Midsommer (English: Midsummer) is a 2003 psychological horror film directed by Carsten Myllerup and written by Rasmus Heisterberg.[1][2] The story revolves around a group of Danish students who celebrate their graduation in a Swedish forest, when they encounter a supernatural presence seemingly connected to a friend who recently committed suicide. Six months after the film's release in 2003, the film rights were purchased by Bill Block for an American remake.[3] The American version was reset to a Louisiana bayou and released in 2007 with the title Solstice.[4]

Midsommer
EnglishMidsummer
Directed byCarsten Myllerup
Written byRasmus Heisterberg
Produced by
  • Tomas Hostrup-Larsen
  • Rasmus Thorsen
Starring
Edited byMogens Hagedorn Christiansen
Music bySøren Hyldgaard
Production
company
Cosmo Film
Release date
  • 7 February 2003 (2003-02-07) (Denmark)
Running time
97 minutes
CountriesDenmark
Sweden
LanguageDanish

Plot

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Cast

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Reception

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The film received generally positive reviews from the Danish press.[5] The Berlingske Tidende awarded it 4 out of 6 stars, praising the films lighting, acting and effectiveness at providing surprising moments of fright, but criticized the rushed and confused quality of the film's latter half.[6] The Politiken appreciated the filmmaker's success in elevating the film beyond the typical teen horror flick but found the abundance of mysterious happenings to be over-the-top.[7]

Awards and nominations

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A song from the soundtrack, "Transparent and Glasslike" by Carpark North, won the award for Best Song at Denmark's 21st Robert Awards.[8][9] The film also received both the Older Jury Award and Audience Award at the Leeds International Film Festival.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Midsommer (2003)". The Swedish Film Database. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Midsummer / Midsommer". The Danish Film Institute. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  3. ^ "Midsommergys solgt til USA" [Midsummer Horror sold to USA]. Berlingske Tidende (in Danish). 3 September 2003. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  4. ^ Niels Penke, ed. (2013). Der skandinavische Horrorfilm: Kultur- und ästhetikgeschichtliche Perspektiven [The Scandinavian Horrorfilm: cultural and aesthetic-historical perspectives] (in German). Bielefeld. pp. 302–307. ISBN 9783839420010.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ Calum, Per (6 February 2003). "Habilt underholdende". Jyllands-Posten (in Danish). Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  6. ^ "Gys i natten" [Horror in the Night]. Berlingske Tidende (in Danish). 6 February 2003. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  7. ^ Jensen, Anders Rou (7 February 2003). "Midsommer". Politiken (in Danish). Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  8. ^ ""Arven" tog for sig af Robert'erne". Berlingske Tidende (in Danish). 1 February 2004. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  9. ^ Hartvig Nielsen, Stig (2 February 2004). "TV 2 med i 13 Robert-priser" (in Danish). TVnyt. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
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