The Last Man on Earth

Having seen dozens of Vincent Price films over the years, I was surprised to realize I had never seen this classic. A wild, eerie schlock-fest, this re-telling of Matheson's "I Am Legend" comes across as a truly nightmarish tale, albeit not without some faults. The title succinctly explains the entire plot of the film and the book upon which its based. What isn't explained in the title is that the last man on Earth now finds himself fending off legions of roving monsters - ex-humans who now thirst for blood. The film, which is set in small-town America but obviously filmed overseas, walks a thin line between creepy and silly. The "vampires" thud against Price's front door like mindless zombies, chanting "Come out" over and over. One viewer might find the image and accompanying, hollow voice quite horrifying, while another could easily see it as low-budget campiness. While I loved seeing Price bed down for the night with a cup of tea and loud jazz music while the monsters mindlessly attack the exterior of his house, the image is equally ridiculous if one tries to take it seriously in the context of the film. Surprisingly enough, I found this film to pale in comparison to 2007's I Am Legend, starring Will Smith. Not one to enjoy modern remakes, I found this superior feature captured the emptiness of Matheson's classic novel with much more tenacity. While the first film version of this book is still a fun ride, I am surprised to recommend the latest version of this story with a bit more enthusiasm.

I've never read Richard Matthieson's novel, I Am Legend, but know some of his short stories and his work on The Twilight Zone has been consistently admirable. This thing eludes me. The pace is slow, the exposition clotted, the acting below par, and the story depressing. It wasn't until the climax that I realized I'd seen it when it was first released. Not that it made enough of an impression for the film as a whole to be registered in my long-term memory, but I recognized it at once when Vincent Price is trying to escape the mutants and is pelting them with grenades. And I remembered thinking in the theater, "Santa Maria, he's not throwing them like baseballs, he's throwing them like DARTS!" It's not so much that Vincent Price was effete. I mean, the man had fine taste in art and wrote a splendid book of recipes, even though his editor got the ingredients for eggplant parmigiana all fouled up. (Take a second look at the amount of breadcrumbs called for.) It's that Price's range as an actor was limited. I know. Everybody's range is limited. (Woody Allen as Julius Caesar?) But this weak story calls for a dramatic actor of some magnitude as its central figure if the film is to be lifted out of the dismal. It doesn't have much else going for it. Or maybe it's that the story itself, despite its authorship, just doesn't translate well to the screen. The end of the world is one thing. Nice possibilities there, though most of them have already been explored. But must the dead turn into flesh-eating zombies too? That's George Romero territory. And they are afraid of garlic, can't look into mirrors, will die only with a wooden stake through the heart, and only come out at night? Clichés -- every single trait -- after Bram Stoker. Why didn't somebody throw in the crucifix business or a Mogen David? Set the movie in Teheran and have Price spend the whole time searching for some object to turn into a Crescent. Who are these walking dead anyway? They don't rot. They feel sensations because when Price slams a door on one of their arms they howl with pain. And why the wooden stake when thousands of them have just been tossed safely into a fire and meet their personal end? And the mutants machine gun a few who seem to die in proper cinematic fashion. And what do they all have against Vincent Price anyway? Did they run up against the typos in his cookbook? I don't know. Many other viewers seem to think this is a cult film. I've never understood exactly what a "cult film" was. "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" certainly qualified because attending a showing dressed in outrageous gear was a rite of intensification -- at least it was at the Chestnut Theater in San Francisco when I saw it. And I suppose others might be "cult films" if they were minor and unrecognized masterpieces of the genre. "The Last Man on Earth," though, seems to me to be only minor and unrecognized -- period.

