Editorials
Let’s Bite Into The Haunting ‘Martin’ Soundtrack
In 1978, nestled between The Crazies and Dawn Of The Dead, George A. Romero wrote and directed the criminally under-appreciated vampire film Martin, which tells the tale of a man who may or may not be a vampire and the struggles he goes through with his dark, terrible secret. It’s a subtle film, one that embraces the development of characters and plays with the viewers emotions and expectations of the title character. Should he be pitied or loathed? After all, the film opens with the horrific and calculated murder of a woman on a train. But afterwards? John Amplas’ masterful portrayal stirs feelings and challenges judgments as we try to determine how to think of this flawed character.
The score of the film was composed by Donald Rubinstein, who is the man behind the music of Tales From The Darkside, Monsters, and Bruiser. A jazz musician at heart, Rubinstein took his years of music training and applied them to the score for Martin, resulting in a soundtrack that is as diverse and conflicted as Martin is himself.
Note: I am using newly remastered files from the upcoming Ship To Shore PhonoCo. vinyl release as the basis for this piece.
If you haven’t heard the music of Martin, you are truly doing yourself a disservice. It’s a glorious piece of work, ranging from heartbreakingly beauty to scattered, frantic jazz, from playfully charming to being reminiscent of early Universal monster scores. There is also a lovely variety of instrumentation, many sounds of which tug at the heart with their unnatural yet sublime textures.
In an interview we conducted with Rubinstein back in 2011, he explained that the soundtrack did not come easily: “It came blistered and tormented and committed – an uncovering that wrestled with personal discipline in an effort to do the best job I could.”
In many ways, this describes Martin himself. He’s a tormented man, one that seemingly takes no pleasure in the murders he commits, mainly because they don’t play out in reality as he hopes they will in his fantasies. And yet his personal discipline is something he takes pride in, the fastidiousness of his work mirrored by the precision of the music.
The music highlights the complexities that the viewer faces when watching this film. As I stated, the music runs through many gamuts of emotion, much as we do with Martin. We see beauty and feel pity, which Rubinstein wonderfully evokes in pieces such as “The Calling”, which features an angelic voice crooning over a subdued and melancholic piano, strings and wind instruments mournfully expressing themselves. However, we also experience the sudden and abrupt change of empathy to uncertainty and terror, as evidenced in “Modern Vamp”, which begins innocently, almost childishly, only to fade away and come back in with dissonance and conflicting melodies. And then there’s “Martin at the Butcher Shop”, which if heard outside of the context of the film would sound like the backdrop to a pleasant stroll through Parisian parks.
At the end of the day, Rubinstein has crafted a score that should be revered among not only horror fans, but those who see music as a medium to convey a story. Since hearing it, it’s become one of my favorites and I hope it becomes one of yours.
You can pre-order your copy of Martin right here. Be sure to follow Ship To Shore PhonoCo. on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
New month, new horror recommendations from Deep Cuts Rising. This installment features one random pick as well as four selections reflecting the month of May 2024.
Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.
This month’s offerings include a self-loathing serial killer, a violinist’s murderous ghost, and a postmodern vamp flick.
Scream, Pretty Peggy (1973)
Pictured: Ted Bessell and Sian Barbara Allen in Scream, Pretty Peggy.
Directed by Gordon Hessler.
The TV-movie Scream, Pretty Peggy first aired as part of ABC Movie of the Week. Bette Davis plays the mother of a reclusive sculptor (Ted Bessell), and after the previous housekeeper goes missing, a local college student (Sian Barbara Allen) fills the position. Little does she know, though, the young employee’s predecessor was murdered — and the killer is still on the loose.
Admittedly, Scream, Pretty Peggy isn’t difficult to figure out; its inspiration is obvious. However, Bette Davis’ overstated performance and the son character’s macabre artwork are enough to stay tuned and learn who’s behind the killings.
Scream, Pretty Peggy is now available on physical media from Kino Lorber. Perhaps watch the movie with your own mother this Mother’s Day (May 12).
