Good Morning good people!
I hope everyone is alright this fine day. Cool here in Yokohama but the sun is shining and it looks to be a nice day.
The book I want to review today is an oldie but a goodie as the saying goes, a mix of horror and science fiction that has been made into three movies which I will also touch on. The story I’m talking about is “I am Legend” by Richard Matheson and was first published in 1954. The story concerns a man named Robert Neville who is alone and who is not really alone. So, now you are confused. Don’t worry, I’ll clarify if for you. He is alone but he is surrounded by vampires. There was a viral plague that was killing people at such a rate the govt. outlawed burial and people were required to take their loved ones to a pit to be burned and while some died, others turned into vampires. Neville (who has some form of natural immunity) has lost all that he cares for and spends his days growing garlic, making wooden stakes and hunting vampires. His evenings are spent locked inside his boarded up house drinking and listening to classical music trying to drown out the calls of the undead for him to come out. How long will this one man’s nightmare continue?
I first read this when I was 12 years old and it is still as frightening as it was when it first came out 67 years ago. Three films have been made from this book. Please keep in mind that the following are my opinions and that your opinion may be different and you know what? That’s ok. The first one made in about 1965 in Italy was called “The Last Man On Earth” and starred Vincent Price as the lone man. The movie sticks very close to book but as much as I like Vincent Price I think he was the wrong person to cast. His acting isn’t bad I just think he was miscast is all. The second movie made was done around 1971 and it’s title was “The Omega Man” starring Charlton Heston, Anthony Zerbe and Rosane Cash. The story was changed a little and was had more action than the first movie, I liked Heston’s character a little more in this one. I thought his struggle at being alone was portrayed well. He adapts and goes more on the offensive while with Price’s portrayal it just seemed to be one of utter hopelessness. The last movie came out I think, around 2007 and was called “I am Legend” starring Will Smith. I don’t know, I had high expectations for this movie but I didn’t really like it so much. The story was quite different and it just didn’t interest me as the other films had done but hey, it’s just my opinion. I’m sure there are people that did like the film and that’s good.
Well, that’s all for today.