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. Robert neville is an average, casually but not completely racist white american. Legend is told from the perspective of two of the only kids in the republic who scored perfect 1500s on their trials, so it makes sense that the writing style would be crisp, intelligent, and never muddled since its told from their points of view. Stephen king and many other of todays masters rank this book highly in their personal top ten lists of favorites. Normally such a big gap would lead to a 20 minutes into the future scenario with some scifi tech mixed into an otherwise contemporary setting, but for all intents and purposes the book s 1976 seems to be exactly like 1954 but with a lot more vampires. The movie took all the intelligence out and just made it about the action. Published in 1954, acclaimed author richard mathesons novel i am legend is one of the most highly regarded works of apocalyptic fiction to date. Theres lessons to be learned about mob behavior and respect for minorities. During the beginning of the book, robert constantly tries finding a cure or a way to reverse. The i am legend quotes below all refer to the symbol of vampires. Dec 14, 2007 while i am legend, the latest in a series of film versions of a novel by richard matheson, fits comfortably within the conventions of the scifi horror genre here come those zombies. We assign a color and icon like this one to each theme, making it easy to track which themes apply to each quote below.
Still, you cant fault i am legend for trying to be different from the typical action thriller. The opposite is true, actually, because i am legend is mathesons condemnation of a white power structure that facilitated racial subjugation in america in the first place. Neville some information about the vampire plague, but never actually appears in the book. I am legend author richard matheson was himself a real legend. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each. I am legend quotes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. It seems as if killing is the most rational thing left to do. Years ago, you see, my husband had wanted to talk about the book, probably when the most recent adaptation to movie form had come out, and i am well known for not reading horror, so it wasnt an unreasonable assumption that i would never read this. The setting seems to be a commentary on the economic divide. Richard mathesons i am legend has been a major influence on horror literature. Every other man, woman, and child has become a vampire, and. I am legend is a thrilling movie about the accidental evolution of man. Descriptive creative writing using i am legend film and. People like thomas may say that its because poor people are lazy and dont work hard enough, and that the rich deserve everything that they get, but it isnt true.
The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth 1964, the omega man 1971, and i am. The streets are overgrown with weeds, cars are abandoned, the infrastructure is beginning to collapse. But these superhumans are more than what they seem. The entire basis of this movie is centered around the completely dehumanized state the humans are left in. Ive always wanted to talk about it and now i finally am. 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. Jan 01, 2006 the basis for the film starring academy award nominee will smith, i am legend is a classic of horror and suspense. Jan 25, 2018 i am legend was generally faithful to the source material in the sense that it focused its story on a character named robert neville will smith dealing with his status as the last man on earth. What i am legends director would change in retrospect. But i went into reading i am legend knowing the ending, knowing the twist. Will smiths 2007 box office hit i am legend had an ending that divided audiences, but an alternate ending exists that does more justice to the book.
So i just finished i am legend by richard matheson. A scheme of work for highability ks3 using clips from the beginning of i am legend as a stimuli to create atmospheric writing about new york after a devastating, ruinous evacuation. Later remade as a 2nd movie with will smith minor cover creasing. The symbol of vampires in i am legend from litcharts. The rest of the book is a collection of short horror stories and not very good ones either. I am legend based on the 1954 richard matheson book of the same name. I am legend 2007 robert neville will smith is a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of the terrible virus that was incurable and manmade. I am legend is very short, not novel length, only 159 pages long, out of the 312 pages in the book. Also using extract from the great gatsby to demonstrate the use of simile and animal imagery. While i am legend, the latest in a series of film versions of a novel by richard matheson, fits comfortably within the conventions of the. Aug 26, 20 the setting of the book legend is known as the republic, a futuristic nation located in the modern day western area of the united states. He stood there for a moment looking around the silent room, shaking his head slowly. The best study guide to i am legend on the planet, from the creators of sparknotes. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one.
Or perhaps the film simply doesnt have the same nuances as the richard matheson book on which its based. The setting of the book legend is known as the republic, a futuristic nation located in the modern day western area of the united states. As a science fiction novel, i am legend doesnt reference very many historical events. I am legend was generally faithful to the source material in the sense that it focused its story on a character named robert neville will smith dealing with his status as the last man on earth. The novel has several important points of departure from the. I though the book was effectively i am legend and other short stories by richard matheeson. The short, choppy prose suited the narrator, but gave a more limited ambiance to the setting. I am legend is arguably the greatest short horror novel ever written, and its influence on the horror genre has been profound. The story stops annoyingly suddenly, as if the rest of it has been missed off. 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. He was named a grand master of horror by the world horror convention, and received the bram stoker award for lifetime achievement. Film omega man with charlton heston, based on the classic novel i am legend. All the completely insane ideas hollywood dreamed up for i am. I am legend author richard matheson was himself a real.
I am legend study guide from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. I ve always wanted to talk about it and now i finally am. I think its just a collection of short stories with the headliner being the most famous. Its as if the screenwriters or director, or producer ran out of ways to wrap it up. D the book was published in 1954 but it curiously takes place from 1976 to 1979. It spoke to me about being an outsider and feeling completely out of place, as was the protagonist, who was played by vincent price in the 1964 movie version, the last man on earth, by charlton heston in 1971 movie version, the omega man, and, finally, by will smith in the 2007 movie version, i am legend. But when it comes down to it, is the book really better than the movie. We see manhattan three years after a deadly virus has killed every healthy human on the island, except one. Litcharts makes it easy to find quotes by chapter, character, and theme.