Of the three films based on I Am Legend, The Last Man on Earth is my personal favourite. I also liked The Omega Man, though didn't care for the 2007 film I Am Legend. This futuristic horror is very engrossing stuff, slowly paced yet deliberately so with an ending that has always moved me. There may be lapses in logic in the script, however so much compensates. The sets and filming are minimalistic and stark, and this approach adds much to the apocalyptic feel of the story. The score is haunting, the creatures are appropriately creepy, the film is beautifully directed and the story is full of suspenseful yet beautiful atmosphere. Vincent Price here gives one of his more restrained performances, often interacting to little or nothing, very different from the arch yet sympathetic roles that show him at his very best. While also stoic and vulnerable, he shows terror and despair brilliantly. All in all, engrossing with a different but wonderful performance from Price and a real sense of atmosphere. 9/10 Bethany Cox

The great Vincent Price has starred in many essential Horror films that qualify as masterpieces, and "The Last Man On Earth" of 1964 is doubtlessly one of his most memorable films. "The Last Man On Earth" is the only Horror film the World's greatest Horror actor (and my personal all-time favorite actor), Vincent Price, ever made in the greatest Horror-country, Italy (actually, it's an Italian/American co-production), and this is certainly not the only memorable fact about the film. Directed by the under-appreciated Ubaldo Ragona, who sadly directed only four other films, none of which became a success, "The Last Man On Earth" predates George A. Romero's Horror milestone "Night Of The Living Dead" by four years, and it can easily be cited as the famous Zombie flick's main inspiration. But not only is the film one of the most important origins of the modern Zombie film, out of all films I've seen, this one is probably THE film that has the most realistic atmosphere of the apocalypse. The horrifying idea of being the last person alive on Earth is brought to screen in a brilliantly menacing manner, and Vincent Price was the perfect man to play the role. A mysterious epidemic has exterminated mankind, leaving the immune Dr. Robert Morgan (Price) behind as the sole survivor. Morgan, whose wife and daughter were, as anybody else, killed by the plague, is in desperate search for another person alive. He is also desperate to defend himself, as the plague victims come back from the dead by night, longing for the blood of the living - his... The film is the first adaptation of Robert Matheson's novel "I Am Legend". The story was re-filmed as "The Omega Man" with Charleton Heston, which is decent, but way inferior to this one and, more recently as "I am Legend" starring Will Smith, which I haven't seen (and probably never will). This first, and incomparably brilliant film is a must-see for everyone interested in motion pictures. Maybe more than any other film, this proves what a brilliant actor Price was. His desperation, his monologues,... no other actor could have possibly played this role as ingeniously as Price does. There is a constant feeling of doom, the atmosphere is menacing and apocalyptic beyond comparison, yet "The Last Man On Earth" is a compelling Drama just as much as it is a stunning Horror/Sci-Fi flick. The exploration of Robert Morgan's psyche, and his longing for the company of a fellow being is maybe more significant an aspect of the film than the fact that he has to fight off the vampire-zombies that the victims have become. The living dead here are not yet the brainless flesh-eaters of later Zombie flicks, but basically thinking people who happen to crave for blood. The film's black and white cinematography is as amazing as the the story itself - Seeing Vincent Price drive his car through the empty streets is one of the great pictures in 60s Horror cinema. This film is simply amazing in all aspects. Incredible film!

Dissatisfied with the washed-out version I'd nabbed for a dollar at the local Sprawl Mart (you can't beat the price- unless you get it fer free), I was contemplating plunking down the exorbitant asking price (about five bucks, U.S.) at my usual supplier when Fate stepped in (and Turner Classic Movies) and it turned up on cable. The pristine print was even shown in all its widescreen glory. Well, maybe "glory" isn't the right word... After all, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH just happens to be one of the worst movies ever made- in a laugh-out-loud it's so bad kind of way. (And, just in case you were wondering: I was looking for a decent copy to reassure myself that the film was, indeed, as bad as I thought it was and that my dissatisfaction had nothing whatsoever to do with the pathetic quality of the disc I'd bought.) The superior print aired on TCM did nothing to change my mind. I can't begrudge another viewer his/her opinion. Speaking only for myself: I wouldn't run this one in a post-apocalyptic theater if I were the last man on Earth... To say that it's an odd little film is an understatement. It's so downright amateurish in its execution that it's little wonder that Matheson chose to slap his "Logan Swanson" monicker on it. (In fact, I'm surprised he allowed even that- but it was his book they ravaged, after all, and, I'm sure, he needed a pseudonym to protect his royalties, et al.) Vincent Price (the villain you love to hate) was badly miscast: when he tosses a carton of orange juice aside, he does so with more than just a hint of a limp wrist. A far cry, indeed, from the two-fisted survivor of the book- who, when driven to the edge by the nightly depredations of the living dead, throws open his front door and comes out blasting. When his guns prove ineffectual, he resorts to some down-and-dirty hand-to-hand combat. (Read the book and see.) I must confess that I wept when I heard the news of Vincent Price's death, but I cringe when I watch his performance in THE LAST MAN ON EARTH. That one rests on the shoulders of the folks who turned the scariest novel of all time into a cornballer.

