Martin(JohnAmplas),ayoungmanwholooksaround20-years-old,boardsatraininIndianapolis,IndianaforNewYork.Atnight,hebreaksintoasleepingcarandsedatesawomanwithasyringefullofnarcotics.Shestruggles,buthetellshernottostruggleorbeupsetbecauseshewontfeelpain.Afterafewminutes,thewomanfallsasleep,andMartinhassexwiththeunconsciouswoman.Afterwards,heslicesherwristswitharazorbladesohecandrinkherblood.Thewomanbleedstodeathinhersleep.
Inthemorning,thetrainstopsinPittsburgh,PennsylvaniawhereMartindisembarks.HeismetbyTataCuda(LincolnMaazel)anelderlyandhostileoldmanwhoclaimstobehiscousinfromtheOldWorld.Together,theytravelbyanothertraintothetownofBraddock,adyingindustrialsuburb.TheywalktoCuda'slargehousewhereheshowsMartinhislivingquarters.CudathenaccusesMartinofbeingan84-year-oldvampirefromhisoldcountry.HehastakeninMartinbecauseheisfamily,buttellshim,"FirstIwillsaveyoursoul.ThenIshalldestroyyou."MartindeniesbeingavampireandimpliesthatCudaismerelyhisuncleratherthanhiscousin.Cudathenputsupstringsofgarliconthedoorstohisandhisgranddaughter'sroom,andthenholdsupasmallcrosswhenMartinapproacheshim.Martintakesawaythecross,andeventakesabiteofthegarlicmockingtheseattemptsbysayingbitterly,"There'snorealmagic...ever".CudatellsMartinthathecancomeandgoashepleases.ButhealsowarnsMartinthathewillkillhimifhekillsanyoneinBraddock.HealsotellsMartintostayawayfromhisgranddaughterChristine(ChristineForrest),whomarriveshomefromherjobthatevening.
CudaintroducesChristinetoMartin,butalsowarnshertostayawayfromhim.ButChristineinsteadstrikesupafriendshipwithMartinwhoconfidesinherabouthisvampireheritage.WhenCudalaterconfirmsMartin'sclaimstobeavampire,Christine,notsurprisingly,refusestobelieveeitherone.ShethinksthatCudaandtheothermembersofherfamilyhavedrivenMartintoinsanitybymakinghimthinkthatheisavampire.ItisneverrevealedifMartinreallyisavampire,orjustashyandlonelyyouthwithtroubledissues.ChristineistheonlypersonthatMartingetsthecouragetotalkto.WhenChristine'sboyfriendArthur(TomSavini)arrivesatthehousefordinner,MartinstopstalkingandbacksawaydespiteArthur'sattemptataconversation.ChristinelaterconfidesinMartinthatshehopestoleaveBraddocksomedaywithArthur,eventhoughMartinpointsoutthatArthurtreatsherbadlyandisbothverballyandphysicallyabusivetowardsher.
WhenChristineseesthatMartinwon'ttalktoanyoneelse,shebuyshimaphonewhichheinstallsinhisroom.Martinbeginstorepeatinglycallaradiotalkshowwherehedescribeswhatit'sliketobeavampire.Hebecomesknownontheradioas"theCount"toallthelisteners.Butthepatronizinghost(MichaelGornick)thinkshe'sjustcrazy.
MartingetsajobatCuda'sgrocerystoreofstockingshelves,haulingboxesaround,andevengetstobeadeliveryboyforsomeofthecustomers.OneofhiscustomersisacertainAbbySantini(ElyaneNadeau),whobecomestakeninwithMartin.SheisaveryfriendlyyoungwomanwhoisdepressedwhenshetellsMartinthatherhusbandisunfaithful.ButMartinstilldoesnothavethenervetotalkwithher,sosheishappytohavesomeonetoconfideinwithherlifeproblems.Martinphonestheradioshowhosttodescribehisinfatuationwiththehousewifeandsensesthatshewantstohavesexwithhim.WhentheradioshowhostasksMartinifitisasexualproblemthathehasinvolvingwomencriticizinghimduringsex,Martinrepliesthathehasneverhadsexwithawomanwhowasawake.
Oneday,MartintravelsbytraintooutsideBraddocktolookforvictims.Atasupermarket,hefollowsayoungwoman(SarahVenable)hometoherposhsuburbanhouse.Heseesthewoman'shusband(RichardRubenstein)leaveforalongbusinesstrip,andMartindecidesthiswouldbetherighttimeformorefeeding.Martinreturnstothehouseafterdarkandbreaksinthroughthegaragedoor.ButitisMartinwhogetsthesurprisewhenheburstsintoherbedroomtofindherinbedwithheradulterousloverLewis(AlLevitsky).Afteraviciousstruggle,Martinjabsbothofthemwithhyprodermicneedleswithnarcotics,andwaitsforthedrugstotakeaffect.HedragstheunconsciousbodyofLewisfromthehousetoaclumpoftreesacrossthestreetwherehekillshimbyshovingabrokentreebranchintohisneckanddrinkshisblood.Martinreturnstothehousewherehehassexwiththeunconsciouswoman.Butoutofcompassionandpity,hedecidestoletherlive.
