Distinct Impressions #4: Patricia DeCou

For a brief, disturbing second you might prematurely suspect that Patricia DeCou’s Mary Brown is the Blair Witch herself.

Aside from her strikingly bony physiognomy and eccentric garb, DeCou comports Mary with a sort of beguiling innocence that might easily be mistaken for being witch-like too: the kind of friendly old crone ready to cast a spell on you. These notions are quickly laid to rest by the rosary around her neck and what looks like a dog-eared bible in her hand.

Still, Mary’s kooky presence is vividly felt in the film’s masterful and eerie setup, and we are left with a strong desire to know more about this unexplored character. What weird things might live inside of her home? What secrets will she never be able to share with us? Mary Brown remains an unforgettable and strange detail in this modern horror classic.