Martin (1977)

Not your typical Hollywood vampire movie, 9 February 2005

Martin is not your ordinary vampire movie. Instead of hypnotism, Martin (John Amplas) uses a hypodermic needle to gain the cooperation of his victims. Instead of fangs, Martin uses a razor blade to cut open a wrist to get the blood he needs. Martin can go out in the sun, does not fear crosses or other religious symbols, and garlic has no effect on him. So, is Martin really a vampire? Both he and his elderly Rumanian cousin, Tada Cuda (Lincoln Maazel), think so. Upon meeting Martin, Cuda almost immediately calls him "Nosferatu" and says he will first save Martin's soul before killing him.

Again, is Martin a vampire? The movie is rather purposely ambiguous on the matter. To me it's pretty clear that Martin is a strange, maladjusted, confused boy. Since he was born, he has been told that he suffers from a family curse that forces him to seek blood. He has grown-up in a socially, sexually, and emotionally repressed situation. His desire to drink blood appears to be more of a psychological need than a real physical need. It's not just the blood that he has been trained to think he needs, it is the real need to be close to another human. His family has always looked upon him as a pariah - the cursed one. Drinking the blood brings him a closeness and human contact that he needs. It helps explain why he strips and lays with his victims long after the blood has stopped flowing. It's also ironic that the one person he is able to get close to kills herself out of guilt or some other feeling. Martin refused to spill her blood, yet she ends up doing it on her own.

The movie certainly has its moments and is a wonderful character study. But, in the end, I find Martin to be one of the most depressing movies that I've seen recently. Martin left me cold. And, this is directly related to the rating I've given this movie. It's not that I find fault with Romero's screenplay or direction, he has never done better. The low budget look (a necessity, not a choice by Romero) adds impact and power to the already down beat story. The ending is very powerful. But, as I've said before, ultimately I watch movies for entertainment. Some movies are able to make me think while being entertained. I didn't find that to be the case with Martin. While it is a very thoughtful movie, it is not a very entertaining movie. However, with that being said, it's definitely worth another look at a later date.

6/10