I am Legend

[thekid]

Saw a trailer for the upcoming Will Smith movie which is a remake of an interesting Charleton Heston movie from the 70's (I think) called "The Omega Man". Release date I believe is 12/07.

[PeruvianSkies]

Hopefully it is not as flawed as THE OMEGA MAN. Don't get me wrong, it's a average Sci-fi flick from the 70's, not nearly as good as SOYLENT GREEN, but the movie made one fatal flaw...the "Family" were not suppose to be able to function in the daylight and in the scene towards the end of the film they are inside holding a woman hostage in order to negotiate with Neville (Heston's character). Suddenly they are not effected by the light. Totally negates the effectivity of the film.

[thekid]

PS

Yeah I would agree with you that it was definetly a 70's type movie with the jump suits and other horrible wardrobe. I guess it was more of a zombie movie and did not focus on some of the other issues raised in the book. The book actually has nice little twist on the main character that if the new movie follows will be interesting but Hollywood likes their formulas and their stars so I am doubtful they follow the book.

[PeruvianSkies]

PS

Yeah I would agree with you that it was definetly a 70's type movie with the jump suits and other horrible wardrobe. I guess it was more of a zombie movie and did not focus on some of the other issues raised in the book. The book actually has nice little twist on the main character that if the new movie follows will be interesting but Hollywood likes their formulas and their stars so I am doubtful they follow the book.

The remake could potentially be good, mainly because the original concept is great and with a good execution...it might actually work much better than this failed Heston vehicle.

[Kam]

it's based off the book by the same name, I Am Legend, by richard matheson and one of the best vampire stories this side of 'Salems Lot.
I've read it and its a great book, (well novella). omega man i am guessing is referring to him being the last man on earth (alpha and omega, and all that).

[dean_martin]

I remember watching The Omega Man on tv as a kid in the late 70's. It was one of those flicks that made an impression that has stuck with me, moreso than Soylent Green. I've never revisited it though. I guess that's because as an adult it probably wouldn't live up to the distorted childhood memories still rollin' around in my head.

The previews of I Am Legend make it look like a totally different vehicle for the story which is why my interest is piqued.

[PeruvianSkies]

I remember watching The Omega Man on tv as a kid in the late 70's. It was one of those flicks that made an impression that has stuck with me, moreso than Soylent Green. I've never revisited it though. I guess that's because as an adult it probably wouldn't live up to the distorted childhood memories still rollin' around in my head.

The previews of I Am Legend make it look like a totally different vehicle for the story which is why my interest is piqued.

Yeah, well only child-like wonder would or could make this plot-holed execution a decent watch. If you ever do revisit you'll most likely wonder how something so silly could have been made.

[jim goulding]

You gotta admire the Charlton Heston character. Took what he needed. Lived in a townhouse very comfortably. Independent. Could defend himself. A man's man. Of course, a saner man would have headed for the country long ago. But then you would'na had a movie.

[PeruvianSkies]

You gotta admire the Charlton Heston character. Took what he needed. Lived in a townhouse very comfortably. Independent. Could defend himself. A man's man. Of course, a saner man would have headed for the country long ago. But then you would'na had a movie.

No doubt, the concept of the film is brilliant and really works well, what is a disaster is the execution of the film in which they made some crucial mistakes that void the plot, which is my biggest gripe with the film, however, the remake has the chance to actually take the concept and execute it well.

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

So is the new movie mutants like The Omega Man or vampires like The Last Man On Earth?

I saw both last month for the halloween Horrormovie marathon, and while both would be great episodes of The Outer Limits, as movies they're kinda thin. I can't imagine why this movie has been (re)made three times now... there is so much better material out there.

[Troy]

One of my all time favorite movie and literature premises- the last man on earth.

The original Vincent Price flick The Last Man on Earth is pure 50s cheese, virtually unwatchable for modern audiences without lapsing into MST3K mode. I just saw it about a month ago and it sucked hippo balls.

Omega Man with Heston is a scream now. Pure 70s camp. I saw it in the theater as a 14 year old and loved it. Seeing it recently, it's just horrifyingly dated and lame. I love when he says "balls" under his breath. Who wrote that line? I also love that he drives around in a red convertible listening to Mantovani 8-Tracks with a grease gun on the seat next to him. Anthony Zerbe is the perfect sci-fi cheese actor. Makes me laugh just thinking about it.

I unfortunately have very low expectations for this new movie. I'm no Will Smith fan and I just think stuff like 28 Days Later has raised the bar for post-apocalyptic films in a different direction.

For me, the philosophical implications of this concept has been tackled in literature impeccably (The Stand, The Road, Earth Abides), but has never gotten the treatment it deserves in film.

[bobsticks]

I'm no Will Smith fan and I just think stuff like 28 Days Later has raised the bar for post-apocalyptic films in a different direction..

Let me get this right, you're saying that 28 days Later was not only decent but bar-raising as well? Not picking a fight, I never saw it. It never occured to me that there was a myriad of unanswered questions from the first one...

[PeruvianSkies]

One of my all time favorite movie and literature premises- the last man on earth.

The original Vincent Price flick The Last Man on Earth is pure 50s cheese, virtually unwatchable for modern audiences without lapsing into MST3K mode. I just saw it about a month ago and it sucked hippo balls.

