Instead of blowing himself and the hemocytes up with a grenade, neville discovers that the hemocytes actually came for the female he captured earlier in the movie. Yesterday, some intrepid soul posted an alternate i am legend ending to youtube. 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. I am legends biggest change from the book broke the movie. The successes and failures in adapting i am legend film inquiry. Differing from the book, each of them portrays the neville character as an accomplished scientist. Apr 22, 2015 the purpose of this film is to promote reading and is entirely noncommercial. Jun 04, 2012 this post may contain spoilers if you have not read the book or watched the film. Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville.
I am legend study guide from litcharts the creators of. Its a full, polished ending, with complete special effects intact, so im assuming it was ripped from the special features on the imminent dvd. It may not be the best film of the three, but i think its far better than. But if you have only seen that will smith movie that went 180 degrees on the book s message, the soulcrushing impact of these words will be lost on you. Dec 14, 2007 enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing i am legend near you. Will smith plays virologist robert neville, who is immune to a manmade virus originally created to cure cancer. When i say that richard mathesons 1954 classic scifi vampire apocalypse novel i am legend given the. The infection was created through an engineered version of the measles virus meant to treat cancer which mutated into a deadlier strain. Off the back of the huge success of i am legend back in 2007, warner bros was keen to develop either a prequel or a sequel to the film. However, in the early moments of the film, neville personifies the phrase alone, not lonely. I am legend is a novel by richard matheson in which robert neville struggles to survive as the sole remaining human in a world overrun by vampires robert neville is the only.
There are two camps when it comes to discussing the issue of race in mathesons book. He works to create a remedy while defending himself against the virus victims, who turn into hostile mutants. Film is a column comparing books to the film adaptations they spawn, often discussing them on a plotpointbyplotpoint basis. Mar 28, 2020 we have an intriguing problem with comparing the book and film. Differences between i am legend book vs movie page 1. 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. Set in 1970s southern california, the novel is about the life of robert neville, the seemingly only survivor of a worldwide pandemic which causes people to turn. The first says, man, its just a badass vampire book.
The 2007 loose film adaptation and only one to bear the name of richard mathesons novel i am legend. I am legend is a 2007 american postapocalyptic thriller film based on the 1954 novel of the same name by richard matheson. Dec, 2007 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. Film column i did on the source material and the four films. He relieves her of the cure and returns her to the hemocytes. I picked it up mostly because i read about the alternate ending of the will smith movie, which some.
Because of this, since 2011 i have made a pilgrim in narnia free with nearly 1,000 posts on faith, fiction, and fantasy. Book vs movie i am legend from book vs movie podcast on. We see manhattan three years after a deadly virus has killed every healthy human on the island, except one. Theres lessons to be learned about mob behavior and respect for minorities. About the author richard burton matheson born february 20, 1926 is an american author and screenwriter working primarily in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Dec 14, 2007 i am legends book ending is different to both versions of the movie, but skews closer to the controversial alternate ending of the film. Welcome to the litcharts study guide on richard mathesons i am legend. A concise biography of richard matheson plus historical and literary context for i am legend.
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. However, in this area, the book is stronger than the film though the film really offers us more hope for our current moment. Because of his imagination and talent, so many of mathesons books and stories were translated to movies and tv. As legends of the fall kicks off in 1914, three brothers albert, tristan and samuel ludlow are making a trek from montana to alberta to enlist in the canadian forces during world war i. Book vs movie i am legend the richard matheson novel vs. I am legend has been adapted into a featurelength film three times, as well as into a directtovideo feature film called i am omega. In 1954 richard matheson published i am legend, and since its original run it has been adapted for film a total of four times. When one hears the title i am legend being mentioned, they usually associate it with will smith and. The movie took all the intelligence out and just made it about the action. Bless matheson for bringing us the concept of a vampire apocalypse. The three adaptations show him finding a remedy and passing it on. One million text messages later of me arguing how the book is not like the movie and he is still adamant that they are the same. Its as if the screenwriters or director, or producer ran out of ways to wrap it up. I am legend movie conclusion the movie as well as the novel are both extremely captivating, and although they are based off of the same thing they are extremely different from one another video what are the key elements that stand out and separate both.
