JLCM Book Club - I AM LEGEND

[joerules]

Even with only a week left to read the book I wanted to start the club because I feel like if I don't I'll just keep putting it off. This will be the ground work for what will hopefully become a more schedual-driven section. For now, if you've read I Am Legend, please feel free to share.

Warning! This thread will contain spoilers for the Richard Matheson Book I AM LEGEND and as of 11/14/07 for the Will Smith movie I AM LEGEND.

Those that have read the book are welcome to share their thoughts. Those that have not read the book - check it out. It's pretty good.

So over the weekend I dug through I Am Legend. Was really surprised at how short it was. How compact the storytelling was even though there were sections that seemed to stretch out for days. How long was he befriending that dog?

With the movie coming up I can already tell that there are differences. I think the switch from LA to NY is a brilliant one. Because Manhattan is an Island it feels like a prison. It feels contained, and trapped. LA is so broad. Go too far in one direction and you're out of LA. Go too far in one direction of Manhattan, and you're swimming.

Plus it's a city made of landmarks. Every 15 blocks there's a recognizable site that people, not just New Yorkers, but all over the world will be able to recognize. It makes the setting relatable and so much more devastating. There are places of LA that are sometimes empty. NY is never empty.

The monsters - I'd heard that the movie version was vampires and I'd heard they were not vampires. After reading the book - they have to be vampires. So much is tied into the myth and "legend" of vampires as monsters that they couldn't go any other way. In the book he makes that list about what can scientifically be connected to the disease and what cannot. Why do things like crucifixes and running water work on them? Because we fooled ourselves into making it work. We've been conditioned by the legend of Vampires.

I loved the ending and how he accepts his fate. How he accepts, essentially becoming the myth. Here's hoping the movie can capture the same kind of magic.

Though it's more likely they'll Big Willie-ize the whole thing. Not that that's a bad thing. I, Robot the book would have been a snooze fest, but the adventure they created from the three laws was a nice summer treat. There's just so much good story here. I hope they don't lose the relationship he has with Coreman or the clandestine meeting with Ruth… It's all so good.

Has anyone seen Omega man? Does it compare well?

[opie301]

Glad you enjoyed the story, Joe.

My thoughts on the book were some good and some bad. First off, I totally didn't see that end coming. I mean, I wasn't sure if he was going to end up reuniting with other segments of humanity or being destroyed by what was left. The moment when he looks out his window, before he takes his poison pill, and realizes that he is a monster story for the new population was rather chilling.

On the other hand, the story has some real pacing problems. How many times does the guy have to throw his whiskey glass against the wall? I recognize the importance of repeating those moments from a character-building point of view, but repeating them so much over such a short period was... frustrating from a reader's perspective.

As to the movie, I understand why they moved it to NY, but could argue for it to stay in LA. 1950s LA, in which the story is set, is not really the same as present day LA. NYC, on the other hand, is a big island known for being full of life. Seeing it emptied of that life is disturbing. And, as you say, setting this in NYC allows the city to be as big a character as any of the other people that will eventually populate the movie. On the other hand, the sprawling nature of the LA Metro Area seemed to be a central plot point. As he consumed resources in his general area, he would have to travel farther and farther from his home, making his return that much more difficult. I wonder if there will be a scene of him racing from his car to his house as night falls.

It looks like, from the previews, they're planning on keeping the monsters/vampires hidden from our awareness at first. Which is contrary to the book, in which the Vampires are there right from the beginning. Neville's awareness of these monsters gave his daytime activities a sense of urgency and went a long way towards explaining his slowly fraying nerves as he beset by demons every night. Setting things up this way gives the reader a strange viewpoint. Neville is in constant company from the Vampire crowds, and yet, is constantly alone without a single human companion. I think that I'd prefer that they stick with this theme in the movie, though the trailers lead me to believe that the alternate will be true.

