The I AM LEGEND That Could Have Been

Most vampire marks will agree that the big-budget I AM LEGEND movie was a big disappointment. Had there been nothing to compare it to, had Richard Matheson never written a book by that title, the book that served as “inspiration” for the movie, then the latter might have been a perfectly satisfactory piece of genre entertainment, a popcorn movie for Horror lovers; one of a multitude, sure, but fun and diverting all the same. However, the book DOES exist. And as an adaptation of that book, the movie blows chunks.

The line between vampires and zombies can be awfully porous and onion-skin thick at times, but in this case there is a great gulf fixed betwixt the twain, and making the monsters in the movie zombies instead of vampires is an unforgivable misstep. Even the movie’s director, Francis Lawrence, seems to recognize this. Said Lawrence: “Looking back at it now, I think that we could have just done basically the story of the [book] straight up…[fans] would have accepted the nihilistic ending, they would have accepted vampires instead of people with infections. [Editor’s Note: Ya think?!] We could have literally made the book…”

Yeah, Francis. You could have. Shame on you that you didn’t.

By TheCheezman

WAYNE MILLER is the owner and creative director of EVIL CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS, specializing in theatrical performances and haunted attractions. He has written, produced, and directed (and occasionally acted in) over two dozen plays, most of them in the Horror and True Crime genres. He obtained a doctorate in Occult Studies from Miskatonic University and is an active paranormal investigator. Is frequently told he resembles Anton Lavey. And Ming the Merciless. Denn die totden reiten schnell!

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