Martinbeginstohaveromanticmonochromevisionsofhisvampirepast(realorimagined),wherehedrainedbloodfromayoungwomanandwaschasedthroughthestreetsofanamelessEuropeantownbyatorch-litmob.
DuringoneSundayatchurch,CudabringshomeFatherHoward(GeorgeA.Romero)whoaskshimaboutthepossibilityofexorcismanddemonpossession.FatherHowardcallsupontheelderlyFatherZulemans(CliffordForrest,Jr.)overatCuda'srequest.Together,CudaandZulemansconfrontMartinhisbedroomandattempttoperformanexorcismonhim.Atthispoint,Martinremembers(anotherrealorimaginaryflashback),intheOldCountryofpeopletryingtoperformanexorcismonhim,andhefleesthem.MartinthenfleesfromCudaandZuelmasaswell.Alittlelaterthatnight,MartinterrorizesCudainachildren'splaygroundwhenheputsonaDraculacapeandputsfalsefangsintohismouthtopretendthathereallyisavampire.
Oneday,MartinfinallymustersthecouragetotalkwithMrs.Santiniduringaroutinedeliverytoherhousewherehetellsherthathe'sawareofherattemptstoseducehimandwantsnowtohavesexwithher.Afterhavingsexforthefirsttime,Mrs.SantinibecomesmoredepressedforshetellsMartinthatherhusbandjustleftherbecauseshediscoveredthatshecannotbearchildren,andthatherdesirestowardshimarebasedonsexandnothingelse.ButMartinwantstostaywithherandhelphermoveonwithherlife.Martintellstheradioshowhostabouthisaffairwiththehousewifeandthathenolongerhastheurgetoattackotherwomen.
Meanwhile,ArthurmeetswithCudaandtellshimthathewantsChristinetoleavetownwithhimsotheycangetmarriedandstartafamily.ButChristinebecomesangryatCudawhenhetellsArthurthatinsanityrunsintheirfamilyandheshouldn'tconsiderhavingchildrenwithher.Shortlyafterwards,ChristinepacksupandleavesBraddockforNewYorkwithArthurdespiteMartintellingherthatArthurisabusivetowardsher.Buthermindismadeup.Beforeleaving,ChristinetellsMartinthatshereallyhasnoillfeelingstowardshimandjustwantstomakeafreshstartwithherlife.Shesaysgoodbyetohimandpromisestowrite.ButMartinknowsthatwithanabusiveandpossessivemaninChristine'slife,sheprobablywon't.
Depressedoverlosinghisonetruefriend,Martinphonestheradioshowhostandtellshimthathe'sgetting"shaky"andwantstogooutlookingformorevictims.Thatnight,Martintravelstoaroughcrime-riddenareaofPittsburghandattackstwoderelictsinaalley,injectingthemwithnarcotics.Hekillsoneofthembysiltingthebum'swristanddrinkinghisblood.Martinisabouttokillthesecondonewhenapolicecarshowsupandgiveschase.Martinnarrowlyescapesduringalongchaseonfootwhichleadsfromthegarbagestrewstreetsandthroughalocalstore.Martinrunsintoanoldwarehousewhereadrugdealisgoingdown.Ashootoutbetweenthetwocopsandthethreethugsbeginswhereallofthemarekilled,leavingMartinasthesolesurvivorwhocasuallywalksawayfromthecarnage.
Oneday,MartinfindsMrs.Santinideadinherbathtub,aftershehadslitherwritswitharazorblade.Martinanonymouslycallsthepolicetoreportthebodyandleaves.Hephonestheradioshowhostonefinaltimetosaythathereallydoesn'tneedfriendsorpeopletotalktoforheishisownperson.ButwhenCudalearnsaboutMrs.Santini'ssuicide,ismistakenlythinksMartinkilledherandmadeitlooklikeasuicideashe'sdonebefore.CudawalksintoMartin'sroomwhileheisasleepandkillshimbyhammeringawoodenstakethroughMartin'sheart.
CudaburiesMartin'sbodyinhisbackgarden,whileovertheclosingcreditsvariousvoicesfrompeopleareheardtalkingtotheradioshowhostaskingthewhereaboutsof"theCount".
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