Customer Reviews

Last Man on Earth

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you're looking for the best B/W version of this film on DVD, then either of the two MGM DVD's, is the way to go, but if you want it in colour, then the Legend Films disc is sufficiently colorized for your viewing pleasure.

I have both of the MGM DVD's, and just got in the Legend Film one to do a comparison, seeing as no one else had done one, and I was stupidly enticed by the, 'includes restored original black & white version' that was written on the top of the rather badly done DVD cover (the MGM, The Last Man on Earth movie only edition, has a better cover, still not the greatest, but better than this cover),

Here's the lowdown, it looks like the exact same print was used for all three DVD's, with the exception that the Legend Films picture has a couple of incidental dirt specs removed at the very beginning of the film (like 3 or 4 in a 5 minute span) but in return, the picture is just a touch softer then the MGM image (where as the MGM image quality is very crisp over all) and a slightly tighter frame around the widescreen.

Yes, and erroneously, the DVD cover states the film is full screen, but it's actually the widescreen version in both the B/W and colour versions.

Another problem with the Legend version, is that even though they seem to make a big stink on the cover about the B/W version, in actuality, the B/W movie has a play only option, with no chapter stop menu (although you can skip forward using your remote, at what looks to be around 5 minute increments) and I was unable to use the, 'goto' feature on my remote to jump to a specific time point in the B/W film (the scene select in the DVD menu, only allow you to jump to scenes in the colorized version).

As for the colorized version, the colours are dark pastels, as per most colorized drivel, kind of reminding me of the early 2 strip Technicolor process, used before the 3 strip process was invented, which gave skin tones a tanned, orange/brown look, and muted all of the other colours.

So, the MGM DVD is the way to go for serious lovers of this film, but for novices who might want the novelty of the colorized version, then the Legend DVD is an okay second choice.

Hope this helps :)

Based on Richard Matheson's novel I AM LEGEND; LAST MAN ON EARTH is a sci-fi/horror/morality play starring the inimitable Vincent Price.
Price plays Dr. Robert Morgan; who as you'd guess by the title becomes the last man on Earth after the remainder of the World's population is wiped out by a virus he helped create. Wait, did I say last man? I actually mean last NORMAL man, because Morgan is hiding in isolation with "vampires" outside pining for his blood, because Morgan's own blood contains a special antibody that makes him immune to the virus. To keep from going mad; Morgan lives the past through his home movies and lives with the guilt that among the victims claimed by the virus were his wife and daughter.
This low budget US/Italian co-production predates George Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD by four years, but doesn't get the full respect it deserves. In fact; I think LAST MAN ON EARTH is far superior, more intelligent and scarier than NOTLD. Bet you won't guess the twist in the tale.
This was later remade as THE OMEGA MAN with Charlton Heston (which I haven't seen yet) and several years back Arnie Schwarzenegger was to have starred in a remake which never saw the light of day. Despite being made four decades ago, LAST MAN ON EARTH can stand alongside other SF/horror classics like INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS and THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL as one of the best genre movies of its era.

This movie, based on the Richard Matheson novel "I am Legend", concerns scientist, Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) who, while trying to find a cure for a deadly airborne virus, becomes the last living man on Earth. Unfortunately for him, some of the dead have come back as vampires, and he makes it his mission to hunt and kill every one he finds. The vampires surround his house at dawn and torment him by night. Surprising events unfold which culminate in a revelation that could destroy him....

The film is a Digitally Remastered Widescreen version of the film, letting you see the film in it's original Aspect Ratio. Madacy did a great job remastering this film. The picture is excellent, with not a flaw to be seen anywhere. The audio, in Dolby Digital, was very good too, but there is no Closed Captioning in English available, which would have been nice. Vincent Price gives a good performance as the title character and most of the cast is good, although I found the performances by the actors playing the vampires somewhat "lifeless" (no pun intended). One thing I didn't care for was the montage scenes of Vincent killing the vampires -- they had a rushed feeling. Had the film been longer, it would have allowed the director to film more graphic scenes, which would have increased the impact. Also, Price seems awkward in the film's action scenes, especially the vampire attack scenes.

