's daring, transgressive themes even if divisive for audiences. It left a strong impression as a taboo-shattering work.

What was the budget for The Strange Thing About the Johnsons?

The film was produced on a micro-budget of only $7,000. Much of it was shot guerilla-style in the producer's own home to achieve the suburban setting on a shoestring budget.