Review of Martin (1978) by Anna N — 31 Oct 2007

Dawn of the Dead is my all time favortie zombie flick, no question. But Martin is my all time favorite George Romero flick. Its a testament of his guerilla style that hadnt been showcased since Night of the Living Dead, nearly a decade ago. It's a twist on a classic horror motif which is, of course, vampirism. The titular character, Martin, does not have fangs nor is he susceptible to sunlight (it merely bothers his eyes). He drugs his victims, assuring them they'll just sleep, then drinks their blood from razorblade gashes. But is Martin a vampire? Or is he psychotic? Set in a stark industrial area of Pittsburgh (Romero's hometown), Martin moves in with his equally deranged cousin, who calls him "noferatu" and vows to kill him if he takes victims from the city. A great performance from John Amplas as Martin, who has such a sympathetic nuance, despite his killer tendencies, you feel sorry for him.

This movie is the definition of "lost" classic. Spread the word, film freaks!