By Lee Pfeiffer
Based on Richard Matheson's classic sci-fi novel I Am Legend, the 1971 film The Omega Man was actually the second big screen adaptation of the story. In 1964, Vincent Price starred in a low-budget Italian version titled The Last Man on Earth. In 2007, Will Smith had a blockbuster hit with I Am Legend, though that film, like the ones that preceded it, was only loosely based on the novel. Each is effective in its own way, but for pure sentiment I prefer The Omega Man, which I saw during its initial run during my high school years. The film made a major impression on me and although time has undoubtedly diminished its impact, the movie still makes some poignant observations about human nature, as well as providing Charlton Heston with one of his most memorable roles. Heston is Robert Neville, a scientist who finds himself the only person immune from the biological agents that have seemingly wiped out the rest of the human race. The best parts of this film are the early scenes in which Neville is seen trying to keep his sanity amidst the crumbling infrastructure of Los Angeles (the film is set in the "future" year of 1975).
Neville tries to maintain a semblance of normalcy: he has the ability to drive wherever he wants, thanks to an unlimited supply of gasoline. However, he is surrounded by the constant reminders of the disastrous biological war that took place several years before, including the decaying corpses of people strewn about the city. Neville lives in a high rise luxury apartment that is heavily fortified for good reason: he is constantly being hunted by a cult of mutants who have managed to survive the holocaust but who have been horribly disfigured and are determined to kill the last man alive who represents the corrupt society that led to the annihilation of civilization. Fortunately for Neville, these people are albinos who can only come out at night. While his days afford him a degree of freedom, Neville must fight a nightly battle with his enemies who use a variety of crude, but sometimes effective, methods to wear down his defenses. These early sequences have a haunting quality to them, especially the film's opening shots in which director Boris Sagal captures some amazing shots of Los Angeles sans any traffic or human activity. (Keep in mind, these scenes were achieved in an era in which CGI effects could not be utilized.) There are also poignant scenes in which Neville watches the same film over and over again in a local theater (fortunately, it's another Warner Brothers flick, Woodstock, that apparently is loaded for eternity on the projector reels.)
Predictably, as with many "last man on earth" scenarios, there ends up being a cast seemingly larger than that of Ben-Hur, as Neville encounters a group of other survivors, including a radical black feminist well played by sexy Rosalind Cash, sporting the prerequisite Afro that seems only slightly less imposing than Marge Simpson's hairdo. It's here that the film veers off course, with Heston and Cash engaging in an on-screen romance that slows the pace and affords the opportunity to insert plenty of black power bromides that now creak with age. The film also has a fairly limited budget and at times resembles a TV movie from the era. Additionally, there are some heavy-handed efforts to make the audience view Neville as a Christ-like figure that are blatantly pretentious. Still, The Omega Man remains a highly entertaining film thanks to Heston's star presence, a terrific score by Ron Grainer and some sequences that linger in the viewer's mind.There is also a compelling performance by Anthony Zerbe, who plays Heston's main antagonist in the film.
Warner Home Video's Blu-ray edition of the film is identical to the DVD version, with a few bonus extras that are frustratingly short on content. There is a 2003 introduction featuring co-screenwriter Joyce H. Corrington, actor Eric Laneuville, who plays the teenager Richie and Paul Koslo who played the character of Dutch, an ally of Neville. Each offers a few insights into the making of the film, with Corrington explaining that it was her decision to eliminate Matheson's premise that Neville's foes had been transformed into vampires. (The only screen version to date to retain this angle is the Vincent Price film). Corrington also explains that she was teaching at a black college at the time and used the contemporary emphasis on the black power movement to make the leading lady an African-American - and a radical, as well. The insights are interesting but one wishes WB could have asked these artists to record a commentary track for the film. The Blu-ray also provides a lengthy vintage "making of" featurette in which we get some great behind the scenes views of filming as well as insights from Heston as to what inspired his characterization of Neville. Heston poignantly notes that Neville could leave the city at any time, but is prone to the human need for companionship - even if it means being near people who are trying to annihilate him. An original trailer is also included.Given the film's enduring popularity, one would hope that WB will someday produce a more extravagant special edition -but for the moment, this one is a welcome edition for fans of the film.
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