Martin (John Amplas) is a modern sort of vampire--he gains his victims' cooperation with the use of a hypodermic needle instead of hypnotism, and uses razors in the place of fangs. "There's no real magic," he says. "There's no real magic, ever." He says this to his elderly Romanian cousin, Tati Cuda (Lincoln Maazel), a true believer in the old religion, and self-appointed keeper of Martin, who threatens to do away with the boy if the vampirism doesn't stop. According to Cuda, the boy is actually 85 years old--young for a vampire. Truly, the supernatural element of the film is always at odds with psychological explanations that make Martin out to be a sexually disturbed teen, not an ancient bloodsucker. Martin's vampiric episodes are intercut with sepia footage of similar exploits from some gothic era, which may either be Martin's memories or his imagination; take your pick. Garlic, sunlight, mirrors--these are devices of Hollywood, and have no effect on a hypo-toting vampire like Martin, as he explains the rules in his role of frequent call-in guest on a radio talk show where he's known as "The Count." These ambiguities are left teasingly unresolved by the film, which is more interested in establishing the relationship between the traditional vampire and the modern-day psycho. Along with the film's narrative economy, these ambiguities make Martin Romero's midnight-movie masterpiece.
At the very end Romero borrows an image from Carl Theodore Dreyer's classic silent film Ordet, ratifying a moment of religious ritual. Knowing this as you watch the film only deepens the chill. --Jim Gay
(15 votes)
2.
Director George Romero turns the vampire genre on its ear in this creepy, original 1978 effort. John Amplas stars as the title character--an alienated, depressed, and fangless 18-year-old denizen of an industrial town who is compelled to kill and drink blood. But is he really a vampire, or is he merely suffering from psychosis? His elderly uncle Cuda (Lincoln Maazel), whom Martin lives with and in whose grocery store he works, seems to believe the former, calling the young man Nosferatu and waving garlic and crosses in his face. But Martin isn’t that type of vampire--he prefers to use syringes and razor blades for his bloodletting. The film takes an interesting turn when the lonely youth turns to a radio call-in program to talk about his compulsion. While this twist could easily be played for laughs, in Romero’s hands it becomes insightful and unsettling.
A deliberate character study, MARTIN has intense performances, a uniquely disturbing mood, and an effectively grainy, shadowy look. Romero’s eccentric vampire film avoids hitting on a gut level, choosing to shock viewers on a psychological one instead.
(15 votes)
3.
See It With Someone You're Sure Of…
From director George A. Romero comes a dynamic gothic original. Martin is both frightening and intentionally funny with ironic twists Hitchcock would envy.
Martin is a misunderstood young man who happens to be a vampire…maybe. The sun really just bothers his eyes a little, garlic and crosses have no effect, and he has no fangs. He also doesn't have any vampiric powers, which makes acquiring blood an extremely harrowing experience for all involved.
An excellent combination of satire and gore Martin is a real cult classic with new subtleties you'll pick up each time you see it.
(15 votes)
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