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Martin review by Lee Peterson
Immediately before he gave the world the greatest film ever made (that would be Dawn of the Dead , duh!), George A. Romero wrote and directed a low-budget take on the worn-out vampire myth, and in the process created what is probably his most personal film. Martin (John Amplas) is a troubled young man who likes to kill young women and drink their blood, but in lieu of fangs, he uses a razor blade and syringe. Is he a vampire? His uncle Cuda (Lincoln Maazel) thinks so. Cuda strings garlic over the doorways, hangs crucifixes on the walls and curses Martin as "Nosferatu--The Devil!". Martin's cousin Christina (Christine Forrest, who would become Romero's wife) pities Martin and thinks her Tata Cuda is senile, and plans to leave town with her boyfriend Arthur (Tom Savini, who also provided the gore effects) as soon as she gets the chance. Martin's job delivering groceries from his uncle's store brings him into a precarious relationship with a lonely married woman (Elayne Nadeau) that sends the characters hurtling toward the sad and inevitable denouement. Romero turns up in a hilarious extended cameo as Father Howard (the wine-loving priest who quotes from The Exorcist ) that makes you wonder why the guy hasnšt done more acting. The film is beautifully ambiguous on the issue of whether Martin truly is a vampire. Are the black-and-white snippets that precede Martin's killings the memories of an 84-year-old vampire, or simply hallucinations? His actions are unflinchingly violent, but he's so, well, likeable (due to Amplas' amazing, low-key performance), that you can't help but sympathize with him. Anchor Bay Entertainment presents Martin full-frame, which is Romero's preferred framing. The video transfer is a marked improvement over its previous video incarnations, but, unfortunately, is a little bit soft and fuzzy at times (short of a complete digital overhaul, this is as good as it's ever gonna get). The Dolby Digital Mono audio track sounds crisp and clear, and is the best showcase yet of Donald Rubinstein's haunting score. What makes this DVD an essential purchase is a newly recorded commentary track with Romero, actor and special effects god Tom Savini, and the film's star, John Amplas. It is an exceptionally well-balanced commentary, with Savini moderating and coaxing an enormous amount of technical information out of Romero. The greatest revelation is that Romero prepared a 3-hour rough cut of the film that was stolen and has never been returned! Along with the Dead films, Martin is George
Romero at his absolute best. A perfect blend of shocking gore and
deadpan satire, it's a vampire film unlike any other, and a must-have
for any self-respecting horror fan. Official Website:
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