Made four years before Night of the Living Dead, The Last Man on Earth tells a very similar story. Based on Richard Matheson's novel "I Am Legend", the film tells the tale of a terrible plague that has wiped out all of mankind and replaced them with vampire-zombie like creatures. Well, it's almost wiped mankind out - one man, Vincent Price, still remains. Now that he has inherited the Earth, the last surviving human has to hunt these creatures by day and then hole up in his house during the night. Vincent Price says most of dialogue in voice over, which gives this apocalyptic horror film a great element of pessimism, which is essential in order for the film to work. The way that Price reads his lines is done in such a way that it seems he has simply given up all hope, and this helps the tragic element of the movie, which is this film's main backbone. The dreary black and white cinematography helps this element of the film also, as it adds the degree of hopelessness and pessimism, which this story thrives on. Quite how this film has reached the ripe old age of forty and still not garnered the praise and respect it deserves is beyond me. While Night of the Living Dead deserves the praise for 'really' creating the zombie movie that we all now know and love, this film got the theme first, and thus deserves it's place in the annals of film history. The story, even without the horror of the zombie creatures, still makes for fascinating food for thought. The idea of being left all alone on the Earth is simultaneously fascinating and horrifying, and by showing us the things that the protagonist has do every day to ward off the vampires (mirrors and garlic on the doors, hunting them by day), along with such quotes as "another day to live through" show the true horror of the idea behind the film. Of course, Vincent Price is one of the greatest actors of all time and his presence in the movie is easily one of the highlights. Price's great screen presence helps to offset the obvious low budget of the film and even during the slower moments, The Last Man on Earth still ensures that we are interested in what's going on, just by the fact that Price is there. On the whole, this is an extraordinarily brilliant film and one that deserves your viewing!

Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) is the last man on earth. After everyone else dies off from a weird vampire virus (or becomes a weird vampire), he is left as the only human to try and stop the vampire menace. Little does he know there might be other survivors. Based on the story "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson ("What Dreams May Come", "Stir of Echoes"), this film really nails the story. Some liberties are taken (as is true with any film), and for some reason the main character is Robert Morgan rather than Robert Neville, but that is a trifle. Vincent Price has always been consistently a great actor, particularly in horror and science fiction. This role is no exception. Although half of the film relies on voice-overs rather than dialog (because who is Robert going to talk to?), his chilling tone fills the air with a mood that only Vincent Price can master. (Ask yourself: who else has such a voice that its very tone can carry a picture? I mean, look at the "Thriller" music video.) I first watched this on the very cheap Treeline copy of the DVD, but despite the inferior picture and sound (the MGM "Special Edition" copies are crisp and a must-own), you just know this is a solid film. The plot is good, the order the story is told -- non-linear -- works very well for exposing the situation and background, even pulling off a flashback of nearly a half hour. All questions are answered, or at least attempted -- food, gasoline, the source of the vampire plague. It all seems to have a good and reasonable explanation. It seems natural to want to compare this to "Omega Man", the 1970s remake with Charlton Heston. And one can make that comparison, but they are almost two entirely different films. The basic premise is the same -- one lone man who can cure the vampire plague -- but that is about it. The entire feel is different, and the cult/vampire situation is similar but notably different at the same time (with the 1960s cult coming across more like zombies than vampires, really). This is a film you have to see. All horror fans must see this, especially if they plan to see the 2007 remake with Will Smith (which I was not looking forward to but was actually alright). And especially if you love George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead", which is directly influenced by this. But even film fans in general might enjoy this, as I think the story here is quite pleasing, even if you do not care for horror. Vincent Price and Giacomo Rossi-Stuart can do no wrong (especially when they are working with Richard Matheson's material -- the Poe adaptations are all pure gold). Very highly recommended.

