Ending of the book am legend

I am legend arrives on dvd march 18th and one of the bonus features is the films darker original ending, which we think is much better than the reshot one they ultimately went with. Sep 06, 2012 last night i finished reading i am legend. I am legend dystopian movies always have a big change in the society. The real ending the one in the book written by richard matheson is very different. This was actually the third time it had been made into a movie. In the book, i am legend are the final words that robert thinks on his deathbed, as he realizes that in death he will become a terrifying legend just like vampires once were. The film was made according to the book, and this ending meets the main ideas of the original. Blogger adam katz sent me the link because of the book vs.

I am legend originally had an ending closer to the book s, but that was changed after negative reactions from test audiences. I am legend was released on december 14, 2007, in the united states and canada, and opened to the largest ever box office not adjusted for inflation for a nonchristmas film released in the u. Will smiths 2007 box office hit i am legend had an ending that divided audiences, but an alternate ending exists that does more justice to the book. Which is about as close as i am legend gets to the book. I though the book was effectively i am legend and other short stories by richard matheeson. May 23, 2008 not only does the book end in a similar way, but it in fact was the entire freaking point of the book. He then realizes that his attempts to cure the monsters looked less like medical. Film column i did on the source material and the four films loosely inspired by it. Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in new york city struggles valiantly to find a. The successes and failures in adapting i am legend film. See the alternate ending for i am legend that was too. Differences between i am legend book vs movie page 1.

Robert neville will smith is a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of the terrible virus that was incurable and manmade in this post. Why was there an alternate ending to the movie i am legend. Richard mathesons 1954 novel i am legend, though not a massive success when first published, grew over time to be an influential piece of fiction. January 1976 chapter one on those cloudy days, robert neville was never sure when sunset came, and sometimes they were in the streets before he could get back. Close to the ending of the book, robert clearly changes his though process. I am legend is a 2007 american postapocalyptic thriller film based on the 1954 novel of the same name by richard matheson. The books characters realization of their perspective is the whole point of the book. I am legends biggest change from the book broke the movie. The successes and failures in adapting i am legend film inquiry. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson that. Apr 18, 2020 in fact, without the original ending, the movies title of i am legend doesnt actually make much sense. You were talking about the book and not the piece of crap starring will smith. Day lives with his friend tess in the poor lake sector. Instead of thinking that he is protecting the only remains of the human race, which is himself, he understands that the world has moved on.

The ending to the alternate theatrical version varies from the original ending. Its as if the screenwriters or director, or producer ran out of ways to wrap it up. Hes a legend, but for the wrong reasonsin line with richard mathesons book, he is an entity the. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing i am legend near you. How i am legends ending is different in the book screen rant. Or perhaps the film simply doesnt have the same nuances as the richard matheson book on which its based. Quoting justraining63 this is the way its supposed to end. Day is a criminal on the run for stealing from the republic and making the government look foolish.

Tim the book plotline is so different from the movie, i didnt really have a hard time with it. How i am legends ending is different in the book screen. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson that was influential in the modern development of zombie and vampire literature and in popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. I still remember the exact moment i started and finished this book nearly 10 years ago. Whats the difference between i am legend the book and i am legend the movie. Film is a column comparing books to the film adaptations they spawn, often discussing them on a.

Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville set in new york city after a virus, which was originally created to cure cancer, has wiped out most of mankind, leaving neville as the last human in new york. Created by genetically altering measles, the krippin virus seemed like a miracle cure. Robert neville, as he searches for a cure to a vicious, manmade disease. In the beginning, hes watching his family from afar they think hes dead and he sees. Francis lawrences 2007 film i am legend had not one but two endings, and while both are different from what happens in the original novel by richard matheson, the alternate ending not shown in theaters is a lot closer. I was sitting shotgun while my father drove us home from a vacation in michigan. The book s characters realization of their perspective is the whole point of the book. Day, a renegade from the streets, and june, an elite student at drake university and the republics shining prodigy.

The movie stars will smith as virologist robert neville, the apparent sole uninfected survivor in a postapocalyptic version of new york city where. I think its just a collection of short stories with the headliner being the most famous. I am legend is a 1954 postapocalyptic horror novel by american writer richard matheson. The final book is called champion, so we just have to hope that this means that day and june will win out at the end. The reason that a stake kills the vampire is that the stake lets air into the body and keeps the flesh open so that the body glue cant function. As such, its no surprise that the book has been adapted for the big screen, in. Throughout the novel, hes operated under the assumption that humans are right. Ending spoiler for i am legend 2007, plus mistakes, quotes, trivia and more. Its a full, polished ending, with complete special effects intact, so im assuming it was ripped from the special features on the imminent dvd.

Years ago, you see, my husband had wanted to talk about the book, probably when the most recent adaptation to movie form had come out, and i am well known for not reading horror, so it wasnt an unreasonable assumption that i would never read this. I am legend is about a zombielike horde wiping out much of humanity, but its confusing ending becomes clear if you. Theres lessons to be learned about mob behavior and respect for minorities. The stakes dont have to penetrate the heart, contrary to legend. The movie i am legend directed by francis lawrence is dystopian movie. I am legend changed the vampires of the novel to the mindless darkseekers, a big change that made the original ending not work at all. The first time was in 1964 with the last man on earth featuring vincent price, and then in 1971. Thus, in the final line of the book which also serves as the books title, neville accepts that he is a monster. The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth 1964, the omega man 1971, and i am legend 2007. Putting all of that in a movie might not be possible or might not make a good movie, but the alternate ending for this one goes just about as far as it could in one scene. By analyzing three adaptations of the same book, its clear that the most faithful, and strongest, adaptation is the last man on earth. I am legend 1010 movie clip alternate ending 2007 hd. Dec 24, 2007 so hes become a legend in the way that vampires are a legend to us. This is the book that, to my mind, created the modern vampirezombie genre of horror.

