Martin.In 1968 George A Romero forever changed the zombie subgenre with his film Night of the Living Dead. With this film Romero pioneered the gut munching zombie flick, a completely different approach from the previous White Zombie styled voodoo orientated films. Night of the Living Dead and its sequels (especially Dawn of the Dead) were hugely influential spawning many imitators that ranged from great to down right atrocious. Nine years later Romero would do the same for the vampire subgenre with Martin. Martin deconstructs the vampire myth dismissing its usual conventions creating the first and arguably best post Gothic vampire flick. "Martin deconstructs the vampire myth dismissing its usual conventions creating the first and arguably best post Gothic vampire flick." Martin (John Amplas) is a young man with delusions that he is a vampire. Martin doesn’t have special powers, fangs or a cape instead he uses a syringe filled with drugs and a razor blade to dispatch his victims. Martin moves to Haddock, Pittsburgh to live with his relatives and work in his uncle’s store as a delivery boy. Martin’s uncle Tada Cuda (Lincoln Maazel) is convinced he is a vampire and is determined to cure him of his blood cravings or else destroy him. Maazel is exceptional in his role giving a great over the performance. Uncle Tada warns Martin that if he preys on any of the residents of Haddock he will kill him. Martin heeds this warning for awhile but his bloodlust gets the better of him. Will Tada stop the bloodshed? Is Martin a vampire or a deranged teen caught up in the twisted reality created by his mind? "Romero’s commentary makes this a deeper viewing experience than your average vampire/slasher flick." Like the Dead films Romero employs his trademark underlying social commentary. Martin questions much responsibility should society take for creating feelings of detachment and anger in individuals that drives them to kill? The central theme in Martin is what creates a killer. The family environment, religion and suburban life come under fire in Romero’s quest to answer this question. Uncle Tada’s belief that Martin is a vampire is fueled by his faith in religion. Tada is blind to the new interpretations of ideology (especially science) and sticks to his old superstitious ways. His constant harassment of Martin branding him “Nosferatu” is a major part of what’s caused Martin’s homicidal delusions. The town of Braddock is a dying industrial town in which a lot of its inhabitants morals have decayed (the character of the cheating housewife illustrates this). This moral decay has led to Martin’s sexual frustration which is another piece in the puzzle of what has shaped his path to becoming a killer. Romero’s commentary makes this a deeper viewing experience than your average vampire/slasher flick. Filmed on a shoestring budget Martin exceeds its financial limitations creating a highly original atmospheric film with a fantastic cast. Martin is a true classic of the genre that paved the way for other reinterpretations of the vampire film such as Near Dark and more recently The Hamiltons. Essential viewing.
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