The menu of the DVD is very simple and straightforward, offering easy access to the movie and all it's features. These include a biography of Vincent Price, the original lobby poster for the film, direct access to individual scenes, an interactive trivia quiz, and finally, original horror movie trailers from the 1950's. However, it does not feature the original trailer for the main film, as is indicated on the back of the DVD, but the trailers that are there are classic!

"The Last Man On Earth" is a good, but not great, horror film. This film predates "The Night Of The Living Dead" by five years and may have inspired George Romero to make that movie. This movie, however, gives you food for thought in regards to the consequences of one's actions, and has an unforgettable ending.

This film was remade in 1971 with Charlton Heston under the title "The Omega Man" I've read some of the reviews for both the original and the remake on the Internet Movie Database and people seem to prefer the original.

If you're looking for a thought-provoking horror film (how many of those do you see nowadays?) based on the novel of a great writer like Matheson, give this one a try!

For $...- this film is an absolute steal for horror fans - and also for those who are fond of film symbolism.

The Bad

Obvious budget problems, some hooky dubbing voices, continuity errors such as having night and day appear in the same scene and some questionable acting. - But not by Vincent! Due to the flaws the film might elicit laughs by indiscriminate viewers. Just avoid watching the film with these types - we all know who they are.

The Good

The film has many noire elements: the despairing, unstable, confused loner, deserted streets, a voice over narration describing the inner world of the protagonist and a fem-fatale. The film takes place in a modern post apocatalypitc Las Angeles but there are abundant elusions to the dark ages of medieval Europe: spears as weapons, paranoia, fear of the supernatural, plague victims, wrong headed crusaders, and vehicles carrying the dead to be consumed by fiery pits. The story has all the plot points of a religious allegory and on top of all this it's a horror movie. There is an outstanding - one man show - performance by Price - Price plays his character as if he were a 120 year old man in a forty year old body- tired worn out frustrated, angry, depressed, moping, hunched shouldered and dug deeply into the worst nightmarish rut imaginable. His only activities are to go out by day and destroy former victims of the plague now turned into goulash vampires - By night he boards up his house and drinks himself into a stupor. The original story by "I am Legend" Richard Matheson was very good to begin with but the Last Man on Earth screenplay adds more symbolism, which gives the film additional depth. Much of the film is told in flash backs which reveal all the hero's errors in judgment. Last Man On Earth is a moody, dark, compelling nightmare.

This DVD version is from very good film stock My only complaint is that it apears as if the DVD may have been dubbed form a very good VHS print Other then this the film stock is almost flawless for an old movie- but know the film always had an appropriate gritty, documentary, black and white, look and sound.

Maybe the DVD does not deserve 5 stars but- but because of the films depth in story, Prices performance, pathos, intelligence and symbolism along with being a very good horror film ...! I cannot give this DVD anything but 5 starts. Absolutely no one who loves Vincent Price or, horror films should pass this up!

The Last Man on Earth is based on Richard Matheson's incredible novel I Am Legend, in my opinion the second best vampire novel ever written. Vincent Price does not really fit the image I had in mind from the novel, but there can be no doubt that he gives a remarkable performance here and makes the role his own. It's a rather somber tale. Price plays Morgan, a man left completely alone in the world by a plague that wiped out the rest of the population, including his wife and young daughter, three years earlier. The virus behind the plague was a vampiric bacillus, so all of the people who died and were not destroyed by fire have come back as vampires. Luckily for Morgan, the vampires are quite weak and simple-minded, for they attack his fortified home every night in an effort to get in and kill him. By day, Morgan goes out hunting the walking nightmares and driving stakes through their hearts, but there are so many that the project seems almost futile. Midway through the movie, we are treated to a pretty extended set of flashbacks to the early days of the virus and the deaths of Morgan's wife and daughter. Toward the end, Morgan is shocked to find a woman wandering outside during the day, the first human being he has seen in three years. He takes her home with him and thus sets the stage for the movie's memorable climax.

