Women in horror are essential.  Some actresses especially have made a career for themselves from this subgenre of cinema.  But recently a lot of women have become also directors and writers for films.  In one such case, the 2018 film MARLA had a woman that directs, writes, and stars in the film.  Lisa van Dam-Bates took the reigns to showcase her talents.

Marla (Lisa van Dam-Bates) is a young woman who works as a cocktail waitress at a local pub.  Her boyfriend, Jake (Johnnie Ware), works the bar and does the accounting for the establishment.  Being a normal sexually active couple, an old doctor friend of hers offers to give her an IUD free of charge.  Her boyfriend seems suspicious and soon Marla’s life begins to spiral out of control as unexpected consequences do appear.

The movie stars Lisa van Dam-Bates, Johnnie Ware, Katie Hemming, Palmer Chase, and Jason Stange as Dr. Lourdes.  After a two year festival run where it had the title MARLA MAE, the movie received a VOD release in 2018.  Halloween Boutique Psychotronic Reviews takes a look at this film that should appeal to both thriller fans as well as midnight movie auteurs.