The Strange Thing About the Johnsons(Movie, 2011)

The Strange Thing About the Johnsons is a 2011 American short psychological horror film written and directed by Ari Aster. The film stars Billy Mayo, Brandon Greenhouse, and Angela Bullock as members of a suburban family in which the father is trapped in an incestuous relationship with his abusive son. The short was Aster's thesis film while studying at the AFI Conservatory, and later screened at film festivals in 2011, premiering at the Slamdance Film Festival in Utah on January 22 before it leaked online in November and went viral. Aster conceived the story while discussing taboos with his friends, including Greenhouse, before his first year at AFI. He worked on the production with fellow students from the school. The Strange Thing About the Johnsons received polarized reviews from critics and audiences. Many were divided on the film's controversial themes, although Mayo and Bullock received widespread acclaim for their performances. ()