Currently, in moving image, I am working on a project
surrounding psychological thrillers and the power of suggestion, and felt that
this film really inspired me when I was planning my shoot. From reading the
reviews and watching the trailer for Martha Marcy May Marlene
(Sean Durkin, 2012), I knew that it was going to be a pretty dark rendition
of a woman who manages to escape a particularly sinister cult. However, I was
not prepared for just how dark this film turned out to be, and came out of it,
just past midnight, utterly
disturbed. Durkin manages to present an aura of paranoia and fear
through a procession of disturbing flashbacks and haunting cinematography, yet only gives us
glimpses of the abuse that the woman endured, parallel with the present time,
whilst she is recovering at her sisters. Durkin starts by making us feel
sympathy for Martha, by only showing us her abuse, but as the flashbacks build,
we see her gradually brainwashed
and she ends up as the cult leaders favourite, partaking in much of the mind
control and abuse herself. Only one thing turned out to be too far for her,
which pushed her to escape the cult, and that was murder. By the end I was not sure whether to
feel sympathy for her or not, especially after the scene in which she helps drug and 'cleanse', and by
that I mean rape, a young girl, just as a woman had done to Martha previously.
The reason I found this film so disturbing was due to the degree of mind
control, it is shocking to see how one person can manipulate so many minds to the point of
complete control. The way, in which Durkin portrays this control, leaving a lot
for the audience to decipher themselves, also built on the already
disconcerting plot. The ending is a good example of this as he only suggests
and how it finishes, either she will never escape in the sense that they are actually watching
her and her family or, in the sense that she is so psychologically damaged that
her mind just thinks that they are
following her. This film has given me some brilliant markers to start from.
References:
Martha Marcy May Marlene (2012) Directed by Sean Durkin [Film.] USA: Fox Searchlight Pictures.
