George A. Romero Video Nasty finally gets the release it deserves.
In the streaming age, it’s nice to remember there are boutique labels dedicated to preserving the lost art of a good Blu-ray. Labels like Arrow, Eureka, Criterion, 101 and Second Sight are all determined to keep physical media formats alive – and unsurprisingly, they’re all winners. The latest from Second Sight is no exception, and is arguably a cut above the rest purely because of the film itself. Nearly 46 years after its original release, George A. Romero’s seminal vampire flick Martin finally gets the treatment it deserves, and is well worth any horror aficionado’s time.
It's been tricky to track down Martin via any legal means for a while now. The Video Nasties era of the late ‘70s/early ‘80s resulted in a less-than-desirable release for the film (which, miraculously, remained uncut, unlike many of its horror brethren at the time), and a 2006 DVD release by Arrow has been out of print for some time. Thankfully, Second Sight have stepped in to fully restore the film in 4K and ensure it’s finally available to the masses – and, somewhat expectedly, it’s a treat.
The film follows the titular Martin (Creepshow’s John Amplas in his feature debut), who believes himself to be an 84-year-old vampire… but is he? He doesn’t have any traditionally vampiric powers or fangs, sunlight doesn’t affect him, neither do garlic or the sign of the cross… yet he has a seemingly insatiable thirst for blood. And he’s very good at getting it via cruel means involving sedatives and razor blades. A conflict begins to brew when Martin moves in with his uncle and cousin (the former of whom also believes him to be a vampire), and his uncle believes the locals to be under threat from Martin’s bloodlust.
It's worth stating up top that this is not the same type of horror as Romero’s Living Dead movies. Martin leans less on action and more on dialogue, on characters and interplay, to propel itself forward. Though there is action to be found (and terrific though it is), what really makes Martin shine is the character and performance work that Romero works out of his script and actors. John Amplas stuns in the lead role, giving a performance so off-kilter and almost charming that you could easily forget that Martin is a serial rapist and murderer… until he inevitably does something awful, that is. Lincoln Maazel is quite clearly having a blast as Martin’s uncle Cuda, enunciating ‘Nosferatu’ like there’s no tomorrow while he struts around with his cane and white three-piece suit. Elayne Nadeau is terrific as Abbie, a housewife with whom Martin begins an affair, and who might be a way of satiating his lust for blood – Nadeau brings a tangible humanity and warmth to her limited screentime, and the film is all the better for having her in it.
While the film’s emotional core undoubtedly rests upon its characters, its horrific one comes in the form of tension and set-pieces of the kind Romero does best. A home invasion at the midway point is a definite highlight: Martin has chosen a lone housewife to be his next victim, but finds her in bed with her lover when he thought her to be alone. Cue a game of life-or-death cat-and-mouse as the pair try to escape and call the police before being caught by Martin… the scene is a fantastic subversion of our expectations at this point in the film, and causes a real problem for Martin, who, we’re led to believe, has had few problems in draining his victims in this way before. Throw in a shootout, just because Romero can, and a shockingly ironic ending, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a horror flick.
It's also worth mentioning the film’s fantastic score from Donald Rubinstein (included in the limited edition set as a CD) and striking visual language (a mix of colour and black-and-white photography, with some fantastically moody lighting) courtesy of DP Michael Gornick, both of which are key in setting the film’s tone and helping to explore Martin’s various problems. Is he actually a vampire? Or is he just lying to himself? Romero had an answer, but shot the film ambiguously so as to not sway his audience – a decision that certainly betters the film as it’s presented.
There are three editions for you to take a look at if you fancy checking out the film: a limited edition 4K/Blu-ray double pack, and a standard edition of each format. All editions come with a plethora of bonus features to sink your teeth into, including four (yes, four!) audio commentaries, a new feature-length documentary, a new interview with composer Donald Rubinstein, and a short film by Tony Buba, who cameos in the film. You won’t be losing out if you only opt for the regular Blu-ray, either; the bonus features are identical and the HD presentation is still a terrific viewing experience, even if it is missing the sharpness that UHD has to offer.
If you’re a fan of either Romero or the horror genre as a whole, it’s very difficult not to recommend Martin – particularly if you’ve never seen it. It’s far from an easy watch, but it’s arguably as essential to the Romero canon as Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead… plus it was Romero’s favourite film of his. It’s a fantastic piece of genre cinema, tense and engrossing like you wouldn’t believe, and well worth the price tag.