‘Your first time with her will be your last’
Marla aka Marla Mae is a 2018-released American horror feature film about a young woman who has an IUD fitted with deadly consequences.
Written, directed by and starring Lisa van Dam-Bates – making her feature debut – the Cut Publishing-Adventus Films production also stars Travis Johnny Ware, Katie Hemming and Palmer Chase. Apparently it was filmed in 2015.
Plot:
Marla Mae has her life together. When a family friend turned doctor shows up and offers her a free appointment at the women’s clinic, Marla jumps at the chance to get a free IUD.
At first, Marla’s boyfriend is the only one with mixed feelings about the procedure, but after his sudden and gruesome death, she is convinced something is wrong. Very wrong…
Reviews:
“An idea as interesting as what is presented in “Marla” needs an opportunity to be developed with a greater budget, script, and cast. Lisa van Dam-Bates shows that she can perform in all the roles she takes in this movie, even when she needs to improve them all…” 10th Circle
“A disappointing, dull and wallowy flick, that really could have been a romp, lacking the energy to keep interest in its gory premise. Marla is a dull, strained film with a laboured approach that just doesn’t pan out.” Horror DNA
“Marla is a really cool piece of body horror, but not one that gives everything away from the get-go but one that builds things up by a clever build-up and atmospheric filmmaking, this way leaving the audience at the edge of their seats for the longest time to ever now and again strike with a vengeance…” Search My Trash
“Lisa Van Dam-Bates is fairly good in the title role, one that requires her to spend a fair amount of time naked and covered in blood. Co-star Hemming, however, is awful. With a flat delivery and responding to anything that requires her to show concern by squinting and having a cigarette. It’s the kind of performance that sucks the life out of a film. And that’s a shame. Because there was obviously a lot of effort and devotion put into Marla. And the script does have a few neat twists. But its flaws keep it from being anything more than average.” Voices from the Balcony
Release:
Marla is released on DVD in North America by High Octane Pictures on November 5th 2019.
Cast and characters:
- Lisa van Dam-Bates … Marla Mae
- Travis Johnny Ware … Jake
- Katie Hemming … Jules
- Jason Stange … Doctor Lourdes
- Palmer Chase … Detective Wirtz
- Daniel Gibson … Prison Guard
- Ashley Gonzales … Prison Nurse
- Anny Havland … News Anchor
- Ben Leiataua … News Anchor
- Samuel Mikolon … Rapist
- Brandon W. Roberts … Curtis
- Raleigh Salazar … Bartender Ryan
- Sophie Sonya Schwartz … Courtney
- Tonya M. Skoog … Prison Doctor (as Tonya Skoog)
