7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.4 |
Martha is a young woman rapidly unraveling amidst her attempt to reclaim a normal life after fleeing from a cult and its charismatic leader. Seeking help from her estranged older sister Lucy and brother-in-law, Martha is unable and unwilling to reveal the truth about her disappearance. When her memories trigger a chilling paranoia that her former cult could still be pursuing her, the line between Martha's reality and delusion begins to blur.
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Christopher Abbott, Brady Corbet, Hugh Dancy, Maria DizziaDrama | 100% |
Psychological thriller | 57% |
Mystery | 8% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Since the subject matter is so fertile for drama, I have no idea why there aren't more narrative, non-documentary films about cults. Of course, I'm not talking about the supernatural satanic-panic type overrepresented in horror movies like Rosemary's Baby or the recent House of the Devil. Rather, I mean your garden variety small-time religious cult, with an uber-charismatic leader a la Jim Jones, some bizarre beliefs, and an insular, emotionally manipulative power structure that lures members in and keeps them from ever leaving. Writer/director Sean Durkin recognizes the cinematic possibilities here, and in his debut feature, the alliterative Martha Marcy May Marlene, he exploits the identity-erasing aspects of cult behavior to create a dark psychological thriller about paranoia, control, and dissociative disorder. The film came seemingly out of nowhere to become one of the most talked-about indie dramas of the year, and for good reason. It's gorgeously shot and deliberately paced, with a sense of creeping dread that snakes suffocatingly around you and slowly squeezes. It certainly helps that the film features two terrific performances, the first from all-star character actor John Hawkes and the second from newcomer Elizabeth Olsen, who--if her turn here is any indication--is set to rapidly overshadow her elder twin siblings, Ashley and Mary-Kate. This is one of those rare, career-making roles that catapults a young actor into the A-list spotlight.
Martha "Marcy May"
Shot on 35mm and given a soft, dreamy color toning in post-production, Martha Marcy May Marlene has a visual aesthetic that's both realistic and impressionistic, modern and lost in time. The key to the look is the fact that, in most scenes, black levels have been intentionally raised--to a dark gray--while highlights are dampened and given a creamy quality. The color palette is also low-key, focusing on rich neutrals rather than vivid splashes of color. This low-contrast style is evocative and more reminiscent of artful contemporary photography than slick, punchy, big studio cinematography. Some "reference" quality purists may balk at the flattened blacks and dimmed color, but this is the perfect look for a film primarily about the lack of distinction between dream, memory, and reality. The 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer we get here seems entirely faithful to the filmmakers' intentions. Film grain is natural--untouched by DNR--and there are no signs of edge enhancement or other unnecessary tweaks. Likewise, the encode is free from compression artifacts, banding, blocking, and aliasing. Finally, in terms of clarity, this won't be the sharpest high definition image you'll see this year, but there's plenty of fine detail in the areas where you normally notice it. I think the film looks great.
The sound design of the film's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track matches the tone of the visuals wonderfully--it's quiet, dreamy, and hushed, but isn't coy about going nightmarish when need be. While this isn't an especially immersive or room-rattling mix, it does conjure up a pervasively unsettling mood--a feeling of paranoia that comes out of the stillness. In the rear channels you'll occasionally hear rural outdoorsy ambience--slow wind, lapping water, the buzz of crickets--and rare but well-used directional effects. Music is used minimally; there are long stretches of the film where we don't hear any at all, but key scenes are punctuated by stabbing, see-sawing violins and clattering percussion. It works well, and both the score and effects have a great sense of clarity and dynamic breadth. There are a few instances where vocals are intentionally obscured, but otherwise, dialogue is always clean and balanced and easy to understand. The disc also includes French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 dubs, along with optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles, which appear in clear, readable white lettering.
Martha Marcy May Marlene is a confident debut for writer/director Sean Durkin and one of 2011's best films, a dark, eerie drama about manipulation, control, and a paranoia. I appreciate that Durkin didn't feel the need to over-explain; he keeps the origins and beliefs of the cult mysterious and leaves the ambiguous ending satisfyingly open to interpretation. The performances are wonderful as well, especially from newcomer Elizabeth Olson and long-time character actor John Hawkes, who projects so much charisma that, by the end of the film, you're convinced he'd make a damn good real-life cult leader. Highly recommended!
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Tom à la ferme / English packaging / Version française
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4K Restoration
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