Review: “I Am Legend” (Richard Matheson), “I Am Legend” (Francis Lawrence), “The Omega Man” (Boris Sagal), and “The Last Man on Earth” (Ubaldo Ragona and Sidney Salkow)

PODCAST:

Listen to the podcast here (click to play/right click and select “save target as” to download):

S1E7 – “I Am Legend” (book and movie), “The Omega Man,” and “The Last Man On Earth”*

WRITTEN BOOK REVIEWS:

Ryan: 4 Stars “…Even depression and alcoholism can’t defeat a vampiric-zombie apocalypse…”

Wilk: 5 Stars “…The story is bone chilling and has started a genre of literature and cinema…”

Rick: 4 Stars “…In many parts of the book, Robert Neville- seemingly the last man in the world, struggles to keep himself sane in a world gone rotten with vampires…”

Mike O’Reilly (guest): 4 Stars “…Robert Neville’s despair is agonizingly palpable throughout this taut, entertaining read…”

(Click the links to read full written reviews on Goodreads.com)

SUBJECT MATTER:

“I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson

Book: “I Am Legend” (Richard Matheson)

“Robert Neville may well be the last living man on Earth . . . but he is not alone.

An incurable plague has mutated every other man, woman, and child into bloodthirsty, nocturnal creatures who are determined to destroy him.

By day, he is a hunter, stalking the infected monstrosities through the abandoned ruins of civilization. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for dawn…. ” (from Amazon.com)

*** * ***

“I Am Legend” by Francis Lawrence (Will Smith)

Movie: “I Am Legend” by Francis Lawrence (Will Smith)

“Robert Neville is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable, and man-made. Somehow immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and maybe the world. For three years, Neville has faithfully sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. But he is not alone. Mutant victims of the plague — The Infected — lurk in the shadows… watching Neville’s every move… waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Perhaps mankind’s last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But he knows he is outnumbered… and quickly running out of time. ” (from Amazon.com)

*** * ***

“The Omega Man” by Boris Sagal (Charlton Heston)

Movie: “The Omega Man” by Boris Sagal (Charlton Heston)

“Welcome to the future. Biological war has decimated life on Earth. Los Angeles is a windswept ghost town where Robert Neville tools his convertible through sunlit streets foraging for supplies. And makes damn sure he gets undercover before sundown, when other “inhabitants” emerge. The Omega Man adapts Richard Matheson’s novel I Am Legend into a high-impact, high-tension saga of a fate not far removed from reality. Charlton Heston is Neville, fending off attacks by The Family, sinister neopeople spawned by the plague. He also becomes a man with a mission after meeting Lisa (Rosalind Cash), another unifected survivor – and guardian of some healthy children representing our species’ hope.” (from Amazon.com)

*** * ***

“The Last Man on Earth” by Ubaldo Ragona and Sidney Salkow (Vincent Price)

Movie: “The Last Man on Earth” by Ubaldo Ragona and Sidney Salkow (Vincent Price)

“Screen legend Vincent Price stars in this, the first, and finest, adaptation of Richard Matheson’s classic horror/sci-fi novel I Am Legend. After a plague wipes out the human race, Dr. Robert Morgan (Price) struggles with loneliness – and his sanity as the monotony of the unending days broken only by his daily hunts for vampires! One day on his solitary travels he runs across another human: is she a mirage, or real? This existential masterpiece ratchets up the tension, and keeps it up, until the last thrilling frame.” (from Amazon.com)

*** * ***

 

WILK’S SHOW NOTES:

This month’s podcast was my personal favorite. Mostly because someone mentioned “Jurassic Park.” We had on Michael O’Reilly, an indie filmmaker and close friend and relative of many people. The book was “I am legend” and the three films that it inspired.

The story itself, the written story, was universally liked and appreciated by all the panelists. I in particular love the story. It, in addition to providing a scientific take on vampirism, has an ending that is almost unparalleled in horror writing.

The show broke down when some of the panelists began to state that the story was more similar to zombie lore rather than vampire. It was at this point I wanted to go all “cannibal” on  this “human flesh” of an idea. The zombie movies that followed this were INSPIRED by the story, not the other way around.

We watched three movies based on this, and later I watched a G.G. Allin video that was based on the book “everyone poops.” Of the three movies…all were good in different aspects. The Will Smith one had good production values and the alternative ending was decent. However, the third act was a cartoon-action power hour (CGI just ruined the tension). The Charlton Heston film was a cheesefest that was pretty enjoyable. Who doesn’t love cheese? ISIS probably. And the original film was highly erotic and akin to a twilight zone episode. Except it was not at all erotic. Unless you are into static cameras and sound stages.

So, until next time, cover your sweat pores in peanut butter, because there is no deodorant in outer space! *

– Wilk

 

On the show we mentioned that, Richard Matheson, was part of a loose group of professional (and famous) writers sometimes referred to as the “Southern California Sorcerers” which was associated with the famous TV show “The Twilight Zone.” This group included such notables as Ray Bradbury, Rod Serling, Charles Beaumont, and Harlan Ellison. For bit more information on this check out this website: http://www.rodserling.com/csorcerers.htm.

 

 

* DISCLAIMER: Please be advised that the views and opinions of the hosts and guests of NDIOS are completely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of the other hosts and guests or that of NDIOS.