Robert Neville is the last man on Earth. After a rocket containing a deadly cilia-based disease is unleashed, the world becomes infected. But Neville has a prototype vaccine, and it works! Now he spends his days and nights hunting down those who are infected before they can kill him.
This movie, based on Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend", is the second of three major adaptations (after the Vincnet Price version and before the Will Smith one). And in my humble opinion, it fails in comparison to the Price version, which seemed to really nail the idea of isolation and having to fight to survive against deadly others.
This version is alright, and lot of fun to watch, but is done in a silly way that makes things seem light-hearted and not at all scary or dangerous. Neville (played by Charlton Heston) is firing off machine guns, driving fast cars and drinking wine. It's like an episode of "Miami Vice" or "Hawaii 5-0". Not to say I didn't like the movie -- I did -- but it seemed silly when guys in robes would jump out of nowhere and cocktail-inspired fight music would pick up.
Charlton Heston is a good leading actor, as evidenced by not just this film, but also "Soylent Green" and "Ten Commandments" and "Planet of the Apes". But why does he need to take his shirt off? Maybe in 1971 times were different, but an old man with saggy chest muscles does not seem like something a lot of people would want to look at.
There is an obvious Luddite theme in this film, with a cult that is anti-technology of any kind. However, the writer made it so we couldn't possibly identify with the cult, not even for a brief moment. They're ruthless and hypocritical and completely exaggerated. I can agree that when we are launching disease-carrying missiles we are using technology for evil ends, but why does that somehow make all technology bad, including apparently modern clothes? And where do we draw the line? Simple machines like a catapult and such are alright, but what isn't? What would make us a "creature of the wheel"?
This movie is legend, and you really ought to see it. This, and the Vincent Price version, especially if you can get around to it before the new Will Smith version comes out, which will likely be the worst yet. Why can't they make one that is faithful to Matheson? (Allegedly because he's too gory, but isn't that what horror fans want?) But there are some interesting things going on here, and you'll be glad the world didn't end in the 1970s... if every day had to be like this, with these clothes.
This movie, based on Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend", is the second of three major adaptations (after the Vincnet Price version and before the Will Smith one). And in my humble opinion, it fails in comparison to the Price version, which seemed to really nail the idea of isolation and having to fight to survive against deadly others.
This version is alright, and lot of fun to watch, but is done in a silly way that makes things seem light-hearted and not at all scary or dangerous. Neville (played by Charlton Heston) is firing off machine guns, driving fast cars and drinking wine. It's like an episode of "Miami Vice" or "Hawaii 5-0". Not to say I didn't like the movie -- I did -- but it seemed silly when guys in robes would jump out of nowhere and cocktail-inspired fight music would pick up.
Charlton Heston is a good leading actor, as evidenced by not just this film, but also "Soylent Green" and "Ten Commandments" and "Planet of the Apes". But why does he need to take his shirt off? Maybe in 1971 times were different, but an old man with saggy chest muscles does not seem like something a lot of people would want to look at.
There is an obvious Luddite theme in this film, with a cult that is anti-technology of any kind. However, the writer made it so we couldn't possibly identify with the cult, not even for a brief moment. They're ruthless and hypocritical and completely exaggerated. I can agree that when we are launching disease-carrying missiles we are using technology for evil ends, but why does that somehow make all technology bad, including apparently modern clothes? And where do we draw the line? Simple machines like a catapult and such are alright, but what isn't? What would make us a "creature of the wheel"?
This movie is legend, and you really ought to see it. This, and the Vincent Price version, especially if you can get around to it before the new Will Smith version comes out, which will likely be the worst yet. Why can't they make one that is faithful to Matheson? (Allegedly because he's too gory, but isn't that what horror fans want?) But there are some interesting things going on here, and you'll be glad the world didn't end in the 1970s... if every day had to be like this, with these clothes.