Richard Matheson’s “I Am Legend”

April 28, 2024 30 Views

Richard Matheson, often dubbed the father of horror fiction, left a significant mark with his work “I Am Legend,” published in 1954, considered a pioneering piece in the horror genre.

Even the modern master of horror, Stephen King, drew much inspiration from Matheson’s work, making “I Am Legend” not only influential among readers but also among fellow writers.

“Adapted Multiple Times into Film: I Am Legend”

Great literary works often find their way onto the silver screen. This particular work has been adapted into a film not just once, but four times. However, the first two attempts can be considered failures, and only the 2007 adaptation, starring Will Smith, achieved some level of success.

However, even this third adaptation with Will Smith diverged significantly from the original novel, borrowing only the setting of being the last man on Earth, making it essentially a different story with the same title.

Here’s a summary of the adaptations based on the original novel “I Am Legend”:

“The Last Man on Earth” (1964)
“The Omega Man” (1971)
“I Am Legend” (2007)
“I Am Omega” (2007) <Unofficial spin-off>

Each film adaptation failed to capture the depth of emotions like loneliness, despair, and isolation portrayed in the original novel.

“Differences Between the Novel and Films”

The third film adaptation, “I Am Legend” starring Will Smith, somewhat succeeded in portraying the protagonist’s loneliness as the last man on Earth.

However, due to its significant deviation from the original novel, as mentioned earlier, it can be considered a completely different work, merely borrowing the premise from the novel.

In the original novel, vampires, not zombies, are the antagonists. Additionally, the novel dedicates more space to depicting the protagonist’s loneliness, while the film focuses more on the protagonist’s struggle for justice and survival.

Furthermore, the protagonist’s background differs; in the novel, he is an ordinary man, whereas in the film, he is portrayed as a brilliant scientist.

“Philosophical Questions: What Defines Normalcy?”

As the narrative unfolds in a drastically different direction, it raises philosophical questions about the concepts and criteria that define “normalcy” and “abnormality.”

“Normalcy was majority concept, the standard of many and not the standard of just one man.”

In a world dominated by vampires, the concept of normalcy would undoubtedly shift from its conventional definition. The title “Legend” used in the novel can be applied in an ambiguous sense, suggesting both something legendary and something no longer attainable.

“Legend, Legendary, and the Unattainable”

The word “legend” used in the title can ultimately be interpreted ambiguously. On one hand, it may signify something legendary as the original meaning suggests. On the other hand, it may imply something that is now unattainable.

Ultimately, Robert Neville, the sole survivor of humanity depicted in the novel, becomes a “legend.” He becomes a legendary figure embodying heroic actions and the last remnant of humanity.

“Stimulating Imagination with Conciseness”

“I Am Legend” is a concise yet not overly lengthy short novel. Its narrative style is also straightforward.

The master of horror fiction, Stephen King, remarked about this work, saying, “Books like I Am Legend were an inspiration to me.” In his book “On Writing,” King emphasized the importance of conciseness. From that perspective, “I Am Legend” naturally became a bestseller.

Being concise, intriguing, and thought-provoking, the work has been attempted for adaptation into film multiple times, still being regarded as a “legendary” piece of literature.

“I Am Legend”