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Martin

Play trailer Poster for Martin R 1978 1h 35m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 41 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Young Martin (John Amplas) is entirely convinced that he is an 84-year-old blood-sucking vampire. Without fangs or mystical powers, Martin injects women with sedatives and drinks their blood through wounds inflicted with razor blades. After moving to Braddock, Penn., to live with his superstitious uncle (Lincoln Maazel), who also believes Martin is a vampire, Martin tries to prey exclusively on criminals and thugs but stumbles when he falls for a housewife (Sara Venable).
Martin

What to Know

Critics Consensus

George A. Romero's contribution to vampire lore contains the expected gore and social satire -- but it's also surprisingly thoughtful, and boasts a whopper of a final act.

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Critics Reviews

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Michael H. Price Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com Romero demystifies legendry with with respect. Rated: 3.5/5 Sep 28, 2022 Full Review Derek Malcolm Guardian Overlong, underfed with ideas, and almost bereft of any real excitement. Sep 28, 2022 Full Review Michael McWilliams Detroit Free Press Spiritual and individualistic. Sep 28, 2022 Full Review Kat Hughes THN A film that helped to reinvent and reshape the vampire mythos, Martin is another example of Romero at the top of his game. Rated: 4/5 Mar 28, 2023 Full Review Niall Browne Movies in Focus A film that was caught-up in the UK’s Video nasty kerfuffle in the 1980s, Romero often referred to Martin as his favourite film. It may lack the visceral thrills of some of his other work, it’s easy to see why the filmmaker would think so fondly of it. Rated: 4/5 Mar 19, 2023 Full Review Marylynn Uricchio Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Enigmatic and intriguing on many levels... the age-old fascination with vampirism is contrasted with urban angst, and one may be seen directly linked with the other. Sep 28, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Elvis D Tras haber empezado con su primer gran éxito, haber hecho después 2 películas fallidas, haber mejorado con The Crazies poco tiempo después y haber hecho un par de documentales que quedaron en el olvido, George A. Romero realizo Martin como su siguiente proyecto original y es en esta película donde Romero ha logrado mejorar bastante. Martin es una idea original repleta de muchos aspectos positivos y es innegablemente una de las mejores obras de Romero. La película se orienta al cine de vampiros, pero con una vuelta de tuercas que la hace bastante original. No es una película de vampiros tradicional, aquí Romero plantea el concepto del vampirismo como algo patológico como el caso de la licantropía patológica. El joven Martin es alguien que no logra encontrar su lugar en la sociedad y que es víctima de las supersticiones de su familia. Lo que es claro es que Martin proviene de una familia que cree en la mitología de los vampiros como algo real y por eso Cuda no es capaz de darse cuenta de que su sobrino sufre de un problema mental. Martin es consciente de que sufre de un problema mental, pero no puede controlarlo. Ha llegado a creer que realmente es un vampiro que necesita beber sangre, pero diferente a lo que se conoce de la mitología. Recurre a un programa de radio para poder contarle al mundo su situación y así tener alguien con quien hablar y que sienta que no está solo. Esto ha llegado incluso a que Martin tenga problemas para poder entablar una relación con mujeres. Los flashbacks dan a entender que Martin tuvo una joven amada antes, pero en su intento por intimar por ella termino siendo reemplazado por su sed de sangre haciendo que Martin la acabara matando. Martin es alguien bastante retraído que no puede mantener una relación con una mujer sin que sienta deseos de beber la sangre. La joven Christina y hasta la mujer que contrata a Martin son las únicas que hacen que él tenga una oportunidad de vivir como alguien normal. Se trata de un joven que ha vivido demasiado tiempo aislado por las creencias de su familia y que necesitaba ayuda. La moraleja de la película es que las personas son quienes crean a los monstruos, dioses y seres mitológicos basados en la irracionalidad. Eso hace que se llegue a sospechas que los flashbacks que parecen transcurrir hace casi un siglo sean en realidad recuerdos implantados o alterados debido a como las creencias de la familia de Martin han distorsionado la mentalidad del joven. Este dramático thriller psicológico es una gran película que no ofrece la dosis de terror que los fans de Romero pueden esperar, pero no todo en Romero tiene que estar orientado siempre al horror. Sus películas de zombis se caracterizan por tener algún mensaje social y eso también está presente en sus demás películas. En el caso de Martin, se trata de una película con un mensaje sobre las creencias irracionales influyendo negativamente en algún miembro de la sociedad. En el caso de Martin, esas creencias han hecho que al muchacho le cueste encontrar su lugar en la sociedad y ser libre de esas creencias que tanto lo atormentan. Martin logra estar a la altura para ser otra de las grandes obras maestras de George A. Romero en el cine de género. Mi calificación final para esta película es un 10/10. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/12/24 Full Review DEVANGSHU C Worst movie I ever watched, the director is a drunken man who think people also watch movie in a drunken state . Rated 1 out of 5 stars 10/24/24 Full Review Rob G Is Martin a vampire? Or just a messed up kid? Interesting concept if a little dated in production. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 10/13/24 Full Review pierce k romero knows how to make a movie and he did a very good job. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/04/23 Full Review Taylor L There's apparently an as-of-yet unreleased three and a half-hour cut of this 95-minute film. Only one physical print exists, which sold for $50k at auction but didn't convey the distribution rights, so ... what are the odds that we'll see that unofficial 'Director's Cut'? Both a modernization and a satire of the vampire myth transposed to 1970s Pittsburgh. With the time period, a dingy urban American setting, lower-budget practical effects, the sense of social isolation, and recurring interesting monochrome fantasy cutaways, Martin feels like George Romeo was taking some inspiration from John Waters in writing a new take on bloodsuckers. John Amplas's Martin is an interesting character, an individual convinced through a combination of family lore and difficulty with communication that he's a vampire in the classic sense, tying in his thirst for blood with a series of rapes committed via sedative to fight a fear of intimacy; it's intended to be a series of alternative takes on genre conventions, both tragic and a bit comic - taking a classic movie monster usually portrayed as powerful and scheming and replacing him with an alienated kid that commits violent acts because he lacks the confidence to conduct himself 'appropriately'. Romero's ideas on social isolation messing with morality and conduct have proved to be remarkably forward-thinking. Interesting and a bit spooky based on what someone will do based off of their own beliefs about identity. Amplas is this unusual combination of awkward, ordinary, and vicious; his pedestrian appearance and slower energy make his crimes that much more brutal. (3/5) Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/05/22 Full Review Luca D A very unique low budget horror movie. This is a precursor to the Donnie Darko plot where two questionable ideas are presented. Either the kid is schizophrenic and everything presented is in his mind is in their imagination, or everything presented in their thoughts is truly happening but everyone just believes their crazy. I love these plots because they are usually left with loose ends leaving multiple possibilities. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/17/21 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Young Martin (John Amplas) is entirely convinced that he is an 84-year-old blood-sucking vampire. Without fangs or mystical powers, Martin injects women with sedatives and drinks their blood through wounds inflicted with razor blades. After moving to Braddock, Penn., to live with his superstitious uncle (Lincoln Maazel), who also believes Martin is a vampire, Martin tries to prey exclusively on criminals and thugs but stumbles when he falls for a housewife (Sara Venable).
Director
George A. Romero
Producer
Richard P. Rubinstein
Screenwriter
George A. Romero
Rating
R
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Nov 9, 2004
Runtime
1h 35m