Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of. I am legend is a 2007 american postapocalyptic action thriller film based on the 1954 novel of the same name by richard matheson. Even in the will smith movie, the creatures are vampiric and referred to as such, i think they hide from the. However, i am legend is slightly atypical as a horros story in that the horror of the monster is pushed somewhat to the rear. How i am legends ending is different in the book screen. This article is about the 2007 movie i am legend based on the book by the same name, written by richard matheson. Related questions and answers for characters in i am legend. The first edition of the novel was published in 1954, and was written by richard matheson. I am legend, the twentysecond book on my list, was an incredible read. Whats the difference between i am legend the book and i am legend the movie. One of the most influential vampire novels of the 20th century, i am legend regularly appears on the 10 best lists of numerous critical studies of the horror. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 160 pages and is available in paperback format. I am legend, and the everevolving vampire the writers.
But it is the book i am legend by richard matheson, first published in 1954, that really changed the way in which we viewed vampires. I am legend is based on the book i am legend by richard matheson. I am legend, and the everevolving vampire the writer. This study guide consists of approximately 45 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of i am legend. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The 1956 i am legend book is a vampire story inspired by dracula. By which i mean both that i am not a vampire, or a guy who likes vampires or vampirethemed endeavors. They are also, besides their pale skin, very difficult to distinguish from regular humans. I am meant to be writing a blog about how i am legend, by the late, immensely great, richard matheson, is the king of vampire novels. These are not stokers vampires, nor are they meyers or wards vampires. But after finding my old copy on the shelf downstairs, ive. Pdf i am legend book by richard matheson free download 160. 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. They are disgusting creatures who smell bad and are revolting in every way.
Dracula is considered to be the traditional vampire, where it all started, and the vampires in mathesons book, follow somewhat stokers concept, but is more of a modern type of vampires. I am legend is a 1954 scifihorror novel by richard matheson which is credited with inventing a scientific approach to vampirism. To this day it is a breath of fresh air in the vampirehorror world. The author gives very convincing, scientific details. I am legend blends science fiction and horror by allowing readers to dive into a futuristic world overrun by vampires. Richard mathesons i am legend has been made into several movies, including the recent. This version of i am legend is the third movie adaptation of mathesons novel. Comparing dracula, and i am legend by richard matheson.
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. Vampires, and frequent jump scares, are the horror elements. 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. Bacillus vampiris is a fictional disease in the 1954 novel, i am legend. Vampires have inherited the earth in richard mathesons i am legend. The novel i am legend 1954, written by american author richard matheson, was adapted for the movie by screenwriters akiva goldsman and mark protosevich. Neither movie was anything like this book and this book was bad.
Pdf i am legend book by richard matheson free download. There is something more tangible and real to these monsters. Entire books have been written about what, exactly, the vampires in i am legend symbolize. The two earlier films are the last man on earth 1964 and the omega man 1971. Unlike neville, they had no immunity to the virus and subsequently became creatures previously known only in legend as vampires. While i have tried to avoid any obvious spoilers, the below delves to some extent into parts of the i am legend plot and is therefore inherently spoilery. Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville. I really liked that one, and i wrongly assumed that since they had used the original title from the book that both movies were based on, that it stayed closer to the original source material. Comparing dracula, and i am legend by richard matheson bartleby.
Til, in the novel i am legend, the vampires fear crosses. The story is very much darker and deeper than the will smith film of the same name. He couldnt judge the time of day when the vampires could come out. Thus, if a vampire is cut deep enough, the bacteria will. Turning female vampires into sexy creatures is absurd. And yet the core characteristics of the nightwalkers in the 2007 film are relatively true. Richard mathesons novel i am legend 20011954 portrays a world in which a mys. Apr 18, 2020 in fact, without the original ending, the movies title of i am legend doesnt actually make much sense. Mar 28, 2020 we have an intriguing problem with comparing the book and film. I am legend gives off such a horrific impression, because matheson gives the reader a perfect balance of science fiction and realistic horror.
Differences between i am legend book vs movie page 1. This includes an oblique reference to a particularly relevant and powerful. And yet the core characteristics of the nightwalkers in the 2007 film are relatively true to one strand of what we see in the 1950s story. In the movie, neville becomes a legend because he is. In the book, humanity is all but wiped out when the population becomes infected by a form of bacteria, transforming. Unlike neville, they had no immunity to the virus and subsequently became creatures previously known only in. Set in 1977, the omega man depicts the story of robert neville the same character used in both the original book and i am legend.
Your hometown has been overrun by monstrous bloodthirsty. Sep 01, 2009 set in 1977, the omega man depicts the story of robert neville the same character used in both the original book and i am legend. I am legend reinvented the vampire, and inspired future writers and film the vampires in his novella with zombie tendencies, only faster and. While i have tried to avoid any obvious spoilers, the below delves to some extent into parts of the i am legend plot and is. I am legend is named vampire novel of the century books the. He is now the one who stalks and kills them as they sleep.
But instead of mindless flesh eating zombies, we got mindless blooddrinking vampires, similar to i am legend. If you are reading this then the world didnt end yesterday as predicted. I am legend characters from litcharts the creators of. In the book, neville is a legend among vampires, ironically taking the role that had once belonged to the vampire itself. I am legend is named vampire novel of the century books. But, lets say that the apocalypse did go down resident evil style. Although the creatures depicted in the outbreak are technically vampires, mathesons original work is considered by many science fiction and horror fans to be the impetus for the modern zombie horror genre entire, introducing many of its core themes well before night of the living dead.
