I am legend is a 2007 american postapocalyptic thriller film based on the 1954 novel of the same name by richard matheson. I am preaching tomorrow on the topic, it is not good for man to be alone gen 2. Another important theme of i am legend is the powerboth benevolent and maliciousof science. I am legend is about a zombielike horde wiping out much of humanity, but its confusing ending and butterfly symbolism become a lot more clear if you understand the personal journey of its hero. In the alternate ending of i am legend, the themes of the story are drastically changed. Neville then turns to the darkseeker test subject on his table, the one hes cured, and notices a. Blogger adam katz sent me the link because of the book vs. Is there an i am legend movie that actually preserves.
Now for those who dont know they changed the ending for the movie from the books original ending due to how unpopular it was received in test screenings, so it was. Now the movie is a different story that is quite good right up until the 3rd act. I am legend 1010 movie clip alternate ending 2007 hd. Theres lessons to be learned about mob behavior and respect for minorities. I am legend director reveals he wished he had been. The last man on earth 1964, the omega man 1971, i am legend 2007. I know that hollywood often likes to sugarcoat stories as audiences often react badly to pessimism e. Its a short story so i guess the author wanted to add some bulk to the book. The 2007 film was partially based on the 1971 film as well as the original source novel. Differences between i am legend book vs movie page 1. As such, its no surprise that the book has been adapted for the big screen, in this case three. Adapted from acclaimed author richard mathesons influential novelette of the same name, constantine director francis lawrences i am legend follows the last man on earth as he struggles to. Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in new york city struggles valiantly to find a cure in this postapocalyptic action thriller. I am legend is a dystopian story very loosely based upon a book of the same name.
Furthermore, the final line suggests that human societyof which neville was the last representativeis now fading into the past. As a result, major, specific spoilers for both versions abound, often including dissection of how they end. This man, our protagonist in both the book and film, is robert neville. The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth 1964, the omega man 1971, and i am. Apr 18, 2020 the original ending, however, is much more in line with what happens in the i am legend novel. I though the book was effectively i am legend and other short stories by richard matheeson. I am legend took on a new significance in 2011 with the outbreak of h1n1 in 2011, fuelling conspiracy theories and providing teachers like me with great material for the classroom. Oct 24, 20 richard mathesons i am legend is a masterpiece of horror that has spawned three film adaptations, none of which have quite captured the essence of what makes this book so great. Twodisc dvd or bluray for those unaware, let me explain the concept of richard mathesons book to. Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville set in new york city after a virus, which was originally created to cure cancer, has wiped out most of mankind, leaving neville as the last human in new york, other than.
Somehow immune to an unstoppable, incurable virus, military virologist robert. I am legend 2007 alternate ending as discussed by first showing and film, the alternate ending for i am legend is a better representation of the source material. The book is full of good ideas, every other one of which is immediately dropped and kicked out of sight. Film column i did on the source material and the four films loosely inspired by it. Now what appears to be the original, alternate ending to i am legend is online. I am legend isnt particularly long either, hardly even novel length.
Thus, in the final line of the book which also serves as the books title, neville accepts that he is a monster. The ending to the alternate theatrical version varies from the original ending. This was actually the third time it had been made into a movie. 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. With will smith, alice braga, charlie tahan, salli richardsonwhitfield. Some people, of course, never feel a film shows fidelity to the original author. 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.
The novel i am legend 1954, written by american author richard matheson, was adapted for the movie by screenwriters akiva goldsman and mark protosevich. In the book, i am legend are the final words that robert thinks on his deathbed, as he realizes that in death he will become a terrifying legend. This version of i am legend is the third movie adaptation of mathesons novel. How i am legends ending is different in the book screen rant.
I think its just a collection of short stories with the headliner being the most famous. I am legend themes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. As such, its no surprise that the book has been adapted for the big screen, in. Dec 14, 2017 i am legend ending explained by ricky derisz dec. 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. I am personally a huge fan of the book and the themes that book made in the time it came out. I am legends biggest change from the book broke the movie.
The novel is one of my favorite of all time, the inspiration for many a story be it book or movie. There are two camps when it comes to discussing the issue of race in mathesons book. But i went into reading i am legend knowing the ending, knowing the twist. The alternative ending to i am legend is worse than the theatrical one see it after the jump and be amazed at just how even more crap the ending could have been. The book ends with june and day together, running from the law and planning to go to the waterfront to pick up eden before crossing the border and going into colonies territory, which signifies a fresh start for all the characters. It was influential in the development of the zombievampire genre and in popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. 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 movie took all the intelligence out and just made it about the action. It should be noted that both versions of i am legend are pretty much the same, up to one crucial. Is there an i am legend movie that actually preserves the. See the alternate ending for i am legend that was too. In the process, he empowers himself and gives himself a new purpose in life. The first says, man, its just a badass vampire book.
