马丁Martin

Martin(JohnAmplas),ayoungmanwholooksaroundyearsold,boardsatraininIndianapolis,IndianaforNewYork.Atnight,hebreaksintoasleepingcarandsedatesawomanwithasyringefullofnarcotics.Shestruggles,buthetellshernottostruggleorbeupsetbecauseshewontfeelpain.Afterafewminutes,thewomanfallsasleep,andMartinhassexwiththeunconsciouswoman.Afterwards,heslicesherwristswitharazorbladesohecandrinkherblood.Thewomanbleedstodeathinhersleep.Inthemorning,thetrainstopsinPittsburgh,PennsylvaniawhereMartindisembarks.HeismetbyTataCuda(LincolnMaazel)anelderlyandhostileoldmanwhoclaimstobehiscousinfromtheOldWorld.Together,theytravelbyanothertraintothetownofBraddock,adyingindustrialsuburb.TheywalktoCudaslargehousewhereheshowsMartinhislivingquarters.CudathenaccusesMartinofbeinganyearoldvampirefromhisoldcountry.HehastakeninMartinbecauseheisfamily,buttellshim,FirstIwillsaveyoursoul.ThenIshalldestroyyou.MartindeniesbeingavampireandimpliesthatCudaismerelyhisuncleratherthanhiscousin.Cudathenputsupstringsofgarliconthedoorstohisandhisgranddaughtersroom,andthenholdsupasmallcrosswhenMartinapproacheshim.Martintakesawaythecross,andeventakesabiteofthegarlicmockingtheseattemptsbysayingbitterly,Theresnorealmagic...ever.CudatellsMartinthathecancomeandgoashepleases.ButhealsowarnsMartinthathewillkillhimifhekillsanyoneinBraddock.HealsotellsMartintostayawayfromhisgranddaughterChristine(ChristineForrest),whomarriveshomefromherjobthatevening.CudaintroducesChristinetoMartin,butalsowarnshertostayawayfromhim.ButChristineinsteadstrikesupafriendshipwithMartinwhoconfidesinherabouthisvampireheritage.WhenCudalaterconfirmsMartinsclaimstobeavampire,Christine,notsurprisingly,refusestobelieveeitherone.ShethinksthatCudaandtheothermembersofherfamilyhavedrivenMartintoinsanitybymakinghimthinkthatheisavampire.ItisneverrevealedifMartinreallyisavampire,orjustashyandlonelyyouthwithtroubledissues.ChristineistheonlypersonthatMartingetsthecouragetotalkto.WhenChristinesboyfriendArthur(TomSavini)arrivesatthehousefordinner,MartinstopstalkingandbacksawaydespiteArthursattemptataconversation.ChristinelaterconfidesinMartinthatshehopestoleaveBraddocksomedaywithArthur,eventhoughMartinpointsoutthatArthurtreatsherbadlyandisbothverballyandphysicallyabusivetowardsher.WhenChristineseesthatMartinwonttalktoanyoneelse,shebuyshimaphonewhichheinstallsinhisroom.Martinbeginstorepeatinglycallaradiotalkshowwherehedescribeswhatitsliketobeavampire.HebecomesknownontheradioastheCounttoallthelisteners.Butthepatronizinghost(MichaelGornick)thinkshesjustcrazy.MartingetsajobatCudasgrocerystoreofstockingshelves,haulingboxesaround,andevengetstobeadeliveryboyforsomeofthecustomers.OneofhiscustomersisacertainAbbySantini(ElyaneNadeau),whobecomestakeninwithMartin.SheisaveryfriendlyyoungwomanwhoisdepressedwhenshetellsMartinthatherhusbandisunfaithful.ButMartinstilldoesnothavethenervetotalkwithher,sosheishappytohavesomeonetoconfideinwithherlifeproblems.Martinphonestheradioshowhosttodescribehisinfatuationwiththehousewifeandsensesthatshewantstohavesexwithhim.WhentheradioshowhostasksMartinifitisasexualproblemthathehasinvolvingwomencriticizinghimduringsex,Martinrepliesthathehasneverhadsexwithawomanwhowasawake.Oneday,MartintravelsbytraintooutsideBraddocktolookforvictims.Atasupermarket,hefollowsayoungwoman(SarahVenable)hometoherposhsuburbanhouse.Heseesthewomanshusband(RichardRubenstein)leaveforalongbusinesstrip,andMartindecidesthiswouldbetherighttimeformorefeeding.Martinreturnstothehouseafterdarkandbreaksinthroughthegaragedoor.ButitisMartinwhogetsthesurprisewhenheburstsintoherbedroomtofindherinbedwithheradulterousloverLewis