Winter, 1843. A young woman is under investigation following the mysterious death of her family’s matriarch. Her recollection of the events sheds new light on the ageless forces behind the tragedy.
Nothing says horror like a slow-burn period piece full of homophobia, religious fervor, and people vomiting black blood. This first feature film for filmmaker Edoardo Vitaletti showcases a stripped-down approach to period horror, just like last year’s “The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw.” “The Last Thing Mary Saw” unravels in long stretches of silence, eschewing the soundtrack entirely with tense moments. The film takes concentrated focus, but the film rewards that focus with the violent ending promised to us from the very beginning.
The film follows Mary (Stefanie Scott), the daughter of a wealthy family off in the countryside of Connecticut in 1843. Her passionate romance with the family servant Eleanor (Isabelle Fuhrman) sparks painful retribution. Old school conversion camp begins at their isolated mansion, but this religious family finds unintended consequences for punishing the two lovers. Death and misery follow in bloody fashion.
We open on a woman, eyes bloodied and blinded. Her interrogation by the local constable sets up a bloody massacre. This kind of hook promises audiences violence even as it dives full force into a slow setup. Were it not for the opening many scenes might lack tension entirely. Instead, this preview drops us into the center of the story.
Stefanie Scott anchors the film as the titular Mary. Her subtle performances match those around her and elevate the work of everyone involved. Isabelle Fuhrman matches her demure acting with a more ferocious reserved manner. Just when you think the two are on solid ground, Fuhrman’s forced to never speak again for two-thirds of the entire film. Rory Culkin adds much-needed flavor to the silence by threatening and cajoling in equal measure. Lastly, the grand matriarch of the whole film, Judith Roberts, unnerves the audience with her terrifying presence.
This movie doesn’t use much dialogue. Sequences last long minutes, dragging out the tension. I think I counted a full twenty minutes without a single word uttered, made all the more poignant when Scott punctures that silence. It’s slow-moving and atmospheric. The beauty of the period picture shows up in small details around the house. We don’t see much of the natural world, instead, basking in a more mundane 1800s existence.
While the film’s editing slowly dials out the story, the cinematography gives us plenty to witness. I noticed so many impressively lit eyes (a motific feat) framed in candlelight. What the film lacks in tempo it makes up for in raw aesthetic. Not a single frame feels wasted and while some sequences feel slow, the movie overall closes quickly. Much can be said of the narrative that envelops and no supernatural forces emerge. Instead, “The Last Thing Mary Saw” paints a bleak portrait both of living in the countryside in the 1800s and identifying as queer in that time period.
“The Last Thing Mary Saw” capitalizes on its sublime period setting. The camera perfectly frames each and every shot, eking tension. By promising a bloody ending do audiences stick around long enough for a potent climax? Fans of slow burners will enjoy this one. The long tease delivers on an impressive finale others might miss. Stick around with this film, it’s an eyeful and gives you what’s promised by the end.
“The Last Thing Mary Saw” had its World Premiere on August 15th at the 2021 Fantasia International Film Festival
