In addition to horror, this literary master published science fiction, fantasy, and mystery. Yes, its based on the book of the same name, i am legend. We depend on other people not just for re production and survival, but for psychological and emotional growth. I am legend by richard matheson a brief synopsis of the film. He wrote short stories, novels, and even screenplays. I am legend 2007 alternate ending as discussed by first showing and film, the alternate ending for i am legend is a better representation of the source material. The rest of the book is a collection of short horror stories and not very good ones either. Its influence over major writers of today and continued recognition proves that it deserves to be credited by scholars, as well as included in modern anthologies of. This last two have established phenomenons worldwide, being on the bestseller list of young adult novels way before they were adapted to the big screen. I nearly didnt buy this book until i realised that the 2007 film starring will smith was only loosely based on richard mathesons novel, which is all together a much. During the invasion of nevilles house the leader stands outside while the rest of the horde rushes in, showing much of higher status. Krippen selfassuredly discusses her cure for cancer.
Other than that i am legend is a solid postapocalypse film. We told you that the movie trailer would be online tonight, and now here it is. Is the movie i am legend based on a book yahoo answers. I am legend is a 2007 american postapocalyptic thriller film based on the 1954 novel of the same name by richard matheson. Final presentationi am legend by max villarreal on prezi. She created a genetically engineered variant of measles to cure an uglier ill, a virus targeted at cancer. Will smith has signed on to reprise his role as robert neville, and francis lawrence has returned as director.
I am legend a oneman american metaphor on the surface, the scifi blockbuster is about will smith battling an army of lightphobic zombies. I am legend 2007 the basics hopefully all of you know the basic story behind i am legend. The alternate ending to i am legend where they respect him and growl at him in an acknowledging way is odd and feels out of place. He is surrounded by the infected victims of the plague who have mutated into carnivorous beings who can. Now available in an orb books paperback edition, this classic novel is universally regarded as one of the most frightening and influential vampire novels ever written. Will smith in i am legend r ichard mathesons scifi novel about the last man left alive on earth has been filmed twice, most memorably as the omega man with charlton heston in 1971.
I am legend does contain memorable scenes, as when the island is being evacuated, and when neville says goodbye to his wife and daughter salli richardson and willow smith, and when he confides in his dog who is not computergenerated, most of the time, anyway. The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth, the omega man, and i am legend. The novel has several important points of departure from the movie, in that the diseases effect. In the movie neville has no special training and he never clearly states his profession.
Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville set in new york city after a virus, which was originally created to cure cancer, has wiped out most of mankind, leaving neville as the last human in new york, other than. Ive seen two other film versions of the book, the last man on earth starring vincent price and the omega man starring charlton heston. I am legend is a 2007 postapocalyptic science fiction film directed by francis lawrence and starring will smith. I am legend isnt particularly long either, hardly even novel length. A ranking officer in the new society of living vampires i. Published in 1954, acclaimed author richard mathesons novel i am legend is one of the most highly regarded works of apocalyptic fiction to date. The streets are overgrown with weeds, cars are abandoned, the infrastructure is beginning to collapse. It was also an inspiration behind night of the living dead. His contributions, before passing away in june 20, were many and varied. With that came 12 monkeys, the matrix, i, robot, v for vendetta, i am legend. I though the book was effectively i am legend and other short stories by richard matheeson. Although there is no direct dialect in the film one of the zombie members shows authority over the others through his actions.
It is the third feature film adaptation of richard mathesons 1954 novel of the same name, following 1964s the last man on earth and 1971s the omega man. Hbo go is free with your subscription through participating tv providers. I loved the basic story just not its execution in the movie. I discovered this book in a roundabout way i saw the movie version of it first. Alice krippen emma thompson, in an uncredited cameo.
