Has anyone seen Martin?

George Romero is famous for his zombie films (and for good reason), but two years before Dawn of the Dead, he also made a little vampire movie. One quite different from any other. A much more psychological, character-driven piece with very little blood in sight. And unlike Bruiser (sorry I hate it), Martin is absolutely phenomenal. The synopsis may sound a little boring, but don't let that fool you. It's good. Really good. In much the same way as Guillermo del Toro did with Cronos, Romero approaches your typical blood-sucking lore from a completely unique angle, building up his main character as a very sympathetic young man who may or may not be utterly insane. Claiming to be an 84-year-old vampire, Martin struggles with his desperate loneliness and his intense desire for human blood. His uncle takes him in and tries to keep an eye on him, but Martin's thirst only grows stronger.

The music, the performances, the cinematography, the excellent storytelling, etc. It's all flawless. Yes, the bright color of the blood does bug me a little, but that is what they always did back then. It's the same kind of thing you have to accept when you watch the finale of The Wild Bunch. For a budget of only $80,000, Romero created another instant classic that really deserves so much more attention especially with what has happened to the sub-genre lately.