He researches their symptoms as if they are vampires. Get everything you need to know about vampires in i am legend. Jul 09, 2018 but it is the book i am legend by richard matheson, first published in 1954, that really changed the way in which we viewed vampires. In the book they are basically vampires, he uses mirrors, crosses, garlic, stakes and the like to ward them off. The vampires in the book are not vampires in the traditional sense and that is part of the point. Swarms of vampires surround his house nightly and try to find ways to get inside, which includes the females exposing themselves. In fact, without the original ending, the movies title of i am legend doesnt actually make much sense. Jun 25, 20 i am meant to be writing a blog about how i am legend, by the late, immensely great, richard matheson, is the king of vampire novels. You might be familiar with this title if youve seen the 2007 movie starring will smith. I am legend novel essay aspects of mathesons monsters. They are mostly mindless creatures, searching for blood to drink and even.
Richard mathesons story of a world overrun by the undead, i. Attributing minds to vampires in richard mathesons i am legend. Thus, if a vampire is cut deep enough, the bacteria will escape into the air, reducing its former host to powder. 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. I am legend is a 1954 scifihorror novel by richard matheson which is credited with inventing a scientific approach to vampirism synopsis edit. Free download or read online i am legend pdf epub book. Dracula by bram stoker, and i am legend by richard matheson. The story is set in new york city after a virus, which was originally created to cure cancer, has wiped out most of. I am legend novel vampedia fandom powered by wikia. How i am legends ending is different in the book screen rant.
They are humans, both living and undead, who were infected with vampiris. I loved that film as well, so i was excited to read the book on which it was based. In the book, they are much more explicitly vampires. The vampires of richard mathesons story i am legend are very similar to vampires of myth and folklore, but whereas classic vampires are believed to be related to demons and have magical qualities about them, the origins of mathesons vampires are based in the realm of science. People who love the book like being in nevilles head. We have an intriguing problem with comparing the book and film. Aug 04, 2016 then came the movie i am legend with will smith.
It is not made clear on the front of the book, or anywhere that this is a collection of short stories, not a novel. Apologies to stephenie meyer and her sparkly crew of vampires. In the end of the book, neville realizes that the vampires are not the ones to be feared anymore, because they are the odd ones out. In the book, these characters were basically vampires. And, true, if you are seeking sexy vampires, you can skip richard mathesons book. I am legends biggest change from the book broke the movie. The vampires prowl relentlessly in the periphery, craving nevilles blood, but the reader is not treated to lengthy descriptions of the bloodsuckers.
January, 1976 i am legend opens with robert neville inspecting his house on a. This paper will focus on three vampires from the following books. I am legend is named vampire novel of the century this article is more than 8 years old richard mathesons 1954 novel bats off competition from anne rices interview with a vampire to win oneoff. Though he has lost his fear of the vampires, these are afraid of him and want him dead. I am legend author richard matheson was himself a real legend. January, 1976 i am legend opens with robert neville inspecting his house on a cloudy day. I enjoyed it at the time, never knowing i was going to write a book about vampires and certainly not that it would be derived from the idea i had. Every other man, woman and child on the planet has become a vampire, and they are. The main characters of this horror, science fiction story are robert neville. In the end, he confirms that he is the last man of his race, and at his death, he will be a legend, as vampires are now. Richard mathesons story of a world overrun by the undead, i am legend, has been.
Thus it stands to reason that i never would have read richard mathesons i am legend had not the wildcard of my book club chosen it as this months selection. While his friends and family become vampires while his friends and family become vampires. This novel, i am legend, a perfect little bricolage of apocalyptic, dystopian, scifi, horror, vampire, zombie, is probably his best known work, although im partial to somewhere in time bid time return being such a romantic. Dracula is considered to be the traditional vampire, where it all started, and the vampires in mathesons book, follow somewhat stokers concept, but is more of a.
The symbol of vampires in i am legend from litcharts the. Apr 03, 2012 apologies to stephenie meyer and her sparkly crew of vampires. Its a 1950s era book when the zombies as we know them today didnt even exist. At one time, the vampires were normal people who were infected by a bacteria later dubbed vampiris, by matheson. Til, in the novel i am legend, the vampires fear crosses, garlic and mirrors, only because they think they should. Were the creatures in i am legend zombies or vampires. Yes, in the book version of i am legend the hemocytes are explicitly labelled vampires and come packaged with many vampiric traits, including not only a deathly aversion to light but also a fear of garlic and religious iconography. I am legend author richard matheson was himself a real. I am legend is a post apocalyptic vision by richard matheson, created in 1954 it tells the story of robert neville, the last surviving human in the world, surrounded by bloodthirsty vampires both living and undead. The novels main character is robert neville, apparently the sole survivor of a pandemic the symptoms of which resemble vampirism.
I am legend, and the everevolving vampire the writers voice. Outside of its hosts, the bacteria sporulates into dust and escapes into the air. Buy a cheap copy of i am legend book by richard matheson. The book is full of silly superstitions and legends about vampires, but its. The successes and failures in adapting i am legend film. This summary of i am legend includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. Vampiris is a bacillus form of anaerobic bacteria, that can infect humans and bats. In chapter 1, what does neville replace his broken mirror with. They are mostly mindless creatures, searching for blood to drink and even resorting to cannibalism when other prey is scarce.