The Last Man On Earth (1964))

Vincent Price portrays John Morgan; a scientist who is seemingly alone in the world after a deadly virus has decimated the world’s population. Actually, there are others with him, but they are more of the zombie/vampire variety than the “c’mon over for a cup of coffee” type. Morgan spends his days staking the undead and burning them in a huge pit, while boarding himself up at night in order to live and see another day. This is the film adaptation of the book “I Am Legend” of which I have never read, so I really can’t compare the two in “book to film” sense. As a film alone, though I do love Vincent Price and have typically heard nothing but good opinions on this one, I did not like it. The funny thing is, I really can’t put my finger on what it was I actually disliked. The film tended to drag on at times, while the plot and proceedings tended to have a schizoid feel to them. I also felt that maybe the movie was trying to deliver some big religious message particularly with all that imagery at the end. Who knows? That’s not to say I disliked everything, the concept of being truly alone in the world with a plague of vampires out your door at night is truly terrifying, and I enjoyed the little things of Price’s character such as the calendars on the wall, creating his wood steaks and the lonely feeling of watching old home movies of his family, the one way he’ll ever see them again. I would like to find the book and re-watch this one; maybe my opinion will then change, then again, maybe not.