(AlLevitsky).Afteraviciousstruggle,Martinjabsbothofthemwithhyprodermicneedleswithnarcotics,andwaitsforthedrugstotakeaffect.HedragstheunconsciousbodyofLewisfromthehousetoaclumpoftreesacrossthestreetwherehekillshimbyshovingabrokentreebranchintohisneckanddrinkshisblood.Martinreturnstothehousewherehehassexwiththeunconsciouswoman.Butoutofcompassionandpity,hedecidestoletherlive.Martinbeginstohaveromanticmonochromevisionsofhisvampirepast(realorimagined),wherehedrainedbloodfromayoungwomanandwaschasedthroughthestreetsofanamelessEuropeantownbyatorchlitmob.DuringoneSundayatchurch,CudabringshomeFatherHoward(GeorgeA.Romero)whoaskshimaboutthepossibilityofexorcismanddemonpossession.FatherHowardcallsupontheelderlyFatherZulemans(CliffordForrest,Jr.)overatCudasrequest.Together,CudaandZulemansconfrontMartinhisbedroomandattempttoperformanexorcismonhim.Atthispoint,Martinremembers(anotherrealorimaginaryflashback),intheOldCountryofpeopletryingtoperformanexorcismonhim,andhefleesthem.MartinthenfleesfromCudaandZuelmasaswell.Alittlelaterthatnight,MartinterrorizesCudainachildrensplaygroundwhenheputsonaDraculacapeandputsfalsefangsintohismouthtopretendthathereallyisavampire.Oneday,MartinfinallymustersthecouragetotalkwithMrs.Santiniduringaroutinedeliverytoherhousewherehetellsherthathesawareofherattemptstoseducehimandwantsnowtohavesexwithher.Afterhavingsexforthefirsttime,Mrs.SantinibecomesmoredepressedforshetellsMartinthatherhusbandjustleftherbecauseshediscoveredthatshecannotbearchildren,andthatherdesirestowardshimarebasedonsexandnothingelse.ButMartinwantstostaywithherandhelphermoveonwithherlife.Martintellstheradioshowhostabouthisaffairwiththehousewifeandthathenolongerhastheurgetoattackotherwomen.Meanwhile,ArthurmeetswithCudaandtellshimthathewantsChristinetoleavetownwithhimsotheycangetmarriedandstartafamily.ButChristinebecomesangryatCudawhenhetellsArthurthatinsanityrunsintheirfamilyandheshouldntconsiderhavingchildrenwithher.Shortlyafterwards,ChristinepacksupandleavesBraddockforNewYorkwithArthurdespiteMartintellingherthatArthurisabusivetowardsher.Buthermindismadeup.Beforeleaving,ChristinetellsMartinthatshereallyhasnoillfeelingstowardshimandjustwantstomakeafreshstartwithherlife.Shesaysgoodbyetohimandpromisestowrite.ButMartinknowsthatwithanabusiveandpossessivemaninChristineslife,sheprobablywont.Depressedoverlosinghisonetruefriend,Martinphonestheradioshowhostandtellshimthathesgettingshakyandwantstogooutlookingformorevictims.Thatnight,MartintravelstoaroughcrimeriddenareaofPittsburghandattackstwoderelictsinaalley,injectingthemwithnarcotics.Hekillsoneofthembysiltingthebumswristanddrinkinghisblood.Martinisabouttokillthesecondonewhenapolicecarshowsupandgiveschase.Martinnarrowlyescapesduringalongchaseonfootwhichleadsfromthegarbagestrewstreetsandthroughalocalstore.Martinrunsintoanoldwarehousewhereadrugdealisgoingdown.Ashootoutbetweenthetwocopsandthethreethugsbeginswhereallofthemarekilled,leavingMartinasthesolesurvivorwhocasuallywalksawayfromthecarnage.Oneday,MartinfindsMrs.Santinideadinherbathtub,aftershehadslitherwritswitharazorblade.Martinanonymouslycallsthepolicetoreportthebodyandleaves.Hephonestheradioshowhostonefinaltimetosaythathereallydoesntneedfriendsorpeopletotalktoforheishisownperson.ButwhenCudalearnsaboutMrs.Santinissuicide,ismistakenlythinksMartinkilledherandmadeitlooklikeasuicideashesdonebefore.CudawalksintoMartinsroomwhileheisasleepandkillshimbyhammeringawoodenstakethroughMartinsheart.CudaburiesMartinsbodyinhisbackgarden,whileovertheclosingcreditsvariousvoicesfrompeopleareheardtalkingtotheradioshowhostaskingthewhereaboutsoftheCount.