Omega Man with Heston is a scream now. Pure 70s camp. I saw it in the theater as a 14 year old and loved it. Seeing it recently, it's just horrifyingly dated and lame. I love when he says "balls" under his breath. Who wrote that line? I also love that he drives around in a red convertible listening to Mantovani 8-Tracks with a grease gun on the seat next to him. Anthony Zerbe is the perfect sci-fi cheese actor. Makes me laugh just thinking about it.

I unfortunately have very low expectations for this new movie. I'm no Will Smith fan and I just think stuff like 28 Days Later has raised the bar for post-apocalyptic films in a different direction.

For me, the philosophical implications of this concept has been tackled in literature impeccably (The Stand, The Road, Earth Abides), but has never gotten the treatment it deserves in film.

I agree with maybe the exception of 28 DAYS LATER or that series, which owes just about everything to DAY OF THE DEAD in my opinion.

[Groundbeef]

Let me get this right, you're saying that 28 days Later was not only decent but bar-raising as well? Not picking a fight, I never saw it. It never occured to me that there was a myriad of unanswered questions from the first one...

It was "alright". There were 3 different filmed endings.

The one that made the cut was the "nice" ending that left survivors in the end. So there were some questions as to what ultimately happend to them.

The 2 endings that didn't make the cut were not so kind. Basically they all died leaving no room for a sequel.

[Troy]

I agree that 28 Days Later (the first one in the series, never saw the sequel) owes more to Romero's Dead movies than Omega Man, but sit back and consider it and you'll see just how similar the premise actually is.

The way it raised the bar was in it's depiction of a post-apocalyptic urban setting. The abandoned, disheveled and burning London looked really great in the first half of that movie. It felt more "right" than any other of the locations in the films mentioned in this entire thread.

The thing missing from 28 Days was the philosophical implications that almost always get covered in books, and rarely gets covered in films. The movies always go for the jugular, beating us over the head with action, but I just like the IDEA of a world without people, slow, shambling zombies, or sprinting ones, or mutant vampires aside.

Read Earth Abides. No zombies or vampires, but a virus that kills 99.9% of humanity and the lonely struggle to recreate a better world from the ashes of the old one. It's a 50s sci fi genre classic.

[PeruvianSkies]

I agree that 28 Days Later (the first one in the series, never saw the sequel) owes more to Romero's Dead movies than Omega Man, but sit back and consider it and you'll see just how similar the premise actually is.

The way it raised the bar was in it's depiction of a post-apocalyptic urban setting. The abandoned, disheveled and burning London looked really great in the first half of that movie. It felt more "right" than any other of the locations in the films mentioned in this entire thread.

The thing missing from 28 Days was the philosophical implications that almost always get covered in books, and rarely gets covered in films. The movies always go for the jugular, beating us over the head with action, but I just like the IDEA of a world without people, slow, shambling zombies, or sprinting ones, or mutant vampires aside.

Read Earth Abides. No zombies or vampires, but a virus that kills 99.9% of humanity and the lonely struggle to recreate a better world from the ashes of the old one. It's a 50s sci fi genre classic.

One thing that is often overlooked with Romero's "Dead" films is the human emotion aspect, which I think is captured quite well, especially in DAY OF THE DEAD, when the zombies almost begin to realize (esp. with the Bub character), who still has qualities of human-ness somewhere inside him and yet he still must act out in his newfound disposition, but there is a sense of human nature still inside there somewhere, which surfaces in a profound way.

[Troy]

Yeah, in the later Romero flicks the zombies have more emotion than the humans. I was really talking about the human character's emotions, not the zombies!

Look past the fact that 28 Days Later is a zombie flick.

[Groundbeef]

Read Earth Abides. No zombies or vampires, but a virus that kills 99.9% of humanity and the lonely struggle to recreate a better world from the ashes of the old one. It's a 50s sci fi genre classic.

I haven't read that particular book, but it sounds very similar to the massive Stephen King novel "The Stand". Have you read that book?

It was pretty cool to see how he envisioned two camps of survivors dealing with a global pandemic killing 99.9% of the human population. Of course with Stephen King there was a bit of "other world" influence in some of the remaining populace, but overall it was grounded in Earthly activities.

[PeruvianSkies]

Yeah, in the later Romero flicks the zombies have more emotion than the humans. I was really talking about the human character's emotions, not the zombies!

Look past the fact that 28 Days Later is a zombie flick.

I am not disagreeing with you in the least, I am just pointing out several other observations regarding similar themes and such. It's always great being able to discuss film with people who know what they are talking about, like yourself.

[PeruvianSkies]

I haven't read that particular book, but it sounds very similar to the massive Stephen King novel "The Stand". Have you read that book?

It was pretty cool to see how he envisioned two camps of survivors dealing with a global pandemic killing 99.9% of the human population. Of course with Stephen King there was a bit of "other world" influence in some of the remaining populace, but overall it was grounded in Earthly activities.

Exactly! I really wish they would have made this a full-blown movie production instead of the lame TV miniseries, which was still decent, I liked the use of "Don't Fear the Reaper".

[Troy]

Yeah, I mentioned The Stand in my first post in this thread. Moon spells "Love it." Still my favorite SK book.

Earth Abides is a much smaller scale story. More human in scope- no zombies or supernatural / theological backstory. It's about a guy that becomes the last surviving man from the old times as he becomes 100 year old patriarch / witchdoctor of a tribe in the Oakland Hills. It's loaded with metaphor and a melancholy quietude unlike any of the other post-apocalyptic projects.

Written in the 50s, it's dated technologically now (even more so than The Stand), but the story still resonates with me on another level.