The Story: 1968, three years after mankind was wiped out by a strange disease. Robert Morgan, a former scientist, is the sole survivor. He spends his nights barricaded in his house while the remnants of humanity, transformed into vampires by the disease, come howling at his door. During the day, Morgan combs the city in an effort to destroy the vampires.
In 1954, budding writer Richard Matheson wrote a book called "I Am Legend", which became one of the best sci-fi / horror novels ever made. There have been three different films adapted from the book, this film being the first. Matheson wrote the script himself. The film was originally planned to have been made by the British Hammer studios but was canned when it ran into censorship problems. As a result, the Italians took the script & filmed it on the cheap. Where, I hear you ask? In Italy, of course! While this film may have been made on the cheap, as a horror film it does succeed on it's own, limited terms. There is a certain effectiveness to have Vincent Price going about his daily routine, if you call what he does routine, going to a deserted supermarket to replenish his garlic supply, making stakes on a wood lathe, then searching the city, killing vampires as they sleep. The film does have the usual problems associated with many low-budget films, with sound drop-outs, poor continuity & awkward pauses on the soundtrack. The film also preserves the book's ending intact.
In 1954, budding writer Richard Matheson wrote a book called "I Am Legend", which became one of the best sci-fi / horror novels ever made. There have been three different films adapted from the book, this film being the first. Matheson wrote the script himself. The film was originally planned to have been made by the British Hammer studios but was canned when it ran into censorship problems. As a result, the Italians took the script & filmed it on the cheap. Where, I hear you ask? In Italy, of course! While this film may have been made on the cheap, as a horror film it does succeed on it's own, limited terms. There is a certain effectiveness to have Vincent Price going about his daily routine, if you call what he does routine, going to a deserted supermarket to replenish his garlic supply, making stakes on a wood lathe, then searching the city, killing vampires as they sleep. The film does have the usual problems associated with many low-budget films, with sound drop-outs, poor continuity & awkward pauses on the soundtrack. The film also preserves the book's ending intact.