Which version is your Favourite?

Now that we have three movies based on the novel ('I Am Legend', 'The Omega Man', and 'The Last Man On Earth'), I have to go with 'The Last Man On Earth' as being head and shoulder above the rest. It is the closest to the novel, although I still can't figure out why they named Price's charater Morgan, while in both other versions the name of the main character remains Robert Neville, as it is in the novel.Price keeps the character much closer to the one in the novel, and the story line here is much more realistic, especially in these days of AIDS, Ebola, Mad Cow decease, Aviary Flu, etc. I know that Heston better fits the physical attributes of the novel's character (it's always interesting, in any Chuck Heston movie, to see how long it takes before he takes off his shirt. This one got a whole 10 minutes into the movie before the pecs were barred!), but Price was much better at pulling off the psychological evolusion of the character, and that, in my opinion, is what counts. As for the current 'I Am Legend', the less said, the better.

"Last Man on Earth"

Just read intelligent answers

Well, having read the original novel, I have to pick Last Man on Earth as my favorite of the 4, with the novel being my second choice, Will Smith's version being my third choice, and the Chuck Heston flick coming in with an honored last place finish.

The novel is very similar to Last Man, but with a profound twist: In the movie, Morgan cures Ruth before he is killed by the former vampire vigilantes, but in the novel there is no cure. So Neville's death comprises an inevitable and necessary passing away of the old race of humanity. In the film, Morgan's cure is deliberately rejected by the new society through ignorance and brutality, and Ruth becomes the last woman on earth, with the potential for her blood still providing a cure and the rebirth of a rival human society over against the former vampires, who must rely on a daily vaccine to keep themselves alive. Very interesting fodder, worthy of a sequel (which was never made to my knowledge). The identifying of Morgan as a Christ figure at the end is also well-done.

Omega Man, beyond its rather cheap '70s TV feel, bad makeup, silly special effects, and gratuitous female nudity, does retain some enduring points. Tony Zerb is a fine villain, as always. The over-all sympathetic view of the Heston character, as the final bastion of human art, literature, science, and over-all culture, and the Christ-identification at the end (which it shares with Last Man) are very moving to me. The vampires in this film are all basically luddite fundamentalists who want to usher in a new dark age of oppression as their reaction to the evils that brought forth the plague. Heston's character stand's up for the enduring worth of human history and culture against them. This is the film's best feature, even if it's a bit over simplified and stereotyped.

The will Smith version falls far short on both story and meaning for the sake of suspense, action, and special effects; most of which are well done and worthy of the film's focus. I liked the more up-beat ending, too; which gives a positive spin on the title. Matheson's Legend was a negative one, with the legend of Robert Neville taking the place of the boogey man within the new vampire society. Will Smith's Legend of sacrifice and cure becomes the starting point of rebirth for humanity. The Christ figure is never overtly revealed, as with Last Man and Omega Man, but it's there between the lines just the same.

"Last Man on Earth"--definitely. Price does an incredible job, and the story is better. Of course, I prefer the original "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," too, in comparison to any of the remakes.

I would say that although Vincent Price is the better actor as opposed to Smith or Heston, I AM LEGEND > LAST MAN ON EARTH > OMEGA MAN. I thought that the epic visuals were good, and took things to a level that I hadn't seen in any other "last man alive" type movie. Last Man though does have better human drama, but that factor was suprisingly good in Legend, and was close behind. Omega man was kind of Hokey, and was a decent flick but it can't hold up to the other 2.

"No man is just a number"

Quite liked each version and was especially pleased with the lead actors in each pic.

"There's my buttercup!"

I've seen all three, and neither remake stands up to Price's original. Heston's is laughable, and, while Smith's is visually impressive and he himself does quite well, the film lacks the atmosphere of the original. In addition, Price as a legendary boogeyman to the vampires is more effective, in my opinion, than the twist given to this point in the new version.

I Do not recall Omega Man, but But Saturdays in the late 70 & 80 was all Sci Fi theater and Chiller with Bill Cardill. So I most likely saw it.

I really like Last Man on earth better that I am Legend, The ending was much more palatable. BUT... The creatures in Legend showed much more intelligence. More that Will's character gave them. It was obvious that the critters were still evolving, I mean they couldn't be all mutant creatures whose only reason for being was eating the normals. Take dudes Betty, Will did and got chased and then hoisted on his own petard for it. That revenge scene was best in the movie.

Again I don't recall Omega.. But if you want Heston Horror... You can't beat Soylent Green. Still my favorite Heston Movie.

Well, next in the collection is Original Night of the Living Dead.