Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best one, 23 Feb 2008
Of the 3 films I think this is the best and most powerful. I was waiting for I am Legend with Will Smith and was really disappointed, it just didn't live up to my hopes. Will did his best but the direction and effects and writing were all against him. For me Vincent Price delivers the goods.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
One good book, 3 films, 7 Aug 2007
The hyoe so far this year is about the new Will Smith film, I am legend. To my knowledge, this is the 3rd film based on the Richard Matheson novel, of the same title. As it hasn't opened in the UK, I don't know how the film will go or how close to the original booi it will be.
The previous version, starring Charlton Heston, was The Omega man. High on hype, low on content and only the names of the protagonists having anything to do with original story. Frankly, watch the 1st half and forget the rest. Its a help if you are a Heston fan, if not don't bother with the film.
Then we come to this film, the first of the lot, and till I see th new version, I think the best. Basic plot line: a plague has swept the world and converted everyone, except Price, into vampires. He spends the first half of the film killing them, and I won't tell you what happens in the 2nd half. If you don't know the story, I won't spoil it for you.
I never did work our where it is supposed to take place, once there is a street co-ordinates given, but that is it. To anyone who knows Rome, like me, it is clearly shot in and around EUR and a small town outside called Tre Pini. When I went to live in Rome, they were still talking about one of the scenes in the film, where Price has to rush into his house waving a mirror. Apparently, an old lady livfed above the house, and kept opening the window, in the supoposedly dead town, to look out and see what was going on!
It has none of the special affects of later Hollywood films; its in black and white; the acting of the vampirws is as wooden as a stake to say the least; there is no love story as in The Omega Man; but if you enjoy watching Vincent Price act then it is a pleasure. Though there are other people in the film, he is in every scene.
The visuals are a little strange and hard to get used to, till you realise that this was film made by an Italian director. If you have ever seene films by Pier Paolo Passolini, then you will recognise the chiarro oscurro effects, or maybe they just didn't have the money to make a film in colour.
It is a good film, though dated. To be honest, if there wasn't the Omega Man and the new Will Smith film, I suspect that this film would have become a footnote in the history of vampire films.
For trainspotters, at the start of the film he picks up 2 corpses to burn. In bouth cases you can see their legs move.
Get it or watch it on Youtube, it is worh seeing, if only to Vincent Price before he started to go over the top.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
"Vincent Price Series ... The Last Man on Earth (1964) ... Legend Films (2008)", 7 Dec 2008
Legend Films presents "THE LAST MAN ON EARTH" (8 March 1964) (86 mins) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- now in COLOR and Glorious Black and White --- This is a great film to watch alone --- Horror veteran Vincent Price plays Dr. Robert Morgan, a desperate and lonely man who's left alone in an apocalyptic world; A world ruled by zombie-like vampires as a result of a widespread plague --- These vampire zombies are highly reminiscent of George Romero's walking dead in "Night of the Living Dead" ---. Price does a remarkable job interacting with practically nothing --- He's alone throughout the majority of the film --- His performance largely carries this low budget film from director Ubaldo Ragona --- When you watch the movie alone, you really feel where his character is coming from and a sense of hopelessness is established --- The Last Man on Earth is really a thought provoking classic --- I recommend it be watched with Charlton Heston's The Omega Man to see another take on the same story (both were based on Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend").
Under the production staff of:
Ubaldo Ragona - Director
Sidney Salkow - Director
Robert L. Lippert - Producer
William Leicester - Screenwriter
Richard Matheson - Screenwriter / Book Author
Franco Delli Colli - Cinematographer
Paul Sawtell - Composer (Music Score)
Bert Shefter - Composer (Music Score)
Gene Ruggiero - Editor
Giorgio Giovannini - Art Director
Harold E. Knox - Associate Producer
Pier Antonio Mecacci - Makeup
Jane Huizenga - Production Director
David D. Martin - Technical Director
Story line and plot, Dr. Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) as the sole and devastated survivor of a deadly plague that exterminated the entire human race, including his own wife and daughter --- Price due to his immunity to the lethal germs, he's the only one to fight victims who return in the shape of vampire/zombie like creatures --- Even though it has already been 3 years, Morgan desperately continues his search for other survivor --- This is one of the most impressive performances Price ever brought to the screen, and a lot more difficult than his usual roles of villains and madmen --- Judging by today's standards, I guess the film looks very dated and you can't really refer to the tame 'vamp zombies' as threatening anymore --- But the empty streets and depressing cities still are the ultimate in eeriness! --- this also was an immensely influential film --- You can't watch 'Last man on Earth' without being reminded of George A. Romero's milestone genre film 'Night of the Living Dead'. If you then realize this movie was made 4 years before Romero's classic, you can't but reckon the underrated brilliance of this film --- The same hopelessness aspect that made Romero's film so tense features HERE first, in 'Last Man on Earth'! --- This production offers an ideal proportion of frights and sentiments, luckily without too many tedious scientific speeches or faked drama. 'Last Man on Earth' has to be seen by every SF/horror fan on this planet --- For some reason this is one of the most underrated genre efforts ever, and that urgently has to change --- Legend Films has made that change.
the cast includes:
Vincent Price ... Dr. Robert Morgan
Franca Bettoia ... Ruth Collins
Emma Danieli ... Virginia Morgan
Giacomo Rossi-Stuart ... Ben Cortman
Umberto Raho ... Dr. Mercer
Christi Courtland ... Kathy Morgan
Antonio Corevi ... Governor (as Tony Corevi)
Ettore Ribotta ... TV Reporter (as Hector Ribotta)
Rolando De Rossi
BIOS
1. Vincent Price
Date of Birth: 27 May 1911 - St. Louis, Missouri
Date of Death: 25 October 1993 - Los Angeles, California
SPECIAL FEATURES:
1. It Happened in Hollywood (hosted by Vincent Price)
2. Legend Films Trailers
The complete print was restored and colorized by Legend Films, using the latest technology --- Although the Legend Films release was advertised under its reissue title, both the color and black and white prints featured the original title and opening credits --- Legend Films can restore, colorize and release many of the classic earliest black and white films --- a patented coloring and remastering process makes each film picture perfect plus more vivd than ever --- no one can resist collecting every title that Legend Films releases.
Hats off and thanks to Barry B. Sandrew Ph.D. (Founder, COO & CTO) and his Legend Films Staff --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage era of the '20s, '30s & '40s --- order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on DVD --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Legend Films where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector.
Total Time: 86 mins on DVD ~ Legend Films. ~ (10/21/2008)
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