As far as he can tell, Dr. Robert Morgan (played by Vincent Price) is the only survivor of a plague that turns its victims into shuffling zombie-like vampires. Through flashbacks, we see the onset of the disease, and the growing horror as increasing numbers of people become infected, including Morgan’s wife and daughter. Price’s droning narrative really emphasizes the growing monotony of Morgan’s daily routine of sharpening stakes, disposing of bodies, gathering supplies and killing vampires. At night he barricades himself and listens to loud jazz records to cover the sounds of the vampires, including a former coworker, taunting him and trying to break into the house. Compared to The Omega Man, Price does a better job of portraying the bleakness of survival for survival’s sake, but Heston did a better job of playing a character on the edge of a total breakdown. This version is much closer to the original novel, especially the ending. In all, I found this version to be more somber, and I felt more sympathy for the character — though having grown up associating Price with horror films, it was hard to accept his distinct voice as a regular familyman.
This review is the second in a four-part series reviewing Richard Matheson’s novel I am Legend, and the three movies that have been made based on it: Vincent Price’s The Last Man on Earth, Charlton Heston’s The Omega Man, and Will Smith’s I am Legend.
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