Obviously, Vincent Price carries this movie on his own back, given the fact that the vast majority of the action takes place around him and no one else. He plays things rather subtly for the most part, which I found quite effective. His memories make him laugh sometimes, but Price's signature laugh evolves quite effectively into sobs of anger and frustration. The most poignant moments of the film, in my opinion, come when Morgan finds a dog outside his house, the first living creature he has seen in three years. The dog initially runs away from him in fear, but the suffering creature eventually comes back. Morgan cleans him and fixes up his wounds, but the new friendship he exults over soon becomes just another tragedy. The movie doesn't dwell on the dog episode nearly so much as Matheson does in his novel, and for this I am grateful because I find it rather heartbreaking. The little dog gives an incredible performance, but as is so often the case the canine actor does not even merit a mention in the credits.

The Last Man on Earth really is a remarkably good movie and really showcases the immense acting abilities of Vincent Price. I wish it would have delved into the science of the virus much more intensely than it did; the scientific aspects of Matheson's story are what make it such a phenomenally good vampire novel. The inner turmoil and chaotic nature of Morgan's thoughts cannot really be presented effectively on film, nor can the actions and motives of some of the other players in the drama be thoroughly understood. The script writers did take some liberties with the concluding scenes, but it is really for the best because the novel's conclusion would not have worked in this medium without the audience being given a much more penetrating look into the minds and motives of the characters involved. Some might find the movie creepy, but there is really nothing here that will disturb the timid viewer-the camera never actually shows any of the gruesome acts that tend to be committed by human beings against vampires and vice versa. Somber and depressing as it can be, The Last Man on Earth is the type of distinguished horror movie that appeals in some way to just about everyone.

Legend Films presents "THE LAST MAN ON EARTH" (8 March 1964) (86 mins) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- now in COLOR and Glorious Black and White --- This is a great film to watch alone --- Horror veteran Vincent Price plays Dr. Robert Morgan, a desperate and lonely man who's left alone in an apocalyptic world; A world ruled by zombie-like vampires as a result of a widespread plague --- These vampire zombies are highly reminiscent of George Romero's walking dead in "Night of the Living Dead" ---. Price does a remarkable job interacting with practically nothing --- He's alone throughout the majority of the film --- His performance largely carries this low budget film from director Ubaldo Ragona --- When you watch the movie alone, you really feel where his character is coming from and a sense of hopelessness is established --- The Last Man on Earth is really a thought provoking classic --- I recommend it be watched with Charlton Heston's The Omega Man to see another take on the same story (both were based on Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend").

Under the production staff of:
Ubaldo Ragona - Director
Sidney Salkow - Director
Robert L. Lippert - Producer
William Leicester - Screenwriter
Richard Matheson - Screenwriter / Book Author
Franco Delli Colli - Cinematographer
Paul Sawtell - Composer (Music Score)
Bert Shefter - Composer (Music Score)
Gene Ruggiero - Editor
Giorgio Giovannini - Art Director
Harold E. Knox - Associate Producer
Pier Antonio Mecacci - Makeup
Jane Huizenga - Production Director
David D. Martin - Technical Director

Story line and plot, Dr. Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) as the sole and devastated survivor of a deadly plague that exterminated the entire human race, including his own wife and daughter --- Price due to his immunity to the lethal germs, he's the only one to fight victims who return in the shape of vampire/zombie like creatures --- Even though it has already been 3 years, Morgan desperately continues his search for other survivor --- This is one of the most impressive performances Price ever brought to the screen, and a lot more difficult than his usual roles of villains and madmen --- Judging by today's standards, I guess the film looks very dated and you can't really refer to the tame 'vamp zombies' as threatening anymore --- But the empty streets and depressing cities still are the ultimate in eeriness! --- this also was an immensely influential film --- You can't watch 'Last man on Earth' without being reminded of George A. Romero's milestone genre film 'Night of the Living Dead'. If you then realize this movie was made 4 years before Romero's classic, you can't but reckon the underrated brilliance of this film --- The same hopelessness aspect that made Romero's film so tense features HERE first, in 'Last Man on Earth'! --- This production offers an ideal proportion of frights and sentiments, luckily without too many tedious scientific speeches or faked drama. 'Last Man on Earth' has to be seen by every SF/horror fan on this planet --- For some reason this is one of the most underrated genre efforts ever, and that urgently has to change --- Legend Films has made that change.