Possibly my favorite part here is Neville as a man of science, striving to apply strict scientific method to the Vampire problem and discovering why the folk remedies of the past seemed to work. It looks like they may keep this in the movie, but then again, Omega Man also kept this theme.

Ruth. An interesting character. I am intrigued to see how the movie will deal with that one seeing as how they appear to have removed the "getting to know you" period with the dog.

[joerules]

I agree completely with the pacing stuff. That dog chapter goes on forever, but it's weird because it's important. I think the most well done piece of the story is the time that Ruth is there. As the reader you sort of go back and forth on trusting her. I had a lot of fun with that.

That's a great point about racing to get home. I think NY is big enough though where he'll be doing some running. And if he loses his car - he's totally boned. If anything, NY offers more places for the vampires to hide. There's a whole city underground.

Yes - Neville as a man of science was so great. With all the time in the world h actually used it and started putting the pieces of the puzzle together. I admit though at one point I lifted my head from the book with a groan complaining to Yeo, "This is a fucking science book!"

[Pebohead]

Omega Man is not a good movie. It stars Charlton Heston for one. The premise is really good, with the whole hunting bad guys in day, hiding in his fortress at night. The first half of the movie is actually pretty dang good, but the scond half is a big pile o poo. But instead of vampires, they are "mutants" rather, pale guys in robes. And the end is different from "I am Legend". I dont care about SPOILERS because its a terrible 30 year old movie, but he finds other survivors and makes a cure to becoming a goth than gets betrayed by a black woman and than gets impaled by a spear. But the other survivors get the cure from him and drive off into the sunset.

[Broken Clock]

I'm overjoyed to see that one of my favorite books is going to receive the silver screen treatment. I'm doubly so since I've decided to write my thesis on post apocalyptic science fiction and will be including this book.

I believe the important theme and message that the movie must maintain is the concept that man is the monster. I don't care how they do it. I don't care if they use a bunch of pretty CGI effects and blow up a bunch of cars, as long as this message is shown. Obviously the theme isn't a unique one, but it is the main theme of the novel. I'm a little afraid that the movie will become a man vs monster flick with lots of guns, but we shall see.

I love that the novel attempts to explain Vampires in a scientific manner. I hope that they do this in the movie. Looking at Vampires in this manner is nothing new now. However, I believe it was this book that paved the way for the modern vampire. Gone are the days of Stoker.

I think another important factor that the movie should keep is that all throughout the book Neville is attempting to help. So, although he is a monster, he does not receive the full hatred of the reader. This is important and can't be stressed enough, since it makes the ending all the more shocking.

I will be happy as long as the movie shows why Robert Neville is truly a Legend.

[joerules]

So Omega Man ends with a cure? That's interesting. I gotta rent that.

Broken Clock I would love to see a list of the post-apocalyptic movies you're adding to the list. I love that stuff.

I think you keyed in on the important part that man should be seen as the monster, but at what point in the movie. When I was reading the story I felt like ti didn't really click to me until it clicked to Neville. I understood the concepts of the new society and that he was seen as a danger, but I never viewed him in terms of a legend until the very end. It's cray because he's basically the new Dracula. I really hope they can spin that and make it make sense.

[SamSamSamSamSam]

Whyyyy has nobody mentioned Last Man On Earth, the first movie adaptation of this?

VINCENT PRICE, people. Vincent Price.





Seriously, fuck Omega Man.

[Neojanus]

I also recently read the book and am a big sci-fi buff so the truth is I heard about the ending from a friend. But it's a good read. I didn't find the pacing all that bad though. You got to remember the one theme of the whole book, normalcy.

The reason it's slow is because as scary as the vampires at the door are, this is just the everyday for him. It vexes him at first, then gets stupid, then it's all apathy except for the vampire women trying to seduce him (I know they'll write that part out but man that would be awesome on film wouldn't it?). The dog part was him trying to create a new normal, which doesn't last. All the staking and study, the rummaging and going about, it's just a search for the one thing modern humans don't realize they cherish, being normal.

