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Martin [1977]
![Martin [1977]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41T6K45YGHL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £15.99
Our Price: £4.37 (subject to change)
Not what you expect
Review date: 2008-12-02 Rating: 6 out of 10
I suppose that given the ambiguity in the film - is he, or isn't he? - it's not surprising that the 'two disc special edition' turns out to be misleading.
As another reviewer says, this is one disc (and a DVD-5 at that!) spread over two in order to look better value. Given how little is on the second disc (I make it 12 minutes of actual material) and the fact that the although the commentary on the first is, for some reason, in an uncompressed audio format, it all still fits on a DVD-5 with room to spare, a more honest distributor would have put this on a single disc.
The film is great, the presentation has a whiff of the undead about it.
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Reviews
Average and un-creative
Review date: 2008-05-21 Rating: 6 out of 10
That was the time before profiling and before scientific police, and even before the plague known as AIDS. Romero in his young age had to play the priest in this film of his, be the screenplay writer and the director. He had to do what so many others had done and have his own true, real Nosferatu or vampire or Count Dracula film. And here it is. Though it is shown as an old superstition from the old continent that has moved to the new continent, there is no rejuvenation, no renaissance, no second life to the myth and the end is to be expected and not to be in any way suspected or doubted. Then the film loses all its power because there is no escape for the poor Martin and no way out for the whole story that is self contained and locked up in a dying if not dead myth. Now does the technique used by Romero give a second life to that myth? Certainly not. A syringe does not frighten anyone. Some thick red blood does not disgust anyone. So it is flat and there is no way to find any depth in this cheap film.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines
Slightly misleading
Review date: 2006-05-03 Rating: 8 out of 10
I consider Martin to be one of Romero's greatest films and so was excited when this 2 disc edition came out however, whilst there is nothing wrong with this release, it promises more than it gives.
The picture quality on the feature disc is excellent, very well cleaned up although I'm not sure if the widescreen ratio cuts off some of the original framing (I believe that to be the case). When you consider how low budget the original feature was the image quality they've managed to get is commendable. I noticed an improvement over the previous Arrow Films release, anyway.
Where the package falls down is with the second disc. There is a good recounting documentary featuring key players which is interesting to watch, but this only lasts about 20 minutes. The other extras are theatrical trailers, TV spots, radio spots etc. Basically, my main gripe is that when you advertise something as a 2 disc special edition, you expect the second disc to include more than just some extras that could have easily been included on one disc and that don't really expand on the previous one disc version released a year or two earlier by the same company (apart from the 20 minute documentary). I'm not sure whether the audio commentary on the main feature is new or not, but that too is very interesting to hear for fans of the film.
When push comes to shove, you are buying a fine copy of a fantastic movie with this purchase, just don't expect quite as many bonuses as you would imagine a two disc special to contain.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Lincoln Maazel
John Amplas
Christine Forrest
Tom Savini
Creators:
John Amplas (Primary Contributor)
Lincoln Maazel (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Arrow Films
Manufacturer: Arrow Films
EAN: 5027035004242
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 2
Format: Box set, PAL, Special Edition,
Release date: 2006-03-27
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 94 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1977
Language: English (Original Language)