4 star totally unique take on the vampire genre.
Martin is a 1977 American psychological horror film, written and directed by acclaimed director George A. Romero (The Dark Half, Dawn of the Dead).
Unavailable for years following the video nasty era, this forgotten gem has enjoyed a 4K UHD restoration courtesy of Second Sight Films and is available in the UK on Limited Edition UHD 4K/Blu-ray Box Set, Standard Edition 4K and Standard Edition Blu-ray from 27th March 2023.
“I’m always very careful with the needles, so it puts you to sleep and it doesn’t hurt. It’s very important.
Martin (John Amplas – After Hours Trading) is a troubled young man who has convinced himself that he is a vampire. He believes he is 84 years old and has to satisfy his cravings for blood. Because he is in fact just a young man, he has to employ sedatives to win over his victims and cut them in order to drink their blood.
For reasons unexplained, Martin has decided to go and live with his religious zealot cousin Cuda (Lincoln Maazel – The Amusement Park) and his granddaughter Christina (Christine Forrest – Monkey Shines, Knightriders). He finds a friend in Christina but doesn’t really get on with her boyfriend Arthur (Tom Savini – NOS4A2, The Perks of Being a Wallflower).
Cuda himself is convinced that Martin is Nosferatu and is determined to save his soul and prevent him from killing again. Martin struggles with his urges, finding solace on a late night radio chat show and with his new friend housewife Mrs Santini (Elyane Nadeau). Can he overcome his nature and settle in his new home?
“You may come and go, but you will not take people from this city. If I hear of it, a single time, I will destroy you without salvation.”
Martin is a very strange film but intruiging too. If you’re after a gothic vision of vampires then this will not appeal to you, it’s more of a study of the psychology of a young serial killer and the family background which moulded him.
It’s an interesting concept, we see the real world, a bleak and dismal place and alongside that we see the world through his eyes, a romantic black and white perception of himself as a vampire from the movies of old. It’s not an all out gore fest like some of George A. Romero’s other films, but it works really well and has a shocking twist.
Brilliantly restored with a fantastically melancholy and atmospheric soundtrack and loaded with special features, this is a really good package and well worth adding to your collection.
“Nosferatu. Gets crazy sometimes. Sometimes I think they’re really going to catch me and hurt me or even kill me.”
Martin is available to buy now on Limited Edition UHD 4K/Blu-ray Box Set, Standard Edition 4K and Standard Edition Blu-ray.
Special Features:
- A new Second Sight 4K restoration supervised and approved by Director of Photography Michael Gornick
- UHD presented in HDR10+
- Audio commentary by George A Romero, John Amplas and Tom Savini
- Audio commentary by George A Romero, Richard P Rubinstein, Tom Savini, Michael Gornick and Donald Rubinstein
- A new audio commentary by Kat Ellinger
- A new audio commentary by Travis Crawford
- Taste the Blood of Martin: A new feature length documentary including location tour
- Scoring the Shadows: A new interview with composer Donald Rubinstein
- ‘J Roy – New And Used Furniture’: a short film by Tony Buba
- Making Martin: A Recounting
- Trailer, TV, and radio spots
Limited Edition Contents:
- Rigid slipcase with original classic artwork
- Soft cover book with new essays by Daniel Bird, Miranda Corcoran, Travis Crawford, Heather Drain, Kat Ellinger, Andrew Graves, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Elena Lazic, , Stephen Thrower, Jon Towlson, Simon Ward and Tony Williams
- Original Soundtrack CD by Donald Rubinstein
- 5 collectors’ character art cards illustrated by Adam Stothard
| Director | George A. Romero |
| Genre | Horror |
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