We are not supported, financed or in any way affiliated with any company that has a commercial interest in these films. The streets are overgrown with weeds, cars are abandoned, the infrastructure is beginning to collapse. Postapocalypse i am legend, logans run, dark city directors cut, the omega man 4. When one hears the title i am legend being mentioned, they usually associate it with will smith and the terrific job he did in portraying the protagonist of. Still, you cant fault i am legend for trying to be different from the typical action thriller. Richard mathesons 1954 novel i am legend, though not a massive success when first published, grew over time to be an influential piece of fiction. How i am legends ending is different in the book screen rant. 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. You can either love it or hate it, but will smiths powerful acting is something you can never deny.
This column is meant largely for people whove already been through one version, and want to know how the other compares. The book, however, brings the wide scale stuff down into the mind of one individual. Sep 01, 2009 in 1954 richard matheson published i am legend, and since its original run it has been adapted for film a total of four times. Apr 18, 2020 how i am legends ending is different in the book. We are not supported, financed or in any way affiliated with any company that. Sep 21, 2011 i liked the movie independence day, but really had trouble with the scenes of devastation in the cities.
Other than that i am legend is a solid postapocalypse film. This edition of kimts weekend remake throwdown will consider them and each grappled with life, death and something else. They are cannibalistic zombies who have an aversion to light. While richard mathesons postapocalyptic science fiction book, i am legend, and francis lawrences postapocalyptic science fiction movie, i am legend, both have similarities and differences, in the end, the original book version prevails mainly because the movie version alters the original storyline too much. The last man on earth 1964, the omega man 1971, i am legend 2007. It is not good for man to be alone is a good description of the main theme of i am legend in book and in adaptation. I read neither book but seen the first kinda i am legend where theyre like regular. I am legend 2007 the basics hopefully all of you know the basic story behind i am legend. The novel was adapted to film in 1964 as the last man on earth, as omega man in 1971 and finally as i am legend in 2007, starring will smith.
The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth, the omega man, and i am legend. The book was more clinical and detached, so you were able to examine the moral argument with objectivity. Jun 04, 2011 but when it comes down to it, is the book really better than the movie. Sep 06, 2012 last night i finished reading i am legend. It depends on how we define better, but booklovers tend to say two sorts of things about adaptations. Stephen king considered this an important book in his development as a writer, and the use of a hero trapped indoors fending off the undead inspired george a. Dec 14, 2017 i am legend depicts the fallout of the kv virusa total lack of human survivors. Amazons choice for i am legend movie 4 film favorites. Luckily i got to see an early screening of the film with a friend and i have to say that this is a disturbingly realistic film that depicts a postapocalyptic new york being overrun by the mutated victims of a widespread virus. Dec 21, 2007 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. The purpose of this film is to promote reading and is entirely noncommercial. Now for a topic thats neither divisive nor prone to eliciting irrational anger and awkward discomfort.
Or perhaps the film simply doesnt have the same nuances as the richard matheson book on which its based. I am legend is a post apocalyptic vision by richard matheson, created in 1954 it tells the story of robert neville, the last surviving human in the world, surrounded by bloodthirsty vampires both living and undead. Differences between i am legend book vs movie page 3. Blogger adam katz sent me the link because of the book vs. Richard mathesons i am legend is a masterpiece of horror that has. I am legend is brilliant commentary and society and human relationships and, really, the very definition of humanity. Francis lawrences 2007 film i am legend had not one but two endings, and while both are different from what.
The 1956 i am legend book is a vampire story inspired by dracula. My thoughts on i am legend, both with the 1954 book written by richard matheson and the 2007 film directed by francis lawrence. It was also an inspiration behind night of the living dead. I am legend depicts the fallout of the kv virusa total lack of human survivors. I am legend changed the vampires of the novel to the mindless darkseekers, a big change that made the original ending not work at all. The bacteria that causes it was spread through spores hidden in dust storms caused by bombings. I am legends book ending is different to both versions of the movie, but skews closer to the controversial alternate ending of the film. This was one of my major issues with the movie version of i am legend the complete loss of civilization is something that bothers me a lot.
The ending to the alternate theatrical version varies from the original ending. Created by the original team behind sparknotes, litcharts are the worlds best literature guides. And yet the core characteristics of the nightwalkers in the 2007 film are relatively true to one strand of what we see in the 1950s story. When i first saw the trailer for i am legend, all i could think of was, i have to see this movie. Book vs movie i am legend brooklyn fit chickbrooklyn. This man, our protagonist in both the book and film, is robert neville.