The decision to deviate from mathesons original badass ending to truly engage the. I am legend alternate ending behind the scenes warner bros. Why was there an alternate ending to the movie i am legend. Richard mathesons 1954 novella i am legend is a seminal tale of a man facing a lonely and horrific existence, as a virus has not only wiped out much of. This article is about the 2007 movie i am legend based on the book by the same name, written by richard matheson. The arguments around peter jackson s middle earth adaptations, where there is both heat and light, shows a number of dividing lines. He relieves her of the cure and returns her to the hemocytes.
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. I am legends alternate ending wrapped things up way better. 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 two earlier films are the last man on earth 1964 and the omega man 1971. Published in 1954, acclaimed author richard mathesons novel i am legend is one of the most highly regarded works of apocalyptic fiction to date. The road is a great movie, and very faithful to the book, despite the incredibly depressing, bleak, and. Another adaptation, i am omega 2007, was released direct to dvd. Putting all of that in a movie might not be possible or might not make a good movie, but the alternate ending for this one goes just about as far as it could in one scene. The road is a great movie, and very faithful to the book, despite the incredibly depressing, bleak, and hopeless atmosphere and ending. The movie stars will smith as virologist robert neville, the apparent sole uninfected survivor in a postapocalyptic version of new york city where. 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. Now for a topic thats neither divisive nor prone to eliciting irrational anger and awkward discomfort. 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. The alternative ending to i am legend is worse than the.
So i just finished i am legend by richard matheson. Jun 04, 2011 but when it comes down to it, is the book really better than the movie. Throughout the book, robert neville studies the science of vampirism. 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. None of these movies used the ending of the original novel. 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.
I am legend novel by richard matheson movie directed by francis lawrence. The movie stars will smith as virologist robert neville, the apparent sole uninfected survivor in a postapocalyptic version of new york city where most people are dead, and the. I am omega 2007 a mockbuster of the above by the asylum. Mar 28, 2020 i am both a book lover and a film buff, so i am open to the idea that a film might be better than the book. Richard mathesons 1954 novella i am legend is a seminal tale of a man facing a lonely and horrific existence, as a virus has not only wiped out much of humanity, but it has also turned them into. Although the creatures depicted in the outbreak are technically vampires, mathesons original work is considered by many science fiction and horror fans to be the impetus for the modern zombie horror genre entire, introducing many of its core themes well before. 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. The character has the same name in both the book and the movie. The first time was in 1964 with the last man on earth featuring vincent price, and then in 1971.
Sep 09, 2017 the ending of it explained by amanda june bell sept. The books characters realization of their perspective is the whole point of the book. Mar 05, 2008 now what appears to be the original, alternate ending to i am legend is online. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson. Maybe the grimmest ending of any book if the only version of i am legend you have heard of is the will fresh prince smith film version you are in for a treat. The first time was in 1964 with the last man on earth featuring vincent price, and then in 1971 with the omega man with charlton heston. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson that. Although the creatures depicted in the outbreak are technically vampires, mathesons original work is considered by many science fiction and horror fans to be the impetus for the modern zombie horror genre entire, introducing many of its core themes well before night of the living dead. Richard mathesons i am legend is a masterpiece of horror that has spawned three film adaptations, none of which have quite captured the essence of what makes this book so great.
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. I am legend is brilliant commentary and society and human relationships and, really, the very definition of humanity. I am legend arrives on dvd march 18th, and one of the bonus features is the films darker original ending, which we think is much better than the reshot one they ultimately went with. Mathesons i am legend book ends with robert neville being. The book s characters realization of their perspective is the whole point of the book. 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. In the original i am legend ending, robert neville discovers that he had. But when it comes down to it, is the book really better than the movie. It had several short stories at the end that were unrelated to the original book. In fact, without the original ending, the movies title of i am legend doesnt actually make much sense. The real ending the one in the book written by richard matheson is very different. I have decided to use robert neville from i am legend as the starting point. The 2007 film was partially based on the 1971 film as well. Yesterday, some intrepid soul posted an alternate i am legend ending to youtube.
It couldnt possibly be more different from the way the movie ended in theaters. The book begins with an up close and personal look at robert neville, the last. The darkseeker alpha wipes his own blood onto the glass in the shape of a butterfly. Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville set in new york city after a virus, which was originally created to cure cancer, has wiped out most of mankind, leaving neville as the last human in new york. The original book that led to the movies last man on earth, the omega man and i am legend and have i missed any. The ending of it explained by amanda june bell sept.
The i am legend dvd with this alternate ending included is now available to buy on. Youtube has the ending of the movie i am legend, as it was originally planned. In 1954 richard matheson published i am legend, and since its original run it has been adapted for film a total of four times. I am legend 2007 the basics hopefully all of you know the basic story behind i am legend.
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