Day and june are super smart, and the story is consistently told in a thoughtful and intelligent. I am legend remains a classic and essential piece of modern literature for a reason, and it is nothing short of a masterpiece. Due to this, the new colony of infected sent ruth to investigate neville and possibly convert him. The story is about the last man on earth, robert neville in the year 1975. I am legend is very short, not novel length, only 159 pages long, out of the 312 pages in the book. The year is 1976one year after a deadly plague sweeps the world, killing virtually all human beings. Its as if the screenwriters or director, or producer ran out of ways to wrap it up. Author richard mathesons 1954 horror and science fiction novel, i am legend, originated the zombie genre in both fiction and movies.
I am legend is a 2007 film adaption of the novel of the same name. Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. Alice krippen develops a natural mutating virus that cures cancer. The film was released to theaters on friday, december 14, 2007. Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into. But if you have only seen that will smith movie that went 180 degrees on the books message, the soulcrushing impact of. I did like the story, but one of the biggest bothers for me here was not fully understanding why. They are cannibalistic zombies who have an aversion to light. January, 1976 i am legend opens with robert neville inspecting his house on a cloudy day.
Richard mathesons i am legend has been made into several movies, including the. I am legend almost all stories with the genre dystopian can relate back to the theme loss of humanity in some way. 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. Dec 29, 2006 will smiths i am legend trailer looks interesting, but the book is a lot more entertaining to read than the movie itself. The story stops annoyingly suddenly, as if the rest of it has been missed off. Stokers 1897 gothic horror novel tells the story of the evil count dracula, a vampire who sucks the blood of his victims. Robert neville, as he searches for a cure to a vicious, manmade disease. I am legend 2007 the basics hopefully all of you know the basic story behind i am legend. Immediately download the i am legend summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for. During the beginning of the book, robert constantly tries finding a cure or a way to reverse.
In the old world, vampires were horrific legendary creatures that hunted the living by night. The title i am legend echoes the final line of the book and is a fitting epitaph for robert neville. This summary of i am legend includes a complete plot overview spoilers. Day, a renegade from the streets, and june, an elite student at drake university and the republics shining prodigy. Probably, this movie should be a far more entertainment and quality than 1970s the omega man and 1964s the last man on the earth. I am legend is based on a 1954 richard matheson scifi novel of the same name. 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 movie took all the intelligence out and just made it about the action. I am legend is brilliant commentary and society and human relationships and, really, the very definition of humanity. Will smiths i am legend trailer looks interesting, but the book is a lot more entertaining to read than the movie itself. 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. Legend is told from the perspective of two leading characters. To ask other readers questions about i am legend, please sign up. Jun 04, 2011 but when it comes down to it, is the book really better than the movie.
Background plot summary my background relates to i am legend mostly because the main character of the book is always figure out find a cure for vampirelike creatures parading around his house every night by looking through science books telling about bacteria and dna which is. The novel i am legend 1954, written by american author richard matheson, was adapted for the movie by screenwriters akiva goldsman and mark protosevich. Three years later, new york city is overgrown and abandoned and the only person that is seemingly alive is robert neville. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson that.
Tim the book plotline is so different from the movie, i didnt really have a hard time with it. I am legend, a classic horror novel written in 1954 by richard matheson, helped popularize the zombie genre. Hanging upsidedown for too long can seriously hurt you. Every other man, woman, and child has become a vampire. This man, our protagonist in both the book and film, is robert neville. In the new world, which vampires have inherited, they are hunted by the last living man. The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth 1964, the omega man 1971, and i am. January, 1976 i am legend opens with robert neville inspecting his house on a. The novel has been made into three movies, including omega man 1971 and i am legend 2007. The basis for the film starring academy award nominee will smith, i am legend is a classic of horror and suspense. The first, the true vampires, are corpses reanimated by vampiris. Dr analysis of the classic horror novel, i am legend, by richard matheson.