Day lives with his friend tess in the poor lake sector. Day and june are super smart, and the story is consistently told in a thoughtful and intelligent. An immune survivor, neville spends his days hunting vampires, scavenging and struggling with loneliness, and the nights being taunted by undead vampires that keep swarming outside his. Dystopian film i am legend by daniel thomedos santos on prezi. I am legend isnt particularly long either, hardly even novel length. How to survive an i am legend scenario the right way. Robert neville is a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of. As such, its no surprise that the book has been adapted for the big screen, in this case three. This man, our protagonist in both the book and film, is robert neville. Arguably, none of these films faithfully adapted the novel even in i am legend 2007, which was the only film to use the novels name, the vampires looked more like computergenerated zombies so it would be interesting to see a film make such an attempt. Need help on characters in richard mathesons i am legend.
Description, analysis, and timelines for i am legends characters. I think will smith has something against great authors. In i am legend, a terrible plague has decimated the world, and those who were unfortunate enough to survive are transformed into bloodthirsty creatures of the night. The cure for cancer has transformed people into super strong, wall climbing, flesh eating beast. The 1971 movie, the omega man stars charlton heston and actually, its not all that good. Jun 04, 2011 but when it comes down to it, is the book really better than the movie. The novel was adapted to film in 1964 as the last man on earth, in 1971 as omega man, and in 2007 as i am legend, starring will smith. The alternate ending to i am legend where they respect him and growl at him in an acknowledging way is odd and feels out of place. Jun 25, 20 i am meant to be writing a blog about how i am legend, by the late, immensely great, richard matheson, is the king of vampire novels. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson. I am legend 2007 the basics hopefully all of you know the basic story behind i am legend. Hollywood really wanted to make i am legend 2, starring will smith. But after finding my old copy on the shelf downstairs, i ve. He sweats and laughs and cooks and eats and cries and, in between bouts of nearinsanity, he kills people.
In 2012, it was named the best vampire novel of the century by the horror writers association and the bram stoker estate. Set after an outbreak of a viral plague that turns both living and dead into creatures resembling vampires, the plot follows last of his kind robert neville. I loved the basic story just not its execution in the movie. Whatever it is, richard mathesons i am legend is shot through with it. I am legend was released on december 14, 2007, in the united states and canada, and opened to the largest ever box office not adjusted for inflation for a nonchristmas film released in the u. Richard mathesons i am legend has been made into several movies, including the recent will smith movie, and the. Fortunately, this never happened but producer and writer akiva goldsman was happy to. 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. Now for a topic thats neither divisive nor prone to eliciting irrational anger and awkward discomfort. What is the setting of i am legend by richard matheson. All the completely insane ideas hollywood dreamed up for i. Immune, neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of new york city and perhaps the world.
The most wanted criminal in this society is fifteenyearold day, a homeless boy who steals to survive and to help the poor, and undermines the republics war effort against the colonies through vandalism. It was influential in the development of the zombievampire genre and in popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. I am legend study guide from litcharts the creators of. The book is full of good ideas, every other one of which is immediately dropped and kicked out of sight. The novel has several important points of departure from the movie, in that the diseases effect. Robert neville is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable, and manmade. This study guide consists of approximately 45 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of i am legend. In this postapocalyptic world of vampires, robert neville, as the only human who survives the plague, spends his lonely, monotonous days destroying the undead and endures nights of torment and near madness. The future that legend paints definitely isnt a pretty onethe government controls everything with an iron fist, slums are filled with sick and overworked people, and kids arent even guaranteed education unless they can prove themselves worthy. There are two camps when it comes to discussing the issue of race in mathesons book.
I am legend story, i am legend hollywood movie story, plot. The characters are childs drawings, as blankeyed and. I discovered this book in a roundabout way i saw the movie version of it first. The novel has several important points of departure from the movie, in. The i am legend novel community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Richard matheson 192620 was the new york times bestselling author of i am legend, hell house, somewhere in time, the incredible shrinking man, now you see it, and what dreams may come, among others. The symbol of vampires in i am legend from litcharts the.
I am legend characters from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Lessons build up to writing an extended descriptive piece new york. Jun 27, 20 it spoke to me about being an outsider and feeling completely out of place, as was the protagonist, who was played by vincent price in the 1964 movie version, the last man on earth, by charlton heston in 1971 movie version, the omega man, and, finally, by will smith in the 2007 movie version, i am legend. 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 legend is brilliant commentary and society and human relationships and, really, the very definition of humanity. The basis for the film starring academy award nominee will smith, i am legend is a classic of horror and suspense. But after finding my old copy on the shelf downstairs, ive.
All these books, he thought, the residue of a planets intellect, the scrapings of futile minds, the leftovers, the potpourri of artifacts that had no power to save men from perishing. Dystopian film i am legend by daniel thomedos santos on. The first says, man, its just a badass vampire book. I am meant to be writing a blog about how i am legend, by the late, immensely great, richard matheson, is the king of vampire novels. Blending aspects of horror within a science fiction setting, the book is based in the relative future of 1976 but apart from.