Martin‘s low budget trappings and sometimes lurching pace may put off some viewers but for those looking for a truly unique experience, this is a must-watch.
Martin (John Amplas) is a deeply disturbed young man. He arrives in the small town of Braddock, Pennsylvania to live with his much older cousin, Tada Cuda (Lincoln Maazel.) Cuda is convinced that Martin is one of three “nosferatu” — or vampires — that have stained his family’s name over time. Martin tells Cuda that he doesn’t believe in the superstitions that surround the family. Yet, Martin himself claims to be 84 years old and, armed with a set of syringes and a sedative, he stalks, injects and then slashes women in order to drink their blood. Martin may or may not be a vampire.
Martin, the film, is as much a psychological drama as it is a horror movie. Writer/director George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead) reworks the classic vampire mythos and applies it to the present day (circa 1977.) Martin, the man, is almost the polar opposite of the suave and worldly creatures we’ve seen in previous vampire movies. He’s shy and painfully awkward around women. His cousin refers to him as an imbecile. Yet, in his fantasies (or are they memories?), Martin perceives himself as desirable but persecuted.
By reinventing (and subverting) our expectations, Romero is able to keep the viewer off-balance until the third act. Is he or isn’t he a vampire? Does he want to be cured of his affliction or is he just growing out of it? Is he the real villain of the film or just mentally ill?
Thanks to an unusual but compelling performance by John Amplas, Martin is a character quite unlike most film protagonists. He’s not particularly likable but yet remains fascinating. The supporting cast members, mostly made up of friends and family of the filmmakers, give the movie an off-kilter aura. The dying steel town of Braddock, a suburb of Pittsburgh, is almost a character in itself. With its many decaying churches and brick facades, it is the perfect substitute for London in this bizarro reinvention of the typical vampire film setting.
Martin‘s low budget trappings and sometimes lurching pace may put off some viewers but for those looking for a truly unique experience, this is a must-watch.
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
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