Robert neville will smith is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurableand manmade. Is there an i am legend movie that actually preserves. Ending spoiler for i am legend 2007, plus mistakes, quotes, trivia and more. Immediately download the i am legend summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for. Differences between i am legend book vs movie page 1. As i am legend begins, in january, 1976, earth has been ravaged, first by nuclear war, then by a mysterious plague that transforms its victims into vampires. Of particular salience in i am legend are the motifs of being isolated, sexually frustrated, and preyed upon. I am legend 2007, drama scifi thriller released in english language in theatre near you in mumbai. As such, its no surprise that the book has been adapted for the big screen, in this case three. Every aspect of nevilles existence is suffused with dangereven something as banal as driving a. In this postapocalyptic world of vampires, robert neville, as the only human who survives the plague, spends his lonely, monotonous days destroying the undead and endures nights of. The character of ruth in i am legend from litcharts the. I am legend has been adapted into a featurelength film three times, as well as into a directtovideo feature film called i am omega.
Barbour richard matheson is among the most wellknown and respected authors within speculative fiction. In i am legend, a plague has decimated the world, and those unfortunate enough to survive are transformed into bloodthirsty creatures of the night. The opening scenes of i am legend have special effects so good that they just about compensate for some later special effects that are dicey. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson that was influential in the modern development of zombie and vampire literature and in popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. I am legend is very short, not novel length, only 159 pages long, out of the 312 pages in the book. The road is a great movie, and very faithful to the book, despite the incredibly depressing, bleak, and hopeless atmosphere and ending. They are cannibalistic zombies who have an aversion to light. How i am legends ending is different in the book screen rant. How teachers and students can make the quick transition to online learning. An effective treatment that remedied the malignant grown, but killed the larger host as a consequence. Richard mathesons horror novel i am legend, penned in 1954, is largely considered a pioneer novel for gothic literature in america. In october 2009, a medical researcher used one evil against another. I am legend trailer german i am legend trailer deutsch i am legend kritik i am legend filmkritik i am legend deutscher trailer will smith alice braga thomas pilutik willow smith salli. I picked it up mostly because i read about the alternate ending of the will smith movie, which some criticized for not following the spirit of the book.
The book many consider almost as influential as bram stokers dracula is under the microscope, i am legend. It may not be the best film of the three, but i think its far better than matheson believed it to be. We see manhattan three years after a deadly virus has killed every healthy human on the island, except one. Differences between i am legend book vs movie page 2.
This man, our protagonist in both the book and film, is robert neville. It depends on how we define better, but booklovers tend to say two sorts of things about adaptations. Somehow immune, neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of new york cityand maybe the world. While i am legend, the latest in a series of film versions of a novel by richard matheson, fits comfortably within the conventions of the scifi horror genre. The two share a romantic connection, and though shes seemingly been sent to kill. Both were okay the book is much better and im looking forward to this newest version. Every man, woman, and child in the world has become a vampire, and they are all hungry for nevilles blood. So i just finished i am legend by richard matheson. And if it is true that mankind has 100 years to live before we destroy our planet, it provides an enlightening vision of how manhattan will look when it lives on without us. He teaches himself everything about viruses so he can try and figure out a cure. Will smiths 2007 box office hit i am legend had an ending that divided audiences, but an alternate ending exists that does more justice to the book. But when it comes down to it, is the book really better than the movie.
I think its just a collection of short stories with the headliner being the most famous. I am legend narrative, representation of race, class and. Published by matheson and gold medal books in 1954 hmmthe year of my birth, which took the themes of vampirism and the last man left in breakthrough directions. I am legend changed the vampires of the novel to the mindless. I am legends biggest change from the book broke the movie. Scientist robert neville may well be the last man left alive on earth after a terrible epidemic. The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth 1964, the omega man 1971, and i am legend 2007. You can either love it or hate it, but will smiths powerful acting is something you can never deny. Film is a column comparing books to the film adaptations they spawn, often discussing them on a. It is official, warner bros has greenlit a prequel to i am legend. I am legend opens blithely enough, with a morningshow tv host interviewing scientist dr.
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