When he realizes that he cannot be normal (not anymore) he's pretty much mentally prepared to die. That's my take anyway. I can sum it up as, what is no longer normal is both frighteningly and empowering. He killed men women and children and yet after awhile, it didn't matter. Then he learned it did matter and that made all the difference.

From what I've seen of the movie they take it another way. They keep the Neville's slowly degrading sanity, but they also give him a drive, a sort of contradictory goal, to save mankind. But if he's going out and killing them while trying to find a cure within himself, whose he trying to save really? Can't slit their wrist in the morning and try to cure them at night can you?

Still everyone's buzzing that Will somehow against type, pulls off a wonderful one man, one voice, one view performance.

[LincM]

Omega Man is not a good movie. It stars Charlton Heston for one.

I don't see these two items of information to be congruent with one another/ Charlton Heston is magnificent. Planet of the Apes, The Ten Commandments, Soylent Green, True Lies, Waynes World 2... he made all of these films all the better simply by his presence in them. Omega Man was a terrible film because it was a terrible film, with a terrible script and poorly tangented from a great book.

[Blaze]

Just wanted to say I'm glad you bit the bullet and grabbed I Am Legend in book form rather than save it for after the movie - its one of my favourites, and Richard Matheson quickly became one of my favourite authors (despite how hard it is to find his work), he's like the pre-Stephen King. I agree a little about the pacing but I think it really built the sense that this endless repetition was all the last man on Earth had, trapped as he was in the one place he knew he could defend.

Anyway, two points -
You've got exactly the same view on what the movie needs that I have - vampires, the myth of Neville the monster, and of course - Coreman. I need to hear that "NEVILLE! COME OUT NEVILLE!" at least three times in the movie. And as a foreigner, I do prefer Manhattan as a setting too. It explains why Neville never made a break for the countryside (I know it'd be too dangerous in LA but still, he'd probably go for it), and of course I'm far more familar with it.

Avoid Omega Man; Its truly terrible:
-They're not vampires, the disease makes you a goth with an aversion to any technology or science, some kind of religious-caveman disease that eventually kills you. One man with a gun vs a bunch of refugees from the middle ages. Theres not even that many of them really... Plus, what kind of disease just makes you join a cult? Stupid.
-Neville is, in this position, the last defender of civilisation, sitting in a fancy penthouse suite surrounded by great works of art and science that these diseased savages would destroy. It sort of works as the 'legend' theme, but mostly makes you think of some ponce with a gun who isnt bright enough to simply move out of the city. And definitely, Heston doesnt pull off the scientist feel.
-Other survivors are archetypical young punks, hippy rebels, your usual 70's rubbish. They have the power to annoy, and make a mockery of his isolation.
On its good points though, the opening is pretty good - Neville driving full speed through deserted LA, pausing only to start shooting at something that moves behind a window....and thats it.

Don't know if anyone heard, but in the latest issue of Empire (UK film mag), it was revealed that they're not technically vampires but people who "have to eat all the time"... so nocturnal zombies I guess. Not sure if they'll look all messed up or not, but I'm guessin the detail of having the two different types - the dead infected and the living infected - will be beyond the movie.
Heres hoping its not Big Willied to death.

Whats next for Joe loves books? You ever read the Dark Materials series, or are you just gonna catch the big screen versions? I was just at the age to catch them whilst I was in school, and I thought they were incredible books to be aimed at a young audience. They really dont patronise you at all.

[joerules]

Neojanus - I think they can pull off the killing in the day ande curing at night if they establish it as they did in the book. First Neville is killing for survival. I think he says to Ruth somethign like, "It's jsut the way it is. If I don't kill them, they'll kill me". But later in the story Matheson clearly separates the infected into two groups - living and dead. If they establish that, that some are too far gone for the cure, then there's nothign wrong with killing and curing.

