Release Date: February 21, 2012
Rating: R
Running Time: DVD 2:02:03 Blu-ray 02:36:27

From 2011 Sundance Film Festival “Best Director” winner Sean Durkin, in his feature film debut, and featuring breakout star Elizabeth Olsen in her “Best Female Lead” Film Independent Spirit Award nominated role, MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE arrives on Blu-ray and DVD February 21 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

After escaping from a dangerous cult and the watchful eye of its charismatic leader, a young woman named Martha (Olsen) tries to reclaim a normal life with her family. But the haunting memories from Martha’s past trigger a chilling paranoia — and nowhere seems safe as the fragile line between her reality and delusions begin to blur.

Supported by unforgettable powerhouse performances from Academy Award® nominee John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone, American Gangster) and Sarah Paulson (Down With Love, What Women Want), the MARTHA MARCY MARY MARLENE Blu-ray and DVD is rich with feature special features, including “Mary Last Seen,” the chilling short film by writer/director Durkin that started it all.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens to someone after leaving a cult, Martha Marcy May Marlene takes you on one of those journeys, following a very troubled and paranoid young girl after her ordeal…or on the other side of it. What’s so marvelous about the film is that it’s not just about Martha post cult escape but it shows us the disturbing reality of how some people get sucked into these cults in the first place.

The film does go back and forth between the past and present, so it may take you off guard in the beginning but in time you’ll be able to separate the past from the present and put the pieces together. However, there really aren’t many pieces to be put together, there’s no big mystery we are meant to solve here. Especially considering the ending of this film which I was not at all pleased with. This film literally just highlights moments from Martha’s cult days and follows her afterwords as she stays with her sister and attempts to re-adjust herself into our world. As Olsen explains in one of the bonus features, “It’s just raw life.” So if you’re looking for entertainment… this is not the film to watch. But Martha Mary May Marlene is a beautiful character study and is fascinating on the psychological front, following Martha through life.

Elizabeth Olsen shines and is magnificent in a film that otherwise may not have been as fascinating. Something tells me that I would enjoy the screenplay more than the actual film. That said, in casting Olsen, Martha was brought to life in a way that not just any actress can do and that is why this film is so captivating. Durkin plus Olsen equals an outstanding piece of work. Martha Mary May Marlene truly is one of the most mesmerizing and thought provoking films of the year. It’s definitely not for everyone given the pace and direction that this film runs… and at first, I thought that applied to me as well afterwords. But the film remained on my mind long after viewing and has really made a mark on my heart. MMMM is not for the faint of heart so view at your discretion and be prepared for this film to linger long after.

Bonus Features:
Mary Last Seen – A letter from writer/director, Sean Durkin about his short, “Mary Last Seen” and how that set the tone for MMMM is presented before we actually get to see the short… which does not include the same cast but does included the brought up the mystery of Martha’s lost cell phone, the joys of streaking, and then some. It’s incredible to see what stemmed from this short. Because shorts are under appreciated and because this short played such a vital role into the making of MMMM, it was very important to include this on the Blu-ray. It’s just a shame that DVD owners do not get the same features.

Spotlight on Elizabeth Olsen – After watching MMMM, if you’re confused about what you should think of the film, watch this feature which is far too short in my opinion. Elizabeth Olsen explains it perfectly when she says that “There’s nothing we’re trying to make people feel.” And then she dives inside the mind of Martha and tells us what Martha’s thinking throughout her time in the cult, how she works it out in her mind what these people are all about… and what that means for her. She goes onto say, “I think what’s great about the story is that you don’t know what’s happening. You can guess by the ending but you will always try and figure out if it was paranoia or if people were actually trying to harm her.” Olsen is so well spoken and so committed to getting to understand Martha, her words almost make me want to watch the film again and again to pick apart this character. What a wonderful feature!

The Story – For more insight into the film, Writer/director, Sean Durkin as well as cast members, Elizabeth Olsen, Hugh Dancy, Sarah Paulson, and John Hawkes are here to explain the story of MMMM. In this feature, I discovered that what we see of Martha at her sister’s house is the first two weeks after her escape. I’m not sure if I missed it in the film, but I was more excited than I should have been to discover this piece of information. It explains a lot for me. The cast and Durkin go onto to explain that this is a story about the struggle to find Martha’s identity in all that she has gone through, all while not telling her sister, her rescuer, what happened to her. Dancy brought up a great point about how Martha jumps into Lucy and Ted’s domestic life, so there’s not just Martha to think about here. Yes, we are watching the reality of one character but Lucy and Ted speak to the audience just as much as Martha does. So there’s plenty to take away here. After viewing the film, you’ll be sure to have questions about how to process it all so I definitely recommend watching this feature as well as all of the others.

The Making of Martha Marcy May Marlene – Writer/director, Sean Durkin briefly explains his bold directing choices for the film in this feature (which explain a lot) and discussion quickly transitions into talk from the cast and crew about working with each other on location and connecting with their characters and the world of MMMM. This feature is incredibly brief but there’s still something to take away from Durkin’s words especially.

Also Appearing in this Feature:
Producers, Antonio Campos, Josh Mond
Cast Members, John Hawkes, Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, Hugh Dancy

A Conversation with Filmmakers – It all began in college for writer/director, Sean Durkin as well as producers, Antonio Campos and Josh Mond. If you’ve been wondering how this team of film makers came together and where the inspiration for this film came from among other things, this is the feature for you. I must warn you, it is very brief like the other features though which is disappointing.

The Psyche of a Cult – Opening up this feature is therapist/cult expert, Rachel Bernstein as she begins to explain what a cult is. Just when I was wondering who the consultants were on this film, this feature comes along. While watching the film, this question came to mind so Bernstein was a welcome face in the bonus features. As she mentioned, this is “a very powerful depiction of that confusion…” and oh my, oh the dangers of feeling loved for the first time. Look where it got Martha. So sad. So eye opening. So worth watching. What I have learned from the bonus features has really helped me appreciate this film a dozen times more. If only these features were longer.

Also Appearing in this Feature:
Writer/Director, Sean Durkin
Cast Member, Elizabeth Olsen

* “Marcy’s Song” Music Video by John Hawkes

Own Martha Marcy May Marlene on Blu-Ray and DVD today.