“I Am Legend” is getting a lot of attention at the moment, thanks to some creepy trailers and Will Smith’s massive box office appeal, but I have noticed a serious lack of love for the man responsible for “I Am Legend,” Richard Matheson. Matheson’s name is one that usually draws a puzzled look from casual sci-fi/fantasy fans, but most people will nod appreciatively if you mention “The Omega Man,” “Somewhere in Time” or “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.” Richard Matheson wrote all of the stories that inspired those screen adaptations, in fact “The Omega Man” is one of two previously-released film adaptations of the classic novel, “I Am Legend.” Stephen King frequently sites Matheson as one of his greatest inspirations, and George Romero is more than willing to point out that all of his films share some thematic and plot similarities to “I Am Legend.” “The Legend of Hell House,” “The Incredible Shrinking Man” and “Stir of Echoes” are all films based on Richard Matheson’s work, so in the spirit of Halloween and the upcoming film release, I suggest that you start reading.
October 26th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
Here, here!
I Am Legend is one of the best damn books I’ve ever read.
October 29th, 2007 at 9:49 am
Richard Matheson is a “Legend” for sure. He is under appreciated in my opinion. Some of his early SF novels are still classics today. I understand Hollywood is planning to make a comedy film of “The Incredible Shrinking Man” with Eddy Murphie. A mistake. I would rather see a true version of his book brought to the screen with the current technology/special effects in use today. Why ruin a classic work of fiction?
November 12th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
[…] a handful of people to work together. Examples of the cozy catastrophe include Day of the Triffids, I am Legend, 28 Days Later and I Have No Mouth and I Must […]