the cast includes:
Vincent Price ... Dr. Robert Morgan
Franca Bettoia ... Ruth Collins
Emma Danieli ... Virginia Morgan
Giacomo Rossi-Stuart ... Ben Cortman
Umberto Raho ... Dr. Mercer
Christi Courtland ... Kathy Morgan
Antonio Corevi ... Governor (as Tony Corevi)
Ettore Ribotta ... TV Reporter (as Hector Ribotta)
Rolando De Rossi

BIOS
1. Vincent Price
Date of Birth: 27 May 1911 - St. Louis, Missouri
Date of Death: 25 October 1993 - Los Angeles, California

SPECIAL FEATURES:
1. It Happened in Hollywood (hosted by Vincent Price)
2. Legend Films Trailers

The complete print was restored and colorized by Legend Films, using the latest technology --- Although the Legend Films release was advertised under its reissue title, both the color and black and white prints featured the original title and opening credits --- Legend Films can restore, colorize and release many of the classic earliest black and white films --- a patented coloring and remastering process makes each film picture perfect plus more vivd than ever --- no one can resist collecting every title that Legend Films releases.

Hats off and thanks to Barry B. Sandrew Ph.D. (Founder, COO & CTO) and his Legend Films Staff --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage era of the '20s, '30s & '40s --- order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on DVD --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Legend Films where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector.

Total Time: 86 mins on DVD ~ Legend Films. ~ (10/21/2008)

this is the 1st filmed version of Richard Matheson's novel entitled I
am legend.the 2nd film version(which i have yet to see)is called The
Omega men,starring Charlton Heston.the 3rd version is the recently
released film starring Will Smith,also entitled I am Legend,which i
pretty much hated.as for this 1st version,starring Vincent Price,i
thought it was fantastic.there are some great moments of suspense and a
real sense of emptiness and desolation.Vincent Price is great here in a
non villain role.you can really see the hopelessness and despair he
feels.i thought the ending was very good.the only complaint i have
about this particular version is it has a few slow
moments.otherwise,though,like i said,it's fantastic. 5/5*

I watched this movie in my composition II class at USF and I really enjoyed. I wrote the following paper regarding the underlying religious symbolism throughout the movie. It was very well done for its time and I would definitely recommend it.

Robert Morgan, who is the main character and in fact "the last man on earth," survives a certain plague-type epidemic that engulfs almost everyone on the face of the planet. Morgan lives day by day throughout the movie in fear for his life and preparing for the sun to set and the defense to go up. The virus affects humans by turning them into zombie-like vampires that only emerge at night to feed on fresh blood and spread the disease into the healthy population. Morgan just so happens to be the last man untouched by the sickness which has a symbol in itself. The writer intends to portray Morgan as Jesus, the Jewish savior for which Christianity is based on. Jesus was thought of as a threat to the Jews during his time. His religious beliefs that he was the son of God angered the Jewish people greatly. They looked at him, as what would be equivalent to in this day and age, a cult leader. Morgan is by no means portrayed as a cult leader but he is in fact the only man left who is healthy and in the right state of mind. Everyone is after to kill him because they looked at him as dangerous and a threat to their existence. This resemblance could be built upon the writer's intentions on comparing Jews to zombies who are out to eliminate anyone that doesn't conform to their beliefs.

