The Omega Man (1971)

Biological war has decimated life on Earth. Los Angeles is a windswept ghost town where Robert Neville tools his convertible through sunlit streets foraging for supplies.

Director:

Boris Sagal

Writers:

John William Corrington (screenplay) (as John William), Joyce Hooper Corrington (screenplay) (as Joyce H. Corrington)

Stars:

Charlton Heston, Anthony Zerbe, Rosalind Cash

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Charlton Heston	...	Neville
Anthony Zerbe	...	Matthias
Rosalind Cash	...	Lisa
Paul Koslo	...	Dutch
Eric Laneuville	...	Richie
Lincoln Kilpatrick	...	Zachary
Jill Giraldi	...	Little Girl
Anna Aries	...	Woman in Cemetery Crypt (scenes deleted)
Brian Tochi	...	Tommy
DeVeren Bookwalter	...	Family Member (as De Veren Bookwalter)
John Dierkes	...	Family Member
Monika Henreid	...	Family Member
Linda Redfearn	...	Family Member
Forrest Wood	...	Family Member

Storyline

Due to an experimental vaccine, Dr. Robert Neville is the only survivor of an apocalyptic war waged with biological weapons. The plague caused by the war has killed everyone else except for a few hundred deformed, nocturnal people calling themselves "The Family". The plague has caused them to become sensitive to light, as well as homicidally psychotic. They believe science and technology to be the cause of the war and their punishment, and Neville, as the last symbol of science, the old world, and a "user of the wheel", must die. Neville, using electricity, machinery, and science attempts to hold them at bay.

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Plot Keywords:

plague | post apocalypse | based on novel | global pandemic | antidote | 

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Taglines:

The World Is Dead. One Survivor. Then The Others. Crawling In Darkness. The Strangest Sect Of All. *Hunting The Last Man On Earth.*

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Neville's primary weapon during the film is a Smith & Wesson M76 sub machine gun, sometimes fitted with a flashlight. During the first night attack by the Family, Neville uses a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) with an infrared scope. The Smith & Wesson M76 9- millimeter sub machine gun was an upgraded, American version of the Swedish K M45 sub machine gun, a favorite of some Special Forces (Green Berets) soldiers in Vietnam. Sweden stopped exporting the Swedish K to the United States due to that county's disapproval of America's involvement in Vietnam, so Smith & Wesson manufactured an improved version of the gun, designating it the M76.

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Goofs

In a city supposedly laid waste, Neville has to resort to running a generator any time he requires electricity. He does so to power his apartment; he does so to power up the projector inside the cinema when he goes to watch the film. But this city with no surviving infrastructure (in the opening scenes, as he's driving around in the red convertible), all the traffic lights are powered up.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[the last man on Earth wrecks his car]
Neville: There's never a cop around when you need one.

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits feature the credit "Based on a book by Richard Matheson", and does not give the title of the actual book, I Am Legend.

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Alternate Versions

The flashback sequence which takes place at the hospital on the DVD version is missing several seconds which are present on the VHS version.

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Connections

Referenced in Escape from L.A. (1996)

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Soundtracks

Coming Into Los Angeles
(uncredited)
Written by Arlo Guthrie

User Reviews

Flawed Wonderland

A film that can't help but aim too high, "The Omega Man" suffers from the very thing that makes it great. Set in a post-apocalyptic future (for the audience of 1971) the film attempts to show a world populated by a single solitary man. Well, a man and a cult of malcontented zombie/mutant/vampire beings. Robert Neville (Heston) is the lone survivor of a germ war that turned the population of the world into freaks. Based on the amazingly brilliant book "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson, the film shares most of the qualities of the book, yet excludes the portions that make "Legend" fantastic.

The idea of being the last man is intriguing. I used to fantasize about being Neville as a child (probably not the healthiest thing for a kid). Neville has paradise, but with the highest price possible. He can have anything he wants, but no one to share it with. And come night time, he must hide in his fortress away from the angry mob of mutants.

The apocalyptic world that makes the first half so captivating is destroyed by the second half's plot device. I won't go into details for those who haven't seen it. However, I will say the film starts to slide downhill from the mid-way point. But the lesser parts can be enjoyed as early 70's camp.

Even with its faults, "The Omega Man" is a great Sci-fi movie. It also gives Heston a chance to play his quintessential role of a man at the end of civilization. The film's weaknesses don't ruin the experience entirely. It is a film that myself and my friends talk about to this day despite the fact that most of my friends only saw it once or twice (when forced by me).

Related note: I Am Legend was also made into the film "The Last Man on Earth" starring Vincent Price. "Omega Man" is discussed in the first scene of indie-film classic "Slacker."

Details

Official Sites:

HBOMAX Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 August 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

I Am Legend

Filming Locations:

South Flower Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$8,720,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walter Seltzer Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1