Paganini Horror (1989)
Pictured: The ghostly killer in Paganini Horror.
Directed by Luigi Cozzi.
For National Buy a Musical Instrument Day (May 22), check out this absurd Italian entry in the subgenre of cursed music horror. A rock band unleashes hell when they unknowingly use a satanic piece of music composed by Niccolò Paganini, the violinist who was rumored to have made a Faustian deal.
Even though Paganini Horror is hardly deemed a standout of Italian Horror, and the movie indeed drags itself toward the finish line, there are some bright spots worth focusing on. For instance: Donald Pleasence. If that’s not enough, the very ’80s aesthetic helps gloss over the flaws in Daria Nicolodi‘s uneven script.
Paganini Horror is now on physical media from Severin Films and is also streaming on SCREAMBOX.
Nadja (1994)
Pictured: Suzy Amis Cameron and Karl Geary in Nadja.
Directed by Michael Almereyda.
These vampires may or may not cast a reflection, but they sure do love to reflect. David Lynch executive-produced as well as briefly appeared in the film, which Roger Ebert succinctly described as “Deadpan Noir” in his review. This tale of revenge and philosophical pondering begins with the vampiric namesake (Suzy Amis Cameron) seducing the daughter (Galaxy Craze) of Van Helsing after he killed Nadja’s father, Dracula. From there a war erupts between the two sides, all while taking place in modern NYC.
Nadja is quite slow but also just strange, stylish and creative enough to keep your attention. In addition, the trip hop soundtrack is easy on the ears, and Peter Fonda plays a memorable Van Helsing. Overall, this is a unique and artsy approach to vampire horror.
Nadja is now streaming on Freevee.
The Bone Snatcher (2003)
Pictured: Scott Bairstow, Warrick Grier and Rachel Shelley in ‘The Bone Snatcher’.
Directed by Jason Wulfsohn.
For National Sunscreen Day (May 27), dig up the monster movie The Bone Snatcher. It will take more than a high SPF to protect the sunburned characters here; they are stuck in a South African desert with a bizarre monster called the Esikhulu.
The best things about The Bone Snatcher are its setting and the creature. This beast, which is brought to life on screen using a combination of practical and digital effects, sports a ghastly design to go with its unnerving ability to animate skeletons. Something else this movie has going for it is a refusal to show the monster too often; that way there is less chance of becoming desensitized to the Esikhulu. Ultimately, this has nothing on John Carpenter’s The Thing, however, those more forgiving fans of Syfy-ish creature-features should be satisfied.
The Bone Snatcher is currently streaming on Tubi.
#1 Serial Killer (2013)
Pictured: Jason Tobin in #1 Serial Killer.
Directed by Stanley Yung.
May is AAPIM, and the subversive #1 Serial Killer (originally titled Chink) is relevant when discussing the “Invisible Asian” notion. Acknowledging the irony, Stanley Yung’s movie has gone widely unnoticed despite its potent take on race and identity.
Jason Tobin (Warrior) delivers a compelling performance as the vile protagonist here. The self-hating, Ted Bundy-admiring character discriminates against other Asians after years of mistreatment and disregard, and that growing rage finally manifests as cathartic violence.
#1 Serial Killer is currently available at digital retailers like Apple.
No genre is as prolific as horror, so it’s understandable that movies fall through the cracks all the time. That is where this recurring column, Deep Cuts Rising, comes in. Each installment of this series will spotlight several unsung or obscure movies from the past — some from way back when, and others from not so long ago — that could use more attention.
‘Infested’ Review – One of the Best Spiders Attack Horror Movies in Years
‘The King Tide’: An Island Town Rots with Moral Decay in Canadian Folk Horror Fable [Review]
Limited Edition Morticia & Wednesday Addams ‘Monster High’ Dolls Releasing Next Week!
TWO New ‘Evil Dead’ Movies Now in the Works; Sébastien Vaniček & Francis Galluppi Directing
“AHS: Delicate” Review – ‘The Auteur’ Gives Birth to a Lackluster, Laughable Finale
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