American Mary (2012)

 

Diabolique Magazine Jan/Feb 2013 #14 is an capsule in time like most magazine issues. In this one we start off with an article by Colin McCracken talking about the "From Final Girl to Final Cut". The article which uses the Final Girl as seen through modern horror as a means to talk about the increasing role of women in horror both on and off the screen. Seeing horror as a flexible format that allows for growth it is presented as a format that allows diverse roles for women that they may not get in other genres. Highlighting actresses and female film makers as a way to show the changing roles for women in horror. Kristen Klebe, Daniel Harris, Scout Taylor-Compton, Pollyanna McIntosh are interviewed for the article as on screen women making the genre their home. He also talks to the Soska Sisters, Jenn and Sylvia about their recently released film American Mary. Then also talked about Jennifer Lynch and her films Boxing Helena and Chained. 

  This time period about when the first Women in Horror months were coming together to highlight and educate people of the impact women make in the genre. Max Weinstein then writes about American Mary  and interviews the Soska Sisters for the magazine. They both praise their lead actress Katherine Isabelle for her professionalism and willingness to go for it in her film performance. Jenn and Sylvia Soska talks about Hollywood of the time where some producers have no problem asking a young woman director to suck his dick with the promise of getting further in the industry. Note this interview is pre MeToo and the awareness in the general public  of abusive executives. 

American Mary is about Mary Mason a driven medical student who is having difficulty paying her bills, in an analogy of the real life Hollywood  the surgeons who are the teachers of young women in medical school. Have parties where they invite young students over to prostitute themselves for money and grades. Mary unaware of the reason for the party arrives to find herself drugged and raped by the Professor who makes her school life hell. What that doctor does not know is that on the side Mary has a business doing body modification underground and illegally. Those talents she puts to use to get her revenge.

  The relationships of the film are interesting and Isabelle kills it in a role where the character shuts down emotion to deal with trauma she suffered. She is calm and cool in the ingenious ways she empowers herself  through surgery. American Mary is a pretty great film with something to say so if you get the chance check it out.

My Letterboxd.com handle is @Hovey1127, when I am done with the Issue of the magazine I will offer it up and we can work out the details of me getting it to you. I am not really looking for money just someone who also would love to read it. If no one wants it well it will probably end up on a magazine rack at the library or something.

Chatting with me is difficult, I have stopped my social media account years ago because time… it’s ticking at my age and I would rather spend it doing other things like this for example. Or chatting with my friends at the Zombiegrrlz.com podcasts on their discord. I am a fan of the podcasts they publish The More Deadly Podcast and the Zombiegrrlz podcast and as a Patron for very little $ I get access to the discord. So if you want to good horror content and a great horror community check them out. You can also find me on the Here's Johnny Podcast and  Faculty of Horror Podcast discords. Look them up join my online friends for some good conversations.