The Omega Man (1971)

Director:

Boris Sagal

Writers:

Richard Matheson (novel)
John William Corrington (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 August 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The Last Man on Earth is Not Alone

Plot:

Robert Neville, a doctor, due to an experimental vaccine, is the only survivor of an apocalyptic war waged with biological weapons...

Plot Keywords:

Military Officer | Mutant | Syringe | Cult Favorite | Immunity

Cast

Charlton Heston	...	Robert 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
Brian Tochi	...	Tommy
DeVeren Bookwalter	...	Family Member
John Dierkes	...	Family Member
Monika Henreid	...	Family Member
Linda Redfearn	...	Family Member
Forrest Wood	...	Family Member

Directed by
Boris Sagal

Writing credits
Richard Matheson		(novel "I Am Legend")
John William Corrington		(writer) &
Joyce Hooper Corrington		(writer) (as Joyce H. Corrington)

Produced by
Walter Seltzer	....	producer

Original Music by
Ron Grainer

Cinematography by
Russell Metty

Film Editing by
William H. Ziegler

Art Direction by
Walter M. Simonds

Set Decoration by
William L. Kuehl

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup artist
Jean Burt Reilly	....	hair styles supervisor

Production Management
Frank Baur	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Donald Roberts	....	assistant director
Ted Swanson	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert Martin	....	sound (as Bob Martin)

Stunts
Joe Canutt	....	action coordinator
Wanda Ann Yates	....	stunt double
Denny Arnold	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Brookfield	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Canutt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tap Canutt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Courtney	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Duran	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Whitey Hughes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harold Jones	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kim Kahana	....	stunts (uncredited)
Henry Kingi	....	stunts (uncredited)
Wayne King Sr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roy N. Sickner	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Williams	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bernie Abramson	....	still photographer
Lydia Clarke	....	still photographer (as Lydia Heston)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Margo Baxley	....	costume supervisor
Bucky Rous	....	costume supervisor

Music Department
Ron Grainer	....	conductor
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1974) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Fox Movies SF Horror (2007) (Japan) (TV)
• Sandrew Metronome Norge A/S (2003) (Norway) (DVD)
• Scanvideo (198?) (Finland) (video)
• Warner Bros. / Columbia Pictures (1971) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Television
• Warner Bros. (1971) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Japan) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Japan) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG (TV rating) | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:14A | USA:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1971) | UK:PG | USA:GP

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Warner Bros. Ranch - 411 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

British studio Hammer Films had previously contemplated a film adaptation of Richard Matheson's book under the title of "The Night Creatures", written by Matheson himself. The project was ultimately deemed too graphic, floundered and eventually died.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: As Robert Neville checks the right eye of the bedridden boy, the boy's dislodged contact lens slides back into place.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "HBO First Look: I Am Legend (#14.31)" (2007)

The Last Hope of the Earth in an Apocalyptic Story

In 1977, the American scientist and colonel Dr. Robert Neville (Charlton Heston) is the last man on Earth. All the human race died or became mutants due to the use of biological weapons in a war. During the war, Dr. Neville was researching an experimental vaccine, and in a flight to a hospital to use his latest experiment, the pilot of his helicopter died and the helicopter crashed. Dr. Neville used the vaccine on himself and it worked, making him the last survivor of human race. The race of mutants self-calls 'The Family' and is leaded by the fanatic Matthias (Anthony Zerbe) in the middle-ages standards, without the use of any facility of the Twentieth Century. Dr. Neville finds some other survivors and intends to use the anti-corpus of his blood to prepare vaccines for them. The apocalyptic story has a tragic open end.

Yesterday I saw this movie maybe for the tenth time. In my opinion, it is one of the best Apocalyptic Sci-Fi movies of the 70's (together with 'Soylent Green'), when the world had the cold war to threaten and the population had a great fear of a biological weapons. In Brazil, 'The Omega Man' has not been released on VHS or DVD, and I have a VHS, recorded from the open Brazilian TV in the 80's, dubbed in Portuguese, with a terrible image, but what else can I do to see this movie if the distributors and the cable TV do not show interest to release it in my country? For persons of other native languages like me, I would like to explain the original title of the movie. In accordance with 'The Heritage Illustrated Dictionary', omega is not only the 24th and final letter in the Greek alphabet, but also means the ending, the last of anything. I hope that Tom Cruise does not spoil this magnificent story, since I heard he had the intention of preparing (or spoiling) a remake. Remake of good movies should be forbidden! My vote is nine.

Today (06 September 2006) I have watched "The Omega Man" again, now in the original language.

Title (Brazil): 'A Última Esperança da Terra' ('The Last Hope of the Earth')