The ending of martha marcy may marlene spoilers within. Martha marcy may marlene 2011 cast and crew after several years of living with a cult, martha elizabeth olsen finally escapes and calls her estranged sister, lucy sarah paulson, for help. The story centers on a young woman elizabeth olsen who is living with her older sister sarah paulson after escaping a cult. Martha marcy may marlene full movie movies anywhere. Interestingly, this movie and two others coming out before the end of october turn out to be more politically timely and relevant than this months specifically electionthemed the ides of march. When my son asks where babies are from, should i make him watch the movie storks to explain.
Martha marcy may marlene is the type of new american classic sundance so rarely produces anymore. Just as the family is following martha and her family at the end of the film, the predator is always stalking us. And i will say this, while elizabeth olsen did an amazing job throughout this movie just a phenomenal job, she didnt do a great job on that very last scene. Ted and lucy then drive martha to her treatment facility when the same man from the lake runs in front of teds car. The acting is strong, the topic important, and technically it is good enough for what this movie needs. Moviechat forums martha marcy may marlene 2011 discussion the ending spoilers, obv. Marcy may is the name given to her by the leader of a cult group.
However, it looks like his longawaited feature film followup is coming together and hes enlisted a couple great actors to lead the way. Nov 28, 2011 looking for answers anywhere i can as sean durkins martha marcy may marlene continues to challenge me. A woman elizabeth olsen struggles to reassimilate with society after fleeing from a cult. Martha marcy may marlene and the art of the ambiguous. The cast and crew of martha marcy may marlene discuss the films enigmatic storyline. Elizabeth olsen forced in martha marcy may marlene xvideos. Martha marcy may marlene features a descendant of morland, one who goes by all the names in the film s title. Can someone please explain the ending of martha marcy may marlene to me. In martha marcy may marlene, the debut feature film by sean durkin, elizabeth olsen plays a character trying to negotiate incompatible versions of herself.
Remarkably, there is no single way to digest martha marcy may marlene. Hes been the toast of sundance three years running, but the charismatic cult leader from martha marcy may marlene says people dont know who i am. Its got a creepy, suspenseful build and one of the best endings of the year. Martha marcy may marlene is despite its clumsy title a meditative, slow paced, characterdriven psychological drama with elements of the thrillergenre.
Mar 11, 2012 to me the ending signifies the continued paranoia that the lead character experiences. Having spent two years living as part of an abusive cult. Oct 28, 2011 i havent been able to see durkins 2010 short film, mary last seen, that both helped him secure financing to make, and served as a quasipreface to, martha marcy may marlene. Marlene is the name all the women in the group use to answer the telephone. Elizabeth olsen stars in this psychological thriller, the title of which. Martha marcy may marlene 2011 sean durkin synopsis. Martha marcy may marlene fox searchlight, the first feature film of writerdirector sean durkin, took a good hour to start really getting on my nerves. One expects there to be some kind of character development, some payoff for the.
Too late starring john hawkes is a confounding misfire. Martha marcy may marlene is a haunting psychological thriller from first time filmmaker sean durkin, about a young woman trying to recover from her years of being part of a cult. Unnerving martha hints at life in a charles mansontype. Can someone please explain the ending of martha marcy may. Martha marcy may marlene stars elizabeth olsen as martha, a damaged woman haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia. Does the martha marcy may marlene script give any hints. I have a long playlist of names that matches the title of the movie. If we were, we would no longer share her experience in not knowing. At the same time, the film does not go far enoughthe behaviors are portrayed but not explained or ever resolved by martha. Everything you need to know about martha marcy may marlene. Escaping her past is nearly impossible for her to do as one cannot simply forget about the things she was put through.
My gut tells me that a great pun would be to call martha marcy may marlene by the alternate name martha marcy meh marlene, but there are a number of objections to that, among them being that its not quite as bad as being meh, another that your eye tends to glide over the words to fast to notice it, and the most important being that baby jesus hates puns. The film contains several references to the music of jackson c. Its about something that resembles a kind of indoctrination into a cult or maybe its precisely that. News came that martha marcy may marlene was a cult film, and it was, therefore, with a heart of lead that i made my way to the screening. So a month before shooting i was just searching songs under martha, marcy may or marlene at my computer at home. Martha marcy may marlene follows martha as she escapes an upstate new york cult after two years in its grip.
