The Last Thing Mary Saw

The Last Thing Mary Saw is a 2021 American folk horror written and directed by Edoardo Vitaletti. Set in 1843, the film follows the youngest daughter of a strict religious family who is under investigation after the mysterious death of her family's ominous matriarch.

The Last Thing Mary Saw
Directed byEdoardo Vitaletti
Written byEdoardo Vitaletti
Produced by
  • Isen Robbins
  • Aimee Schoof
  • Harrison Allen
  • Madeleine Schumacher
  • Stephen Tedeschi
Starring
CinematographyDavid Kruta
Edited byMatthew C. Hart
Music byKeegan DeWitt
Production
companies
  • Intrinsic Value Films
  • Arachnid Films
  • Island View Productions
Distributed byShudder
Release dates
  • August 15, 2021 (2021-08-15) (Fantasia)
  • January 20, 2022 (2022-01-20) (United States)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Southold, New York, 1843. Young Mary (Stefanie Scott), blood trickling from behind the blindfold tied around her eyes, is interrogated about the events surrounding the death of her family's matriarch (Judith Roberts). As the story jumps back in time, we witness Mary, raised in a repressively religious household, finding fleeting happiness in the arms of Eleanor (Isabelle Fuhrman), the home’s maid. Her family view the girls’ relationship as an abomination to be dealt with as severely as possible, with the tension only heightened by the arrival of an enigmatic intruder (Rory Culkin) and the revelation of greater forces at work.[1]

Cast

Production

In December 2019, it was announced that Stefanie Scott, Isabelle Fuhrman, Judith Roberts and Rory Culkin had been cast in the film, which was scheduled to shoot in New York that month.[2]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival on August 15, 2021.[3] It was released on Shudder on January 20, 2022.[4]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 72% of 53 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.50/10. The website's consensus reads: "Its restrained approach may frustrate horror fans seeking more visceral thrills, but The Last Thing Mary Saw tells a haunting period tale."[5]

Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com gave the film a positive review, writing that the film "has a you-are-there feeling that's unusual in low-budget period pictures", and adding that "it feels like the opening installment in a filmmaking career worth following."[6] Dennis Harvey of Variety also gave the film a positive review, calling it "an arresting period piece", and noting that "Vitaletti merits admiration for a debut feature whose ambitions are off the usual beaten track."[7] Jon Mendelsohn of Comic Book Resources awarded the film three and a half stars out of five and wrote, "The Last Thing Mary Saw may be a slow burn, but its effective performances, eerie atmosphere, and explosive ending make it a must-see horror film."[8]

Matt Donato of Paste Magazine gave the film a negative review and wrote that "The Last Thing Mary Saw feels restrained by its means-unable to emphasize its ultimate payoffs-and beholden to a tiptoe pace that won't ensnare all audiences."[9]

References
  1. Michael Gingold. "The Last Thing Mary Saw". Fantasia Film Festival. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  2. Tom Grater (December 9, 2019). "Stefanie Scott, Isabelle Fuhrman, Judith Roberts & Rory Culkin To Topline Mythological Horror 'The Last Thing Mary Saw'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  3. John Hopewell (August 11, 2021). "Shudder Swoops Again at Fantasia, Taking 'The Last Thing Mary Saw' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  4. Jim Vejvoda (January 6, 2022). "The Last Thing Mary Saw: Exclusive Trailer and Poster for the Period Horror Film". IGN. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  5. "The Last Thing Mary Saw". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  6. Seitz, Matt Zoller (January 20, 2022). "The Last Thing Mary Saw". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  7. Harvey, Dennis (August 29, 2021). "'The Last Thing Mary Saw' Review: Sin and the Supernatural in Early 19th-Century New York". Variety. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  8. Mendelsohn, Jon (January 17, 2021). "The Last Thing Mary Saw Patiently Delivers Thrilling Queer Horror". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  9. Donato, Matt (January 19, 2022). "The Last Thing Mary Saw Feels Like a Plodding Subplot of an 1800s Chiller". Paste Magazine. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
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