Martin

Writer-director George Romero delves into the world of modern vampirism...or does he? I am not real sure, but he does examine the life of a young man(says he is over eighty...is he?)that certainly thinks he is a vampire but has no fangs or claws but needs to use razor blades and needles to drug his victims. Is he a real vampire in the modern sense, or is he the product of societal, family and sexual repression and inner anger. Apparently there are family members that believe he is a "nosferatu," most notably his Uncle Cuda, played strongly by Lincoln Maazel, but Crosses, garlic, and the sun do not affect Martin. Martin tells his Uncle that the magic is all gone...what does that mean really? Martin is a strange, weirdly poetic, disturbing film. John Amplas does an outstanding job playing the ..whatever he is. I felt little sympathy for him but thought he was very evil in his madness and sickness. The rest of the cast is very adequate...although all unknowns for the most part except for Romero regular Tom Savini in a bit part. Romero's wife and father-in-law even have roles and to top that George Romero plays a priest(which he does quite nicely). Made on a small budget, Martin shows us the decay of city-life and briefly focusses on the young moving away to the suburbs. The movie is indeed slow at times, but the murder scenes are well executed(no pun intended) and create a great deal of suspense.

The unbalanced teenager Martin Mathias (John Amplas) travels to Braddock, Pennsylvania, by train. During the night, he breaks in a cabin and kills a passenger in a peculiar way, injecting drug with a syringe and draining her blood to drink in a careful way. Then he meets his old cousin Tateh Cuda (Lincoln Maazel) in the station and they go to Cuda's home where Martin will live. Martin was raised by his dysfunctional mother and believes that he is an 84 year-old vampire. The religious Cuda also believes that the teenager is Nosferatu and uses crosses and garlic in the house to protect himself and his granddaughter Christina (Christine Forrest) that lives with him from Martin. Along the days, Martin befriends Christina, who has a problematic relationship with her boyfriend Arthur (Tom Savini), while continues to attack persons every now and then. Further, he uses the telephone to tell the truth about vampires to a radio show. Martin has a love affair with Christina, but when she commits suicide, Cuda does not believe that his granddaughter killed herself.

"Martin" is a strange and bizarre low-budget vampire movie with a totally different story. There is a documentary on the DVD where George Romero gives details about the production that uses real locations. He also tells that "Martin" is his masterpiece. Martin's daydreams with black-and-white are ambiguous and the viewer never knows whether whey we recollections or his imagination. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Martin"

You don't see anyone make a film like this anymore. Shot on 16mm but absolutely gorgeous looking. Low budget but has a very unusual and quite fine OST(modern classical/jazz sounding I guess?). Great characters and performances. Some of the performances are simple but are usually always quite charming. Romero was able to create a great look by using locations that happened to be available through family and friends. Martin exemplifies the beauty of doing a lot with a little. Re-watchable because there are so many clever details to be found. People looking for tired vampire movie formulas and a bit of T&A will be disappointed with this film. What's impressive is how little the film actually covers the standard themes of vampires. Instead, the actual social construct of vampirism is brought into question. Viewers are left to figure out and discuss what the main character is all about on their own. One of the finer moments in 70's semi-independent cinema. On par with Season Of The Witch in terms of weirdness and style. The creativity and integrity seen in Martin will seldom be seen again as long as Hollywood continues to be run by spineless, cowardly producers.

Between seminal 'zombie' flicks "Night of the Living Dead", and the follow-up, "Dawn of the Dead", George A. Romero created two of the most overlooked horror movies, not only of the 1970's, but maybe of all time. Four years after the socio-political horror of "The Crazies", he returned with "Martin", a vampire film like no other before or since.

Romero's intelligent movie turns on its head all the things associated with the genre, and presents us with a modern day story of addiction, sexuality, and obsession. Martin is your average gawky teenager, a little boy lost in a chaotic world, with an insatiable appetite for human blood. But, where previously that vampiric bloodlust is a sign of great sexual prowess, and overpowering self-importance, here it is a curse. Martin's world is one of unfulfilled desire and confusion. He is ostracised from family, with few friends - his only confidante is the faceless radio talkshow host - and our sympathies are with him throughout. His attacks are fuelled not by pleasure, but more by a fruitless search for intimacy with his victims, who aren't picked off indiscriminately by uncontrollable urges, but rather chosen. When he finally finds 'the sex thing', his need for blood is overcome. Although gruesome and calculated, his attacks aren't excessively violent, and the opening scene is perfectly written to repulse and reprieve in equal measure. What initially appears to be a brutal rape, is twisted by Romero into an almost tender love scene between attacker and victim.

With brilliant use of locations, and nondescript atmosphere, "Martin" is a horror movie that both disturbs and intrigues. The performances are erratic, and Maazel is way too OTT, spouting "Nosferatu!!" all histrionics and melodrama. But Amplas, as Martin, is genuinely affecting, and steeped in pathos. Unflinchingly original, a horror movie with gore, but plenty of brains to go with it.

This is a very interesting vampire story by George A. Romero. Storytelling is completely different from the Living Dead series of the same director in which there are several different stories about the daily life of Martin that are blended so nicely with each other. Director cleverly uses some filming techniques like black-and-white flashback sequences, close-up shots and nice background musics which remind of French movies. It is a little slow-paced but the ending is impressive.