Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Disc:

Video:

Audio:

• Mary Last Seen (Durkin short) 13:38 in 1080i

• Spotlight on Elizabeth Olson (2:46 - 1080P)

• The Making of Martha Marcy May Marlene (3:09 in 1080P)

 

Bitrate:

 

 

Description: Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after... fleeing an abusive cult.

 

 

The Film:

As its title suggests, “Martha Marcy May Marlene” is a story of fractured identity, in which a young woman tries to negotiate incompatible versions of herself, all the while wondering who she really is. The film, Sean Durkin’s impressively self-assured debut feature, switches back and forth between two periods in its protagonist’s life — an indeterminate span when she is part of a cult in rural New York and the time just after her escape from the group, when she has found refuge with her older sister and brother-in-law in their rented lakeside vacation house.

Excerpt from A.O. Scott at the NY Times located HERE

Elizabeth Olsen is known, if she’s known at all, as the Olsen sister who isn’t a twin. That won’t last for long, and it’s fitting that she is finding her own fame in Martha Marcy May Marlene, a psychological thriller about the fractured identity of a sister who is looking for family, and in all the wrong places.

Olsen sometimes has the look of a softer Faye Dunaway, an unfocused beauty that’s ideal for Martha, whose similarly vague past has left her drifting through life. First-time writer-director Sean Durkin never makes this explicit — Martha Marcy May Marlene is a film of feints and allusions — and much of it takes place in the corner of the screen, where Martha (not to mention Marcy May Marlene) cowers under her confusions. The rest of the screen is typically taken up with blank walls.

Excerpt from Jay Stone at The National located HERE

Image :    NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

The image quality of the interestingly realized Martha Marcy May Marlene looks very natural on Blu-ray from Fox. I would guess that the film was meant to appear in this, less glossy, manner. This is dual-layered with a very high bitrate and contrast can appear softer than you might expect for a modern feature. Detail is there and an occasional sense of depth. Colors, too, are reasonably passive and reflect a honest vérité style. There is noise in the transfer but I never found it overwhelming. This Blu-ray visuals have a strong sense of realism - as does the camerawork. This Blu-ray probably looks like the theatrical film Martha Marcy May Marlene.

Max tells us in email: "Thanks for the review of MMMM. I saw the film last week in a cinema here in the UK and you are indeed right, the blu ray looks close to what was on the big screen. The film was shot on 35mm and underexposed intentionally. It was then brightened in post, which gives it this amazing texture and greyish blacks (as you can see on that second of your stills for instance)." (Thanks Max!)

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The DTS-HD Master in 5.1 at 3221 kbps is very strong. The film is probably more memorable for its silent, tense, moments than any bombastic or obvious aggression. There is original music by Daniel Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans that doesn't impose upon the film's gentle style. I didn't note any strong separation - excepting, perhaps, to occasionally establish outdoor scenes - which tend to dominate the film. There are optional subtitles and my Momitsu has identified it as being a region A-locked Blu-ray.

Extras :

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
Firstly, this is a very impressively made film. And even more so as a 'debut' by director/writer Sean Durkin. I appreciated the fragments and time shifts to reveal parts of a story without treating the audience as... brainless. This is probably not for everyone because of the film's intentional ambiguities - relying on your own intelligence to understand the dynamics of a 'cult' lifestyle, relationship conflicts without obviousness etc. . Personally, I would say this is close to a masterpiece. I'll be watching Durkin's future projects with keen interest.  The Blu-ray supplies a strong HD presentation and will make for an intriguing night in the Home Theater. Watch this one! 

Gary Tooze

February 11th, 2012