I'm glad Smith's performance is getting good buzz. I like him. I think he's talented and fun and makes really good popcorn and oscar worthy movies. It'll be interesting if the two could collide. It's such a hard part though. I keep thinking about it like Hanks' role in Castaway. Will there be large momments of no one talking?

Blaze - I'm with you on Coreman. His, "come out, Neville!!" was so menacing in the book. I could almost hear it as I read it. It would be cool if they incorporated that. A quick glance at the imdb cast list doesn't look promising though.

What's next? Not sure yet but I'm open to suggestions. Opie just suggested a book called World War Z which is being made into a movie about a year off. I'd want to do somethign more current but it's good to get good recomendations on the radar for down the road.

[opie301]

Coreman. I need to hear that "NEVILLE! COME OUT NEVILLE!" at least three times in the movie.

This is a good point. But it's more than Coreman (heh... core man. I think that just clicked with me) it's the entire gallery of vampire filth that sit outside his house every night. What's worse, being the last man alive and never hearing another human voice, or being the last man alive and having to endure the cacophony of the vampire horde each and every night, that constant temptation to just step into the night and submit?

[Nonamnon]

Please read World War Z in the near future.
I found it to be a very unique treatment on the zombie question.

[Biggestbad]

World War Z is most likely the best zombie story, be it in book, comic or movie form, that i've ever had the pleasure of. It should be at the top of your list without a doubt.

As for I Am Legend, I read the book maybe ten years ago and have read it at least once a year since then. It is simply amazing. I could talk about how Neville as a man of science opens up a new ay of looking at vampires, or how he rages as the last man on earth trying to cure and kill or how he has to deal with finding out he is a legend, but I won't cuz it's been done.

Instead i'll point out my favorite parts, the first being the death of Coreman.

Maybe it's just me, but I really felt bad when he finally died. Throughout the book I began to feel the same way Neville did, that no matter how much he hunted or looked Coreman was always staying one step ahead. It's like, even if he managed to kill every other vampire, his nieghbor would still come harass him at night. Then, when he just gets gunned down by some guys in suits with tompson guns, I feel bad. Yes he had to die, but he had been built up to something more then a vampire. He had become the only real constant remaining in Nevilles life, even if it was very wierd it was the most normal thing he had left.

Now maybe i'm wierd on this, but I just enjoyed the discriptions of his house. Going from little more then a bunker at the begining to an awesome bunker that anyone would kill to live in by the end, I loved hearing about everything he did to make it more and more livable. It makes me feel bad because I know that if I was in his shoes my home would be a basement that I fortified the crap out of with a cooler and a cot. I know they won't put that in the movie at all beyond setting it up as "this is my home, it keeps me safe and whatnot" oh well, i'll just read the book again.

[Broken Clock]

It is funny, I didn't notice until now that the majority of the books on my thesis list have a movie adaptation.

- I am Legend
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Blade Runner)
- The Children of Men (the movie is positive proof that you don't have to be 100 percent faithful to a book to please both the audience and the reader. They are two different entities that are both wonderfully entertaining)
- The Road (this is going to be made into a movie and I believe casting is already being done. I recommend this book with the highest praise. It is the only novel I have ever read that made me shed a tear due to its touching tale of a man and his son trying to survive after the apocalypse. Although I might have cried while reading The Never Ending Story. Oh Falkor, I love you.)
- Logan's Run (Yep that's right, it's not only a cheesy science fiction movie that was shot in a mall to look futuristic, but it is also an okay book)
- The Stand (Big book . . . big movie)
- The Day of the Triffids (this was made into a movie twice I believe and both times they failed to capture what made the book so great)
- War of the Worlds (Great book, okay movies)

It is going to be the most fun I've ever had with an essay.

I think I am Legend is going to be great. Just be thankful that Will Smith doesn't do the music for his movies anymore. Dirty little secret, I kinda miss that.