It surely won’t be the last time we see Matheson’s novel getting adapted either. It’s not surprising then that this same appropriation would happen in 2007’s I Am Legend, this time using a re-engineered measles virus developed to help cure cancer as the bug that got out of hand and wipes out the population. These sorts of films almost became known for re-purposing themselves as parables for what was going on in the times. It’s especially notable since race issues and equality were heavily part of the make-up from this period. It’s also worth mentioning that the film contains one of the first interracial onscreen kisses between Heston and Rosalind Cash. The film emphasizes the increasing threat of biological warfare, whereas before it was just an unknown plague that had decimated humanity. The initial threat has also been shifted to the Chinese and Russians, as a means of reflecting the current times. This time around, there’s certainly a less stark, ultra-serious tone to it. ![]() While largely being the same story that’s seen in The Last Man on Earth, it’s interesting to notice the subtle changes between the films. The Omega Man (1971)Īlso being an adaptation of Matheson’s I Am Legend, The Omega Man puts Charlton Heston in the leading role and jumps the year forward to 1975. Eventually, he carelessly falls asleep at his wife’s grave, awakening to the mutants being upon him, as the story takes a turn for the worse. This very chilling version of the end of the world focuses on the grueling routine that Price’s character goes through every day as he is forced to hunt and hide. They come out at night and prey on the living (as well as being weak to sunlight and vulnerable to garlic) while he is forced to stay in his home. Price’s character manages to somehow be immune and survives all of this with the rest of the world being turned into mutants that are essentially vampires. Starring a very in-his-element Vincent Price, the film posits a world where biological warfare has wiped out most of the population. ![]() The Last Man on Earth (1964)Ī fitting place to start, and often seen as the “biggest” Last Man on Earth film, is this 1964 adaptation of Richard Matheson’s classic science fiction novel, I Am Legend. So, in honor of Will Forte’s new series, we decided to take a look at the 20 best “Last Man on Earth” films (or some that just focus on an ultra-dwindling population apocalypse). It’s safe to say that we’ve been fascinated with this idea and the pangs of isolation that so often accompany it. There are many different directions to take this fantastical concept, and it’s the sort of story we’ve seen played with for decades now. The Last Man on Earth, now in its second season on Fox, and the lonely premise is a fairly unusual one to transplant onto a television show, let alone a comedy.
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