Martin

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Horrorphile - October 2008

Martin

October 27th 2008 06:14

Martin (1977) is George A. Romero’s only paean to vampirism. For the rest of his filmography zombies pretty much rule the roost. Martin is a strange and schizophrenic creature; a psychological thriller, a dark character study, a twisted romance with mortality, a theological noir-horror, an existential chamber piece on the themes of psychosis and loneliness.

John Amplas as Martin

Martin might be a low-budget B-movie, but it has aspirations and a resonance that belie its inherent trappings. The acting isn’t much to write home about, and the blood effects are far from convincing, but there’s a sense of conviction that permeates the film, from all the cast and crew. In that it treats vampirism in a pseudo-realistic light makes Martin arguably Romero’s darkest hour (and a half). This is vampire as emotionally cripple, who deviously manipulates those around him in order to facilitate his addiction.

Lincoln Maazel as Tada Cuda

Martin (John Amplas) is a young man in his early 20s bound for Pittsburgh. On the overnight train he breaks into an attractive woman’s cabin and injects her with some kind of sleeping serum. She puts up a fight, but eventually is overwhelmed by the drug. Martin has sex with her whilst she is unconscious, then using a straight razor he slits her arm open and drinks her blood.

Martin leaves her body as though she’d committed suicide, and after disembarking at Pittsburgh he is met by the eccentric Tada Cuda (Lincoln Maazel) who leads him across town to another train station where they travel to a satellite industrial town called Braddock. Cuda appears to know much about Martin’s background, and accuses him of being “Nosferatu”, but Martin insists they are simply cousins.

Martin struggles to subdue his train victim (Fran Middleton)

Martin meets Cuda’s granddaughter Christine (Christine Forrest), and her boyfriend Arthur (Tom Savini), but is warned by Cuda never to talk with her or to enter her room. Later Christine installs a phone in Martin’s bedroom. Martin calls a radio talkshow and enthralls the DJ and listeners with his vampire exploits. The DJ calls him “The Count”.

Martin arrives in Pittsburgh

Martin soon needs to feed again. Breaking and entering a suburban household after watching the husband leave for work and prior to that having spied on the pretty housewife (Sarah Venable) doing the shopping Martin is surprised when he bursts into the bedroom and discovers the housewife has been committing adultery. Martin stabs the lover Lewis (Al Levistky) with his handy hypodermic needle and chases him around the house eventually locking him outside. Then Martin terrorises the housewife, eventually drugging her too.

Have hypodermic ... will travel

Martin befriends a lonely woman Mrs Santini (Elyane Nadeau), but she is a tragic figure. They strike up a genuine bond, but lady luck is not shining on them. It is inevitable Martin will be confronted by the demons that haunt him. Through stylized flashbacks the audience is privy to a younger Martin and a mysterious woman (Donna Siegel) from many decades earlier. Martin claims to be 84-years-old, but he’s really a very disturbed and borderline psychotic individual. There is one man who wants to end Martin’s diabolical lust for blood, once and for all. That man is Cuda.

Braddock may be a grim town, but Romero still manages to shoot the city and capture a hard beauty. The flashback sequences, shot in high contrast black and white, are often stunning. Apparently there once existed a 2hr 45m version of the movie that featured much more of Martin’s adolescence. George Romero wanted to shot the entire film in monochrome, but the financiers refused him.

Martin plays the Halloween game and frightens Cuda

Romero plays a priest who features in the film’s last quarter. He also casts his make-up effects creator and stuntman, Tom Savini, and his girlfriend Christine Forrest (whom he’d marry several years later). John Amplas certainly possesses an effectively steely glare, but his acting is better when he doesn’t speak. In fact, much of the movie works very well without dialogue. This enhances the movie’s ominous mood and entrenched tone.

George Romero as Father Howard

Martin is an acquired taste, but strong fortified stuff if you can get past its low-budget production values and mediocre acting. It’s a vampire flick for those who like the taste of copper a little more metallic; filmy and clingy like the sweat from a bad dream, and less the sweet taste that makes you lick your lips.

"If he is our own child; if he is our primal conscience, looking back at us from the center of our souls, then Martin is a truly dangerous creature. For then he has us all figured out, while we haven't come close to understanding him."
--- George A. Romero (March 1977)

French poster art

New DVD cover art

Here's the original trailer:

Martin DVD (which includes audio commentary from Romero, Savini and others, and retrospective making of featurette) is courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment, many thanks!

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

5 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling

October 27th 2008 06:46

Potter in a Harry

Byrn,

Have you ever thought of selling ice to eskimos?

Someone on a TV network should give you a job hosting something like Deadly Ernest.

Loved the review. Loved the trailer.

Someone asked me the other day, why do they call a trailer a trailer when it's released before the film comes out? Isn't a trailer something that comes behind something, like a car trailer? So I did a Google to find out that the trailers are called trailers because previews of an upcoming film used to trail behind the main feature, or come after, like a trailer. So that solved that one.

The trailer is great. A vampire who fits the profile of a sociopath. These were my favourite grabs:

I think I’m normal. I just have a sickness.
It’s not easy living like I do.
I’d like to be like everyone else.

I can relate to all three.

One day? I hope we meet and have a horror marathon. Watching films only, okay? I don't mind a midnight trip to a cemetery to dig up a few graves, but let's have a bloodless movie marathon first.

Comment by Bryn

October 27th 2008 07:46

Horrorphile

Lady David, love yer work, as always ... Props from a mind as tenebrous as yours fuels this Darkness like hellfire.
In other words, all bloody good mate!
Yes, one day ... I have a few psychotronic dark cimeatic gems that would tickle your cerebral, visceral fancy ... Who knows I may even review them first, just to whet your appetite ...

Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling

October 27th 2008 08:02

Potter in a Harry

Bryn,

Yeah, I like this one. I'll avoid watching it. Save it for the mararthon.

Comment by Bryn

October 27th 2008 11:23

Horrorphile

We'll need plenty of beer and popcorn.
And your mind a clean slate awaiting a filthy, wicked and nasty soiling.

Comment by Cibbuano

October 27th 2008 21:41

20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak

I just started watching this yesterday... I'll have to finish watching it this week...

[ Previous - Donnie Darko - The Director's Cut ]

[ Next - The House That Dripped Blood ]

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