Thats where the title i am legend came from, nevilles realization at the end that the vampires were the good guys and that he was the monster of their legends, since he had been mindlessly driving stakes through their heart at every. The first time was in 1964 with the last man on earth featuring vincent price, and then in 1971 with the omega man with charlton heston. Dec 14, 2017 i am legend ending explained by ricky derisz dec. Director francis lawrences i am legend follows suit into this nuevo highbrow horrorsciencefiction genre with a hugely successful opening weekend and boxoffice estimates of. Influencing great modern horror writers like stephen king, its one that will stick with you. The novel i am legend 1954, written by american author richard matheson, was adapted for the movie by screenwriters akiva goldsman and mark protosevich. I am legend 2007 the basics hopefully all of you know the basic story behind i am legend. So hes become a legend in the way that vampires are a legend to us. Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville set in new york city after a virus, which was originally created to cure cancer, has wiped out most of mankind, leaving neville as the last human in new york, other than. Dec 30, 2014 adapted from acclaimed author richard mathesons influential novelette of the same name, constantine director francis lawrences i am legend follows the last man on earth as he struggles to.

It retains the bleak tone, the cortman adversary and the books central themes. In legend, the first of a trilogy, both of the main characters are definitely famousthough for very different reasons. Film column i did on the source material and the four films. Published in 1954, acclaimed author richard mathesons novel i am legend is one of the most highly regarded works of apocalyptic fiction to date. I am legend isnt particularly long either, hardly even novel length. The two earlier films are the last man on earth 1964 and the omega man 1971.

January 1976 chapter one on those cloudy days, robert neville was never sure when sunset came, and sometimes they were in the streets before he. Right, i just saw i am legend, and dont get the end. The alternate ending to i am legend where they respect him and growl at him in an acknowledging way is odd and feels out of place. I am legend is a novel by richard matheson in which robert neville struggles to survive as the sole remaining human in a world overrun by vampires robert neville is the only. Stephen king considered this an important book in his development as a writer, and the use of a hero trapped indoors fending off the undead inspired george a. Robert neville will smith is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable and manmade. Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in new york city struggles valiantly to find a cure in this postapocalyptic action thriller. While those infected with kv who survive it develop primal behaviour upon succumbing to the virus and becoming a darkseeker, they do retain enough of their higher intelligence to build and copy. So he kills himself because he realises he was the monster all along. Aug 04, 2016 i am legend is a classic horror story.

Why does robert conclude that i am legend at the ending of the book. Not only does the book end in a similar way, but it in fact was the entire freaking point of the book. Maybe the grimmest ending of any book if the only version of i am legend you have heard of is the will fresh prince smith film version you are in for a treat. Whether is it has something to do with aliens or the world ending.

Legend study guide contains a biography of marie lu, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. It was influential in the development of the zombievampire genre and in popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. So i just finished i am legend by richard matheson. Alice krippin is interviewed about her great discovery, she has changed the measles so that it attacks cancerous cells. At the end of the novel, neville finally sees things from his enemies point of view. Darkseekers are vampires in the 2007 film adaption, i am legend. In the original i am legend ending, robert neville discovers that he had captured the significant other of one of the vampires leaders. Adapted from acclaimed author richard mathesons influential novelette of the same name, constantine director francis lawrences i am legend follows the last man on earth as he struggles to. Legend is told from the perspective of two leading characters. I am legend is about a zombielike horde wiping out much of humanity, but its confusing ending and butterfly symbolism become a lot more clear if you understand the personal journey of its hero. What did the healing zombie in the basement have to do with it. The novel was a success and was adapted into the films the last man on earth 1964, the omega man 1971, and i am.

Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in new york city struggles valiantly to find a cure. I picked it up mostly because i read about the alternate ending of the will smith movie, which some criticized for not following the spirit of the book. But i went into reading i am legend knowing the ending, knowing the twist. Furthermore, the final line suggests that human societyof which neville was the last representativeis now fading into the past.

I am legend is a dystopian story very loosely based upon a book of the same name. I am legends book ending is different to both versions of the movie, but skews closer to the controversial alternate ending of the film. The movie took all the intelligence out and just made it about the action. The 2007 film was partially based on the 1971 film as well as the original source. Still, you cant fault i am legend for trying to be different from the typical action thriller. Yesterday, some intrepid soul posted an alternate i am legend ending to youtube.

I am legend is a 2007 film adaption of the novel of the same name. The book ends with june and day together, running from the law and planning to go to the waterfront to pick up eden before crossing the border and going into colonies territory, which signifies a fresh. The character has the same name in both the book and the movie. He relieves her of the cure and returns her to the hemocytes. Instead of blowing himself and the hemocytes up with a grenade, neville discovers that the hemocytes actually came for the female he captured earlier in the movie. This man, our protagonist in both the book and film, is robert neville. This version of i am legend is the third movie adaptation of mathesons novel.