Post by Quorthon on Nov 7, 2005 13:00:10 GMT -5
Martin
Gothic-style Horror
1977
Color
MPAA Rating: R
Directed by: George A. Romero
USA
I'd heard a lot about this film for quite a while, and, Romero fan that I am, I finally decided to get it. No, I didn't just rent it to see how it is, I out-and-out bought it having never seen it. Luckily, by "bought" it, I mean that I paid for it with a free Visa gift card I had. With no financial harm to me. So.... is this legendary early Romero work really all it's cracked up to be...?
Martin is about a young man who likes drinking blood. You know, a real vampire. Except not a real vampire. Just a real boy. But his senior citizen cousin who takes him in believes he really is a vampire. It's all part of an apparent family curse, you see. Well, the film follows Martin around as he tries to deal with "normal" people and the awkwardness he feels. His cousin's daughter is roughly his age and she's played by George Romero's wife and her boyfriend is Tom Savini. She struggles with her life as well, but to a lesser extent. The film is about poor Martin after all.
Here’s the breakdown:
The Good:
--Unique take on the vampire mythos--it is an interesting story with some interesting characters.
--Some good shocking moments and some decent tension.
--The cinematography is really nice, as are flashback sequences of Martin's youth.
Didn’t Hurt It, Didn’t Help:
--Average acting.
--The blood/gore isn't all that good--it's really dated and not quite up to par with Romero's following film, Dawn of the Dead. Light gore, a mild amount of blood.
--Decent Atmosphere, but not Romero's best.
The Bad:
--The movie creeps along at a pretty slow pace and with Martin saying very little through the whole thing, it can really drag at times.
--The music is rather poor quality and it adds nothing--but then, lets find some 70s' films with exceptional music carrying us along. Star Wars? Exorcist? Anything else? Not really? Well, that's the 70's for you.
--Flashback sequences never really explained.
The Ugly:
--Rather ugly 70's decor in these sets. I mean, bloody hell, was everyone stoned back then or what?
--The community Martin ends up living in sure seems to have a high number of harrassing black people on the street and cheating housewives....
Memorable Scene:
--The film has a nice climax.
Look For:
--George Romero as a priest.
Acting: 7/10
Story: 9/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
Cinematography: 7/10 (generally average, but good flashback/fantasy sequences)
Character Development: 7/10
Special Effects/Make-up: 4/10
Nudity/Sexuality: 4/10
Violence/Gore: 6/10
Sets/Backgrounds: 4/10
Dialogue: 6/10
Music: 4/10
Writing: 7/10
Direction: 7/10
Cheesiness: 1/10
Crappiness: 1/10
Overall: 6/10
Well, it's an early Romero work and pretty much only going to be really enjoyed by Romero fans. While I liked it, I think it could've been a helluva lot better. Recommended to horror fans with an interest in older films and Romero fans. People who love vampire stories may enjoy it.
Gothic-style Horror
1977
Color
MPAA Rating: R
Directed by: George A. Romero
USA
I'd heard a lot about this film for quite a while, and, Romero fan that I am, I finally decided to get it. No, I didn't just rent it to see how it is, I out-and-out bought it having never seen it. Luckily, by "bought" it, I mean that I paid for it with a free Visa gift card I had. With no financial harm to me. So.... is this legendary early Romero work really all it's cracked up to be...?
Martin is about a young man who likes drinking blood. You know, a real vampire. Except not a real vampire. Just a real boy. But his senior citizen cousin who takes him in believes he really is a vampire. It's all part of an apparent family curse, you see. Well, the film follows Martin around as he tries to deal with "normal" people and the awkwardness he feels. His cousin's daughter is roughly his age and she's played by George Romero's wife and her boyfriend is Tom Savini. She struggles with her life as well, but to a lesser extent. The film is about poor Martin after all.
Here’s the breakdown:
The Good:
--Unique take on the vampire mythos--it is an interesting story with some interesting characters.
--Some good shocking moments and some decent tension.
--The cinematography is really nice, as are flashback sequences of Martin's youth.
Didn’t Hurt It, Didn’t Help:
--Average acting.
--The blood/gore isn't all that good--it's really dated and not quite up to par with Romero's following film, Dawn of the Dead. Light gore, a mild amount of blood.
--Decent Atmosphere, but not Romero's best.
The Bad:
--The movie creeps along at a pretty slow pace and with Martin saying very little through the whole thing, it can really drag at times.
--The music is rather poor quality and it adds nothing--but then, lets find some 70s' films with exceptional music carrying us along. Star Wars? Exorcist? Anything else? Not really? Well, that's the 70's for you.
--Flashback sequences never really explained.
The Ugly:
--Rather ugly 70's decor in these sets. I mean, bloody hell, was everyone stoned back then or what?
--The community Martin ends up living in sure seems to have a high number of harrassing black people on the street and cheating housewives....
Memorable Scene:
--The film has a nice climax.
Look For:
--George Romero as a priest.
Acting: 7/10
Story: 9/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
Cinematography: 7/10 (generally average, but good flashback/fantasy sequences)
Character Development: 7/10
Special Effects/Make-up: 4/10
Nudity/Sexuality: 4/10
Violence/Gore: 6/10
Sets/Backgrounds: 4/10
Dialogue: 6/10
Music: 4/10
Writing: 7/10
Direction: 7/10
Cheesiness: 1/10
Crappiness: 1/10
Overall: 6/10
Well, it's an early Romero work and pretty much only going to be really enjoyed by Romero fans. While I liked it, I think it could've been a helluva lot better. Recommended to horror fans with an interest in older films and Romero fans. People who love vampire stories may enjoy it.