Morgan holds a cure to the virus, his blood. It's yet another symbolic approach to the pro-Christian ideology intended by the writer. Morgan's blood is "pure," immune to the virus and the key to saving human existence. Robert Morgan developed immunity to the virus during a fever he obtained which made his blood very valuable to the infected. The zombies did not see this and continued to pursue his extermination. According the Bible, Jesus had the power to heal the sick and helpless. The correlation between Jesus' special ability and Morgan's unique blood draws a holy characteristic in Morgan. He is very much portrayed as a modern day Jesus in this fashion.

As the movie progresses towards the end, the religious affiliation is very evident. Morgan learns of the infected people that have been taking an injection to help house the virus from fully affecting them, turning them into blood thirsty zombies. These infected people now see him as a threat since he has been eliminating them, not knowing that they have found a way to sustain the virus. Morgan's actions at this point are much like that of Jesus'. Morgan was only trying to eliminate the zombies, not innocent people. He didn't understand that his actions were being shunned upon by the "healthy" infected group. He even goes about transfusing his blood to the infected woman he meets, making her immune. The correlation with Jesus here is that Jesus was only doing what he believed. He didn't mean to harm anyone, but the majority of the population looked down on his beliefs and actions and still persecuted him. The infected party didn't want to give him a chance, or even explain to him that they found a way to control the virus. This similarity may not be very clear on the surface but the facts between these two ideas are strikingly similar.

The religious symbolism even expands out past the portrayal of Robert Morgan as Jesus. As Ruth enters the picture, so do the symbols of Jesus' once loyal friend turned betrayer, Judas. Ruth, who is part of the "healthy" infected population, runs into Morgan out during the bright hours of the day. Morgan is shocked by the sight of a healthy woman. It's no coincidence that she just happens to run into him as she makes it appear because we soon learn of her deadly role. Ruth is acting as a spy for the infected population hoping to find some information on Robert Morgan to eliminate him. Morgan takes the woman into his home and cares for her. He even goes about transfusing his blood to her body to destroy the virus in her. Ruth realizes Morgan's value and good intentions and this specific detail is very symbolic of religion. According to the bible, Jesus cared for Judas as did Morgan cared for Ruth. Judas then turns his back on Jesus to collect an award for information on Jesus. After Judas does this he then realizes what he has done and tries to stop the Jews from arresting Jesus. Ruth in turn, tries to save Morgan as Judas did. She tries to explain the good to the people against him but no one will listen. Jesus and Morgan both suffer death because of the betrayal of a friend and misunderstanding of a population.

The death of Robert Morgan is the most powerful and religious attribute throughout the entire movie. Any doubt of the presence of religion will sure be over ruled by these scenes. Moments before he is executed by the infected group, he is seen fleeing from them, trying to escape. He tries to seek refuge in the closest, safest building which just so happens to be a church. However, this church was not able to bring help to him. He was already marked for death and the infected followed him right into the church and up to the altar. There he stands, facing the group, above them all on the alter. This scene is the most religious symbol present in this movie. He is about to be executed like Jesus, above the enemies, just as if he were on a cross. He is then hit with a spear in the chest and collapses at the foot of the altar.

The film The Last Man on Earth and its contemporaries, Brides of Dracula, Blood and Roses, Black Sunday, and Dracula, Prince of Darkness, each portray vampires in a slightly different way, yet there is a common thread in each film. These films are variations, to some extent, of the original Dracula movie that was released in 1931. This film has greatly influenced the portrayal of vampires on the big screen in its predecessors, then and today.

In the original Dracula film, the unblinking Count Dracula is, at first glance, a dark, debonair and dashing gentleman. Unlike the vampires in The Last Man on Earth, he appears to be a normal person in that there is no indication that he is deceased. As the movie progresses, his disturbingly inhuman qualities surface, making him a truly frightening individual. He bites his victims on the neck to drain their blood. At various times during the film, he changes from a human to a bat. He has to sleep in a coffin containing dirt from his homeland. He retreats from garlic and crosses. In order for him to enter a home, he must be invited in. He has no reflection in a mirror and is killed by being impaled with a wooden stake through the heart. There is also the stereotypical plot of the hero and his love interest, usually his fiancée, whom Dracula seems bent on adding to his harem of the dead. The hero has rescue his love and this usually leads to a showdown between man and monster, with the monster losing.

