Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Mary! Mary! Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 21, 2018

1976’s “Mary! Mary!” provides a simple premise: Ned (John Leslie) has erectile issues, offering to trade his soul to the Devil (a.k.a. “The Arranger”) for a cream that solves all his sexual problems. And with this thin plot, director Bernard Morris attempt to liven up the proceedings with humor, horror, a car chase, and a sexual tryst that brings in salted meats to heat up the evening. It initially appears so benign, but once “Mary! Mary!” gets rolling, there’s plenty of oddity to enjoy, along with the surprisingly active hardcore content of the movie.

Ned’s a man of simple tastes. He has a loving wife in Mary (Constance Money), but all he really wants to do is bed his secretary and her sister. Without the presence of The Arranger and his loosely defined magic and mission, Ned’s to-do list of seduction is all there really is to “Mary! Mary!” The rest of the effort follows the titular woman as she experiences her own adventures in casual sex, keeping busy with a dress shop clerk and her bisexual boss. One would think the Faustian bargain elements might play a larger role in the feature, but Morris doesn’t have much interest in boner voodoo, preferring to keep himself busy with a mid-movie car chase that carries a smash-em-up quality that wouldn’t seem out of place on a network cop show from the 1970s.

Mary! Mary! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Billed as "Newly scanned and restored in 2K from 35mm original camera negative," the AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides a crisp, clear look at the couplings offered in "Mary! Mary!" Sharpness reaches as far as the original cinematography permits, delivering superb detail with body parts, surveying changes in skin quality. Costuming and locations are also textured and easily inspected. Colors are lively with natural skintones, and period style contributes a boost in period hues, emphasizing lighter blues and pinks. Delineation is secure. Source works through speckling, mild scratches, and a few single-frame blips of chemical damage. Grain is fine and filmic.

Mary! Mary! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix supports the feature's limited aural reach, but fresh dialogue exchanges are welcome, supporting performances, while sexual interactions provide a range of moans and groans. Scoring efforts and bongo-based musical accompaniment for the climatic orgy sequence register as intended, adding a dash of percussive heft. Sound effects come through with ideal clarity and authority.

Mary! Mary! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:52, HD) is included.

Mary! Mary! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The combination of food and sex is revolting, but Morris is after stranger things here, keeping the effort enigmatic as it moves toward a big orgy finale that includes a Boris Karloff impression and man working the bongos to maintain a thrusting beat. There's something of a dark finale, but it doesn't make any sense, and it doesn't have to. Morris doesn't complete his cinematic puzzle, but the pieces are charmingly bizarre, working to disrupt expectations while fulfilling them at the same time.