Spellbinding, chilling, martha marcy may marlene marks a triumphant first film for writerdirector sean durkin. T his is a disquieting and ambiguous movie in a classic us indie style. My gut tells me that a great pun would be to call martha marcy may marlene by the alternate name martha marcy meh marlene, but there are a number of objections to that, among them being that its not quite as bad as being meh, another that your eye tends to glide over the words. Oct 11, 2011 martha marcy may marlene soundtrack from 2011, composed by danny bensi, saunder jurriaans. Take a look back at elizabeth olsens movie and tv career in photos. Martha marcy may marlene is a cult phenomenon observer. Not only did it cement the film in my memory the ghost of martha s fate is still wandering the corridors of my mind, but it was a perfect conclusion, and the only conclusion i can see working with this film suicide would be a complete cop out, murder. The cult occupies a white frame farmhouse in rural new york state, where there are many more women than men, and all of them are under the control of the leader, patrick. Its never mentioned, but it seems implied given some of her behavior near the end of the film, like her breaking the rule of not eating before sundown, and just the way the camera seems to linger on shots of her body at times. It sounds eventful, but theres a lazy, dreamy quality to martha marcy may marlene, a reflection of marthas passive, troubled state bolstered by the films calm, pastoral and grainy look. Martha marcy may marlene is a powerful psychological thriller starring elizabeth olsen as martha, a young woman rapidly unraveling amidst her attempt to reclaim a normal life after fleeing from a cult and its charismatic leader john hawkes. Martha marcy may marlene and the art of the ambiguous movie.
Oct 27, 2011 the indeterminate final scene of martha marcy may marlene is a textbook study in the inconclusive conclusion, which has produced a rhetoric all its own among the actors and filmmakers on. There are several references to the work of singersongwriter, jackson c. On first encounter, the alliterative tonguetwister title, martha marcy may marlene, begs to be changed. Blitzkrieg martha marcy may marlene explanation taylor. Watch martha marcy may marlene movie trailers, exclusive videos, interviews from the cast, movie clips and more at.
Martha marcy may marlene sean durkin, elizabeth olsen. Dec 02, 2011 martha marcy may marlene is a tense story of a woman who, after fleeing a cultlike commune, shows increasing signs of posttraumatic stress disorder as she attempts to reestablish her normal life and a relationship with her selfish sister and difficult brotherinlaw. Elizabeth olsen at an event for martha marcy may marlene 2011 john hawkes at an event for martha marcy may marlene 2011 sarah paulson. I found martha marcy may marlene to be a very nice addition to my film collection and found that it was very successful in its endeavour to be quite disturbing, unsettling and, at times, so creepy mainly as a result of the cult leader. Just try finding anyone at sundance who can get it right. Farm house bathroom later martha sits in the bathroom, knees pulled up to her chest as she rests on the. Martha marcy may marlene is the vehicle with which the youngest olsen sister moves out of her famous older twin siblings shadows, and establishes herself as the serious artist of the family. Martha marcy may marlene is an above average movie. Shot in long, quiet takes of bucolic idylls, martha marcy may marlene sneaks up on. In her stunning feature film debut, elizabeth olsen delivers an. The most stunning thing about martha marcy may marlene is that its the product of a firsttime director working with a firsttime leading actress, a debut combination that could have, in less able hands, resulted in a forgettable or worse mess. Review and analysis of martha marcy may marlene blogger. It isnt until the cult turns violent that she realizes shes got to escape and the film martha marcy may marlene begins.
However, her dehumanising indoctrination at the hands of the manipulative cult leader patrick has taken its toll and, haunted by disturbing memories, she struggles to revert to normality. What are some plausible interpretations to the abrupt ending. The plot focuses on a young woman suffering from delusions and paranoia. I always thought the big mystery behind this movie was that martha was pregnant, and thats why she escaped. It feels like a copy of another movie ending, of several other movie endings, both. She seeks refuge with lucy and her husband ted hugh dancy, shrouds her former whereabouts in secrecy and finds herself plagued by memories, unable to cope with her new life. That said the story leaves you more with feeling that you just watched a news segment on sexual abuse. Can someone please explain what happened at the end of martha marcy may marlene. Martha goes swimming in the lake and sees a man watching her from the opposite shore. Looking for answers anywhere i can as sean durkins martha marcy may marlene continues to challenge me. I decided to give it a go anyway and im really glad that i did. The commotion on the road at the end was not explained, but there. Released by fox music in 2011 containing music from martha marcy may marlene 2011. Somethings lurking in the woods in this disquieting, ambiguous indie about a young woman escaping from a cult.
Martha marcy may marlene on dvd february 21, 2012 starring hugh dancy, elizabeth olsen, sarah paulson. So the one i absolutely fell in love with was the jackson frank song, marlene and its the song in the end credits. Martha marcy may marlene letterboxd your life in film. It may not be entirely perfect i sat down to it twice before fully hearing its. Elizabeth olson plays a sympathetic lead in an intense role. The ending of martha marcy may marlene spoilers within to me, this ending was wonderful.