This movie's copyright has expired and it can be downloaded from several places around the internet legally, so I recently picked it up. I am a fan of post-apocalyptic movies, but I believe anyone who has a decent attention span will appreciate this flick, as my girlfriend did who is not necessarily into these types of films. The plot is just as the title states, Vincent Price is the last man left on Earth (as far as he knows). A plague wiped out the planet and he is left to make a life out of what is left behind. The first half of this movie is entirely spent building up the character Price plays while the second half is spent moving through the main plot of the film. This is what I refer to in my summary..the cinematography..the fact that five minutes can go by without a piece of dialog and still captivate you is something lost in todays films. Whereas today's movies do more hand holding of the viewer, this film leaves your mind to wander and fantasize. That is what does it for me and probably many people. It is a soulful movie filled with thought. Price's character finds a place of piety in the viewer's heart and you pull for him throughout. I recommend this movie to anyone looking for something in the genre of just interested in seeing a different style of film making from a bygone era. Time well spent with this one folks.

Too bad Morgan didn't have a flame thrower. I'm a bit conflicted about this movie. The use of Zombie-pires just...Well, let's suffice it to say these are neither vampires of legend, nor zombies. They are some mixed up criss-cross of the two. At least, you can see where "28 Days" originated. This is supposed to be a thought-provoking remake of the 1924 film of the same title. While Vincent Price's performance is nothing less than his usual brilliance, this movie just didn't make the cut. Night of the Living Dead, an obvious rip off of this movie, while much better done, had the obvious advantage of having this work from which to spring board itself. If it did nothing more than spawn the Romero run of Zombie flicks, it did its part in the field of horror. But it also had loads of heavy atmosphere and some really decent (if a bit contrived) devices. Morgan, a research scientist loses his wife and child to a deadly virus which is spreading across the planet like a hideous tsunami. Soon, he seems to be the only survivor of this plague. He fills his days with needful tasks, and his nights in a terror-drenched melancholy. If he'd had a flame thrower, he may have had a better time of it. It rates a 3.2/10 from... the Fiend :.

I like this film, and definitely associate it with my childhood, via the inside cover of an old issue of Famous Monsters that pictured a vampire arm groping around the door for Vincent Price. I gazed at that photo as the magazine wore out, for years before I actually got to see the film. Vincent Price is always good to see. But as he is not a terribly physical actor, he looks awkward doing some of the things he is called on to do here, like dragging a body to the edge of a pit and heaving it in, pounding a stake into a vampire heart, or hurling a mirror across the room in disgust and despair. Not standing about with cocktail in hand, dressed to the nines and oozing wicked sophistication, he looks about as out of place as Cary Grant would setting a trash can out at the curb. I ask, in the title of this review, if we like this film "for all the wrong reasons" because, inescapably, I find it pitched at a sort of self-pity, tapping into the allure of images of yourself alone at the center of the human universe, of satisfied contemplation of the stupid folly of Man the Scientist, the Politician, the Warrior, that will bring the end of his own species. --In a word, it seems to inhabit a place that is the near-exclusive province of the truly isolated, disaffected and fantasy-prone adolescent. Being aware of this demographic skew doesn't invalidate the real and strong emotional place the film creates and enables anybody else to inhabit. But I do wonder about the effusive, near-idolatrous over-analysis this film has been known to elicit. I think it would be a pity if, through the growing cult of this film, we come to be less moved by horror --the whole precept on which Matheson's novel and the film are based-- than seduced by the film's image of post-apocalyptic solitude, which can lapse into full-blown gloating misanthropy with just a slight nudge. I find Last Man oppressively tragic and sobering and depressing-- and always, always utterly absorbing. Even tenth time watched, it feels like you are watching your own funeral, listening to nothing less than taps being sounded for your own species. This is, not to be too glib, the films greatest strength AND weakness.