However, she realizes that he must be executed for the betterment of her people. Immediately download the i am legend summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching i am legend. 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. 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 am legend study guide literature guide litcharts.
The i am legend community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Richard mathesons i am legend has been made into several movies, including the recent will smith movie, and the. The plot sees the sole survivor of a postapocalyptic disease set out to find a cure. I am legend is a novel by richard matheson in which robert neville struggles to survive as the sole remaining. Despite the books popularity in hollywood, neither those first two adaptations nor this most recent one have been completely faithful to mathesons novel. Set after an outbreak of a viral plague that turns both living and dead. The two earlier films are the last man on earth 1964 and the omega man 1971. I am legend i am legend audiobook, by richard matheson. Robert neville however spends almost half a day hanging in an upsidedown position without dying from all the blood flooding in his brain. Thus, the novel concludes with nevilles final thoughts before his execution in the colonys prison. This version of i am legend is the third movie adaptation of mathesons novel. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson. The rest of the book is a collection of short horror stories and not very good ones either.
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 house. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of i am legend by richard matheson. In the end, he confirms that he is the last man of his race, and at his death, he will be a legend, as vampires are now. But if you have only seen that will smith movie that went 180 degrees on the book s message, the soulcrushing impact of these words will be lost on you. Plot summary for i am legend 2007, plus mistakes, quotes, trivia and more. Though he has lost his fear of the vampires, these are afraid of him and want him dead. The book has inspired at least two other films, the last man on earth starring vincent price and the omega man starring charlton heston. 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. Robert neville will smith is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable and manmade. I am legend changed the vampires of the novel to the mindless. The dystopian movie i am legend does not break the stereotype, with this dystopian story being told with loss of humanity as the plot.
I am legend study guide from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. But when it comes down to it, is the book really better than the movie. They are mostly mindless creatures, searching for blood to drink and even resorting to cannibalism when other prey is scarce. 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. As a vampire novel, the touchstone for am legend is, without a doubt, bram stokers dracula a novel which matheson mentions more than once over the course of the book. I am legend is a novel by richard matheson in which robert neville struggles to survive as the sole remaining human in a world overrun by vampires robert neville is the only. I mean, david blane did it for a few minutes before abandonning his act alltogether in front of everyone. Robert neville is supposedly the only survivor on earth of a pandemic that causes its victims to have vampire like symptoms. Still, you cant fault i am legend for trying to be different from the typical action thriller.
Dec, 2007 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. All the same, the story could have been an admirable minor work in the tradition of dracula, if only the author. Differences like the fact that the vampires can talk make this story more compelling as the last man on. 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. 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. So, even if youve watched i am legend with will smith, id suggest you listen or read this book. The film version faithfully adapts parts of the book, but i am legends ending is quite different to the novel, as are its darkseekers, the creatures who are at the center of the story alongside smiths robert neville. In 1954 richard matheson published a groundbreaking story i am legend.
The 2007 film was partially based on the 1971 film as well as the original source. I am legends biggest change from the book broke the movie. The streets are overgrown with weeds, cars are abandoned, the infrastructure is beginning to collapse. Differences between i am legend book vs movie page 1. Alice krippen develops a natural mutating virus that cures.
Theres lessons to be learned about mob behavior and respect for minorities. In the beginning, hes watching his family from afar they think hes dead and he sees that his. 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. The film version faithfully adapts parts of the book, but i am legend s ending. They are humans, both living and undead, who were infected with vampiris. I am legend by richard matheson plot summary litcharts. We see manhattan three years after a deadly virus has killed every healthy human on the island, except one. Or perhaps the film simply doesnt have the same nuances as the richard matheson book on which its based. In i am legend, a plague has decimated the world, and those unfortunate enough to survive are transformed into bloodthirsty creatures of the night. 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. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing i am legend near you. Robert neville is supposedly the only survivor on earth of a pandemic that causes its victims to have vampire.
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