Movie Remakes Cage Match: Last Man on Earth vs Omega Man vs I Am Legend

Today's movie remake cage match pits three adaptations of the 1954 novel I Am Legend against each other. The original film, entitled The Last Man on Earth, was an Italian-American production, released in 1964. A sci-fi/horror film, it didn't make much of an impression on its first theatrical run, but over time, the movie has become regarded as a classic of the genre. Only real fans know about this one.

The Last Man on Earth starred the incomparable Vincent Price, who remained fond of the film long after his time on that particular job. Richard Matheson, author of the 1954 source novel and the movie's screenplay co-writer, on the other hand, was not happy with the final cut. So he had his name changed (to "Logan Swanson") in the film's credits. But I like it.

There is a low-budget charm about Last Man... Price elevates the picture from what could have been drudgery. Maybe less than perfect, the movie is still very watchable. The original black-and-white version (a colourized variant came later) set a suitable atmosphere for Price's bleak and morbid daily (and nightly) life: wake up, eat breakfast, collect bodies on the front lawn, haul them to the charnel pit, collect supplies, go home and carve more stakes, hunt down more vampires, then spend the rest of the evening drinking and listening to records as the creatures scratch at his barred doors and windows. Next day... same thing. On and on.

Price played his character with complexity. His multi-layered portrayal made this more than just another B-movie. Filmed in Italy to keep costs down, The Last Man on Earth manages more on story and Price's performance... and it succeeds thanks to the strength of those elements. I prefer this version to later re-tellings.

I have hazier memories of the 1971 remake, The Omega Man. It was so many years ago that I first, and last, watched it. This time, good ol' Charlton Heston is the star. Not nearly as atmospheric as its cinematic predecessor, this plays out like an action movie. There's almost an exploitation film feel about it, too, given the time period. Sort of Dirty Harry meets Night of the Living Dead. And these creatures aren't at all creepy, just robed albinos running around... not the zombie-like shamblers of the original film. But again, my memory of Omega Man is lacking. I checked out the trailer on Youtube as a refresher, and I have to say it doesn't look nearly as cool as Last Man. Ah, well.

I Am Legend, the movie, hit the big screen in 2007. This re-hash took its title directly from the '54 novel, so hopes were higher, I suppose. But with Will Smith at the wheel, who knew what was to come?

There are some stunning visuals in I Am Legend. The scenes of a deserted New York City, with wildlife running through the streets, were a sight to behold. Some of the CGI looks weak by today's standards, though... such effects realism has come a long way since then, so the "infected" (mutants created by a virus) and some of the animals just don't hold up. The fast-running, roaring zombie-creatures don't do it for me, either. Hey, I'm oldschool when it comes to this stuff. Will Smith had his day long ago, and as far as I'm concerned, his dramatic turns are hit and miss. I found I Am Legend fine at the time of its release, but there isn't much there to convince me to try it again. Only a little creepy in parts, this is an actioner (no big surprise, with Smith on board... machine guns blazing), closer to the Omega Man version, and thereby not as strong as it could have been. A so-so big-budget flick that fared well enough at the box office, but it's not a memorable movie by any standard.

Now... back to work... those stakes aren't going to sharpen themselves.