Among the many reasons why
Pittsburgh-based horror icon George A. Romero is unique among his shock-cinema
peers is the fact he possesses two equally important directorial personalities.
Romero is best known for making over-the-top zombie flicks that are distinguished by
witty social satire—and yet he also made a series of quiet horror films, of
which Martin is arguably the best.
Presenting an offbeat spin on vampire mythology, Martin leads with disturbing psychological aspects, even though it
also contains plenty of unpleasant gore. So, while Romero’s Dead movies feature flamboyant
allegories about topics including consumerism and government conspiracies, Martin and its ilk tell even creepier
stories about the monsters walking the streets of the real world. It’s giving
nothing away to say that Martin is
actually more of a serial-killer saga than a proper vampire story, and that’s why
the movie has the power to get under viewers’ skin. Since we all know what sort
of damage the world’s wounded souls can inflict upon innocents, it’s difficult
to dismiss Martin by saying, “It’s
only a movie.”
The movie opens with a gruesome sequence that’s so methodical it
feels relentless. Young everyman Martin (John Amplas) stalks a young woman on a
train, subdues her with drugs, strips her naked, and then molests her inert
form while slashing her wrists with a straight razor so her blood is a sort of
sacrament on their unholy coupling. Yikes. Then Martin arrives in Pittsburgh,
where he’s given lodging by an eccentric relative, Cuda (Lincoln Maazel), and
Cuda’s granddaughter, Christine (Christine Forrest). Rather than being some
benevolent guardian, Cuda is a living incarnation of religious superstition.
Descended from a long line of Eastern Europeans, Cuda believes his family is
cursed with vampirism, and that Martin is the clan’s current victim. Therefore,
Cuda considers it his responsibility to monitor Martin’s nocturnal behavior.
Through black-and-white flashbacks, writer-director Romero reveals how Martin’s
personality was formed during his upbringing by parents who shared Cuda’s
belief system. This creates a fascinating question of whether Martin was
naturally inclined toward murder or if the family’s insane lore became a
self-fulfilling prophecy.
Filled with unsettling images and worrisome notions
rather than sharp jolts—with a few notable exceptions—Martin benefits from Romero’s signature grungy aesthetic. The
filmmaker’s use of real locations (and real people) ensures that Martin never feels like some slick
Hollywood fantasy. Instead, it’s akin to a combination of a newsreel and a nightmare.
And if the plotting gets a bit repetitive in the middle, that’s a minor flaw
seeing as how Martin is sandwiched by
the aforementioned opening scene and a final sequence that’s just as alarming. FYI:
As with most of Romero’s work, this picture is not suitable for squeamish
viewers, and if Martin catches you in
the right frame of mind, it will stay with you in ways that you will not enjoy.
Martin:
GROOVY
As a Pittsburgher I feel sort of force-obliged to acknowledge Romero, but this is the movie I feel the strongest local connection to. I once worked with an aunt of John Amplas (who's proud of his ongoing work, such as in the small movie "No Pets"), and Lincoln Maazel is the brother of Lorin Maazel, who conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Romero even makes good use of an archway left over from our old train station. This is perhaps a definitive look at a non-magical vampire.
ReplyDeleteA highlight of '70s horror film! I think I prefer Romero's MARTIN to his DEAD movies. "There's no real magic ever." And the final scene/score/voiceover is just so terrific, a sadness that lingers...
ReplyDeleteBoth this one and Season Of The Witch are like watching a dream or being inside one, love all his early stuff.
ReplyDeleteRevisiting "Martin" after some years; I'm reminded of why a friend told me I "HAD to see Troll 2" before I'd ever gotten around to it ... : "Dude, these aren't like the people on the first day of acting school ... These are like the ones who had the gate slammed in their face, still outside on the street!"
ReplyDeleteBut here with "Martin" you have the impossible paradox of a film which is genuinely highly respected by critics and audiences -- yet which consists of incredibly shambling, ludicrously amateurish *everything*, right from its first shot down to its last ... Sure, for the sophisticated buffs, you can talk in terms of "interiority" & all that jazz ... A veritable vampire version of "Meshes of the Afternoon" perchance ... I'll admit it has plenty of off-beat charm if you can accept it on its own very neolithic terms ... But genre fans may be a tad puzzled as to why exactly it's regarded as a keystone