Martha marcy mar marlene is not that film, it is far more suggestive than explicit and keeps much of its action off screen. I havent been able to see durkins 2010 short film, mary last seen, that both helped him secure financing to make, and served as a quasipreface to, martha marcy may marlene. The film benefited from two exceptional performances from elizabeth olsen and john hawkes. May 05, 2011 martha marcy may marlene stars elizabeth olsen as martha, a damaged woman haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, who struggles to reassimilate with her family after fleeing a cult. Creepy and serenely suspenseful, martha marcy may marlene is a riveting. Im speechless at her oscar miss, now that ive actually seen the film.
Elizabeth olsen breaks from the pack in martha marcy may marlene. The indeterminate final scene of martha marcy may marlene is a textbook study in the inconclusive conclusion, which has produced a rhetoric all its. Martha marcy may marlene caused a sensation at the perverted prestigious sundance film festival this year. John hawkes plays marcy s song in the film, while marlene is played over the credits. Oct 21, 2011 enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing martha marcy may marlene near you. It cant be described as a horror film, but there is something fitting about martha marcy may marlene being released at halloween weekend. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page. To me the ending signifies the continued paranoia that the lead character experiences. Olsen, a revelation throughout, feeds every scene with poignancy. Can someone please explain what happened at the end of. Martha is discarded for marcy may, a name given by patrick himself. Martha marcy may marlene 2011 martha marcy may marlene. Purchase martha marcy may marlene on digital and stream instantly or download offline. The debut movie from writerdirector sean durkin salaciously explores the story of a young woman named martha who escapes from a mansonlike cult that had renamed her marcy may.
Deliberate in pace and haunting in nature, martha marcy may marlene is a dreamlike character study of a former cultists reintroduction to society and her attempts to understand her place in the world. Having spent two years living as part of an abusive cult, martha runs away and reconnects with her older sister. Watching this movie i felt like a lot of the scene was hidden and the camera was too. Martha marcy may marlene can be viewed as the worst nightmare of. I found martha marcy may marlene to be a very nice addition to my film. Martha played by elizabeth olsen has become involved in a cult that embroils her in sexual enslavement, housebreaking and eventually murder. Sean durkins psychological thriller martha marcy may marlene received a lot of buzz out of the sundance film festival, much of it aimed at its lead, elizabeth olsen, younger and far more. Martha marcy may marlene movie trailer and videos tv guide. Martha marcy may marlene elizabeth olsen sarah paulson john hawkes 2011 after escaping from a cult, a young woman elizabeth olsen is haunted by her experiences there and fears that its vicious leader john hawkes may be. An unknown man and elizabeth olsen in martha marcy may marlene. A young woman frantically runs out of a house and into the woods as a man chases after her, calling out marcy may. Martha marcy may marlene is a 2011 american dramatic thriller film written and directed by sean durkin, and starring elizabeth olsen, john hawkes, sarah paulson, and hugh dancy. The film is just over 100 minutes long, but requires innumerable hours of reflection, contemplation, and discussion.
Elizabeth olsen gives a stunning performance in the lead role no small feat given that the film frequently moves from the present day to flashbacks and back again. See actions taken by the people who manage and post content. The plot focuses on a young woman suffering from delusions and paranoia after returning to her family from an abusive cult in the catskill mountains. Martha marcy may marlene starts better than it ends. The filmmaker behind 2011s criticallyacclaimed martha marcy may marlene has only directed a fourepisode british miniseries southcliffe since. That this man is compelling and charismatic helps explain. Jan 01, 2012 1 january 2012 happy new year sean durkins martha marcy may marlene is one of the most demanding films of 2011. In her stunning feature film debut, elizabeth olsen delivers an electrify. Can you match each of these bond villains with their own evil plot. Explain the ending of martha marcy may marlene yesterday, when i finished the movie, i immediately went out and found the script which you can read here.
For those of you that have seen martha marcy may marlene, did. They went with an open ending because it was ultimately a much better ending for this movie and made people really think about what they saw. The subtlety works in its favour, there is a sense of dislocation and even disorientation during the film that puts the audience in a similar mental state to martha. Martha marcy may marlene film, psychological drama. Martha marcy may marlene 2011 cast and crew moviefone. Watching the trailer, its clear how it leads to where the longform version begins. It can be assumed that john hawkes character, patrick, fabricated the names marcy may and marlene from these songs. So martha marcy may marlene, shot by jody lee lipers with a sensitivity that belies the modest budget, is a subtle, sporadically powerful portrait of a young woman in turmoil. What are some plausible interpretations to the abrupt. As a former cult member myself, i worry that some former cult members who see martha marcy may marlene may actually be freaked by the experience. It is significant that we cant be sure if the man across the lake is from the cult or not. And i will say this, while elizabeth olsen did an amazing job throughout this movie just a phenomenal job, she didnt do.
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