Because of this, since 2011 i have made a pilgrim in narnia free with nearly 1,000 posts on faith, fiction, and fantasy. I read neither book but seen the first kinda i am legend where theyre like regular. Jun 04, 2012 this post may contain spoilers if you have not read the book or watched the film. 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. 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. The successes and failures in adapting i am legend film inquiry. 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. Because of his imagination and talent, so many of mathesons books and stories were translated to movies and tv. Film column i did on the source material and the four films. It was also an inspiration behind night of the living dead. This edition of kimts weekend remake throwdown will consider them and each grappled with life, death and something else.
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. Its as if the screenwriters or director, or producer ran out of ways to wrap it up. 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. 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. Dec 14, 2007 enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing i am legend near you. 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.
We are not supported, financed or in any way affiliated with any company that has a commercial interest in these films. In 1954 richard matheson published i am legend, and since its original run it has been adapted for film a total of four times. The infection was created through an engineered version of the measles virus meant to treat cancer which mutated into a deadlier strain. 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. 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. 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. 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. We see manhattan three years after a deadly virus has killed every healthy human on the island, except one. Mar 28, 2020 we have an intriguing problem with comparing the book and film. I am legend depicts the fallout of the kv virusa total lack of human survivors. Yesterday, some intrepid soul posted an alternate i am legend ending to youtube. Differences between i am legend book vs movie page 3.
There are two camps when it comes to discussing the issue of race in mathesons book. Dec 14, 2017 i am legend depicts the fallout of the kv virusa total lack of human survivors. Welcome to the litcharts study guide on richard mathesons i am legend. The streets are overgrown with weeds, cars are abandoned, the infrastructure is beginning to collapse. Sep 21, 2011 i liked the movie independence day, but really had trouble with the scenes of devastation in the cities. He relieves her of the cure and returns her to the hemocytes. Bless matheson for bringing us the concept of a vampire apocalypse.
This column is meant largely for people whove already been through one version, and want to know how the other compares. 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. 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. Its a full, polished ending, with complete special effects intact, so im assuming it was ripped from the special features on the imminent dvd. The three adaptations show him finding a remedy and passing it on. Book vs movie i am legend the richard matheson novel vs. Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville. Film is a column comparing books to the film adaptations they spawn, often discussing them on a plotpointbyplotpoint basis. 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. 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. Book vs movie i am legend from book vs movie podcast on. Jun 04, 2011 but when it comes down to it, is the book really better than the movie. It may not be the best film of the three, but i think its far better than. 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 study guide from litcharts the creators of. Francis lawrences 2007 film i am legend had not one but two endings, and while both are different from what. When one hears the title i am legend being mentioned, they usually associate it with will smith and. I am legend is a 2007 american postapocalyptic thriller film based on the 1954 novel of the same name by richard matheson. Differences between i am legend book vs movie page 1. 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. A concise biography of richard matheson plus historical and literary context for i am legend.
You can either love it or hate it, but will smiths powerful acting is something you can never deny. When i first saw the trailer for i am legend, all i could think of was, i have to see this movie. Differing from the book, each of them portrays the neville character as an accomplished scientist. 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. 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. Will smith plays virologist robert neville, who is immune to a manmade virus originally created to cure cancer. Book vs movie i am legend brooklyn fit chickbrooklyn. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Created by the original team behind sparknotes, litcharts are the worlds best literature guides. The bacteria that causes it was spread through spores hidden in dust storms caused by bombings. Other than that i am legend is a solid postapocalypse film. He works to create a remedy while defending himself against the virus victims, who turn into hostile mutants. 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. The purpose of this film is to promote reading and is entirely noncommercial.
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. Sep 06, 2012 last night i finished reading i am legend. The movie took all the intelligence out and just made it about the action. Postapocalypse i am legend, logans run, dark city directors cut, the omega man 4. I am legends biggest change from the book broke the movie. 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. The last man on earth 1964, the omega man 1971, i am legend 2007. I picked it up mostly because i read about the alternate ending of the will smith movie, which some. I am legend 2007 the basics hopefully all of you know the basic story behind i am legend.
Now for a topic thats neither divisive nor prone to eliciting irrational anger and awkward discomfort. Apr 18, 2020 how i am legends ending is different in the book. However, in the early moments of the film, neville personifies the phrase alone, not lonely. 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. Theres lessons to be learned about mob behavior and respect for minorities. 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. Still, you cant fault i am legend for trying to be different from the typical action thriller. The book was more clinical and detached, so you were able to examine the moral argument with objectivity. Amazons choice for i am legend movie 4 film favorites. This man, our protagonist in both the book and film, is robert neville. The ending to the alternate theatrical version varies from the original ending. I am legends book ending is different to both versions of the movie, but skews closer to the controversial alternate ending of the film. Richard mathesons i am legend is a masterpiece of horror that has.
The book, however, brings the wide scale stuff down into the mind of one individual. 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. However, in this area, the book is stronger than the film though the film really offers us more hope for our current moment. 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. 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. I am legend has been adapted into a featurelength film three times, as well as into a directtovideo feature film called i am omega.
The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth, the omega man, and i am legend. We are not supported, financed or in any way affiliated with any company that. Or perhaps the film simply doesnt have the same nuances as the richard matheson book on which its based. They are cannibalistic zombies who have an aversion to light. It depends on how we define better, but booklovers tend to say two sorts of things about adaptations. 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. I am legend is brilliant commentary and society and human relationships and, really, the very definition of humanity. When i say that richard mathesons 1954 classic scifi vampire apocalypse novel i am legend given the. My thoughts on i am legend, both with the 1954 book written by richard matheson and the 2007 film directed by francis lawrence. Apr 22, 2015 the purpose of this film is to promote reading and is entirely noncommercial. How i am legends ending is different in the book screen rant. The 1956 i am legend book is a vampire story inspired by dracula. Blogger adam katz sent me the link because of the book vs.