Director George Romero turns the vampire genre on its ear in this creepy, original 1978 effort. John Amplas stars as the title character--an alienated, depressed, and fangless 18-year-old denizen of an industrial town who is compelled to kill and drink blood. But is he really a vampire, or is he merely suffering from psychosis? His elderly uncle Cuda (Lincoln Maazel), whom Martin lives with and in whose grocery store he works, seems to believe the former, calling the young man Nosferatu and waving garlic and crosses in his face. But Martin isn't that type of vampire--he prefers to use syringes and razor blades for his bloodletting. The film takes an interesting turn when the lonely youth turns to a radio call-in program to talk about his compulsion. While this twist could easily be played for laughs, in Romero's hands it becomes insightful and unsettling.

A deliberate character study, MARTIN has intense performances, a uniquely disturbing mood, and an effectively grainy, shadowy look. Romero's eccentric vampire film avoids hitting on a gut level, choosing to shock viewers on a psychological one instead.

 

• Cannes Film Festival 1977 (Cannes, France)