In the film Brides of Dracula, the depiction of vampires is similar in nature. The vampire bites his victims on the neck, and he is terminated by a wooden stake through the heart. Blood and Roses, released in 1961, has a slightly different theme. It is an adaptation of the novel Carmilla. In this film, the vampire is female. Her spirit inhabits the body of one of her relatives and in that way, she is reborn. Black Sunday runs along the same lines with the lead vampire being female, but it has a little twist. In addition to being a vampire, she is also a witch. Princess Asa (the vampire) is sentenced to be burned at the stake by her own brother. As her body is consumed by the flames, Asa brandishes her future relatives with a curse. After she is killed, her body is buried in a crypt, with her coffin guarded by a cross to keep her from rising again. 200 years later, the cross is damaged and she rises from the dead. Much like in Blood and Roses, she takes a female victim, who is a relative, and tries to take over her body. In Blood and Roses, the victim was willing and accepted the take over. In Black Sunday, the victim is taken forcefully and will be killed to renew Asa's life force. She is found out, and stopped before her victim is killed.

Dracula, Prince of Darkness has all of the clichés common to vampire movies of this period: the dashing gentleman, the coffins, the transformation from man to bat, etc. Even the plot has a similar theme. Hero, his fiancée, and friends stay in a foreboding castle-like home, against the warnings of the townspeople. Come to find out, the home is the final resting place of Dracula. He is resurrected and the chaos begins. Of course, Dracula captures the hero's fiancée with the plans of making her one of his own. A showdown ensues with Dracula once again being put to death. In this film, however, it is not by the stake. Dracula meets his demise in a frozen river when the local clergy realizes that the water flowing under the ice is fatal to vampires.

The portrayal of vampires in The Last Man on Earth is much different from any other vampire movie produced at this time. The characters become vampires through a disease rather than getting bit; though those that do not already have the virus can become a vampire if bitten by an infected person. They are more like zombies than vampires. The viewer can tell by their appearance, walk and speech that they are dead. Unlike the other vampire movies, the vampires remain in their human form (if you care to call it that) rather than transforming into bats. They are allergic to garlic rather than afraid of it. They are averse to mirrors, though they can see (as can the viewer) their reflections. The main character, Morgan, uses the garlic, mirrors, and crucifixes more like a shield. In Dracula, these same items almost seem to frighten the Count. A select group of those that have contracted the disease find a way to curb the affects of the illness in that they do not appear as the others do. They are able to function normally and are only mildly allergic to garlic. The affect of crosses on this group obvious in the last scene of the movie where they are all gathered in a church in that they are not affected. None of those infected with the virus are required to sleep in coffins to regenerate, as do vampires in the other films, though they do sleep during the day and are very adverse to daylight. They are put down with a stake through the heart just like in the other films.

The differences in these movies are what made them appealing to movie audiences years ago. But there also needs to be an element of continuity to the characteristics of the monster. Constant changes and inconsistent distinctive qualities make the monster less believable. The different variations in each film kept the viewers interested and coming back for more. Dracula had the dashing gentleman who "vanted to suck your blood." The Last Man on Earth had vampire zombies who stalked the streets at night, calling for the only person left that was not already a member of their horde.

So great, an "OWN IT" rating. The scenes, the mood, the story, the living dead..younger fans-dont let the name Vincent Price steer you clear from this movie, he is brilliant as the last surviving man after a world wide plague kills everyone. Now, so you will always trust my reviews, here is the only caveat, the ending...no matter how many times I watch it, I always get let-down with the ending..I always think it will change...now that's a good movie!!!!