Martin

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Year:	1977
Country of origin:	USA
Director:	George A. Romero
Genre:	Vampires - kind of
Starring:	John Amplas, Lincoln Maazel, Christine Forrest, Elyane Nadeau
Rating:	5/5
IMDB link:	http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077914/
Tagline:	A Vampire for Our Age of Disbelief
Favourite line:	"Nosferatu. Vampire! First I will save your soul, then I will destroy you."

Romero's creepy curio is a tough watch, though very worthwhile.

Martin isn’t like other boys. Though he wants to be normal, desperately wants to be just like everybody else his ultra religious patriarch insists on reminding him that he is a vampire, a descendant of Nosferatu, a drinker of human blood.
Martin denies the accusations vehemently but, every so often, gives in to his base desires, claiming a victim by injecting them with tranquilisers then sucking some blood from their veins before finally raping them.
He rationalises, justifying his actions: They were asleep, they didn't know anything about what happened, therefore it's ok.
The question is, is Martin really a vampire, or is he simply conforming to the views of his family?

Stark and minimalistic, this looks incredibly dated in a way that most movies from the same era don't. The locations chosen by Romero are squalid, dilapidated and relentlessly depressing.
Amplas' performance as Martin is excellent. He may not be the greatest actor in the world, but he manages to convey the desparation and sadness of the character very effectively.
With a standout set piece - a prolonged chase through the home of one of his intended victims - and an intelligent script, this is a mighty fine movie that all horror enthusiasts should check out.
Very good indeed.