Martin: Special Edition
Reviewed by The
Associattes
Ten years after he single-handedly revitalised the zombie film genre
in 1968 with the hugely successful Night Of The Living Dead, director
George A. Romero (Night, Dawn, Day and Land Of The Dead) turned his
hand to reinventing the vampire genre with MARTIN.
A genuinely disturbing horror film with powerful psychological undertones,
MARTIN turns the traditional conventions of the vampire myth inside
out. Hugely underrated at the time of its release, MARTIN has now
come to be accepted by many critics and horror fans as Romero's finest
work to date and now receives a two-disc special edition DVD release
from Arrow Films/Fremantle Home Entertainment.
Despite a lack of fangs, and having no aversion to daylight, garlic
or crucifixes, insecure teenager Martin believes he is actually an
84-year-old vampire compelled to drink the blood of humans in order
to survive. Martin's belief is reinforced by his elderly uncle, Cuda,
with whom he is sent to stay to work in his Pittsburgh grocery store.
Cuda is convinced vampirism is part of their family curse and refers
to Martin as "Nosferatu", employing ineffective Old World
defences in an attempt to keep the teenager at bay. Driven by his
insatiable blood lust, the frustrated and confused Martin is forced
to kill and feed, first drugging his victims to reduce their suffering
before opening their veins with a razor blade. However, his inhuman
desires are almost overcome when he begins an affair with a desperate
older woman and he starts to question the validity of his self-belief.
An intelligent, modern day story of addiction, sexuality, and obsession,
given a unique vampire twist, Romero's film begins with a typically
shocking opening scene that perfectly sets the tone for what is to
come. Romero regular John Amplas (Creepshow; Day Of The Dead) gives
an astonishing sympathetic performance as the eponymous anti-hero,
starring alongside the real-life Mrs. Romero, Christine Forrest (Dawn
Of The Dead; Knightriders; Creepshow; Monkey Shines; The Dark Half),
make-up wizard Tom Savini, and as an ineffectual priest, the director
himself.
MARTIN: SPECIAL EDITION (cert. 18) will be released on DVD (£15.99)
by Arrow Films/Fremantle Home Entertainment on 27th March 2006. The
film is presented in 16:9 anamorphic widescreen with a choice of 5.1
Dolby Digital or 2.0 Stereo sound mixes. Extra features include: Commentary
with writer/director George A. Romero, special effects artist Tom
Savini, director of photography Michael Gornick, and composer Donald
Rubinstein, Making Martin documentary; notes on Martin by George A.
Romero; US theatrical trailer, Original TV and radio spots, poster
stills and gallery.
