The Last Man On Earth Review

9/10

Vincent Price has been proclaimed as one of the heroes in the horror genre. He was known for his dark yet witty personality, and he made some of the most famous movies of all time.  This 1964 film was actually known by many as his best work, and it has been remade twice("The Omega Man" and "I Am Legend"). 

The movie begins with showing the world as a ghost town. Buildings are destroyed, and there are no people in sight. Then we meet the last man on earth; Dr Robert Morgan.  Morgan wakes out of his bed, gets his weapons, and begins to hunt vampires.  I absolutely love this beginning, because it sets the viewer up for a lot of tensity. It also introduces the narration by Price.  This was a genius idea in my opinion, because if Robert actually talked to the viewer in the movie, he'd look really stupid, because it would make him be talking to himself.  The narration gives the vibe that the words are really his thoughts, and this was extremely effective. 

The first thing that I found really great about this film was the flashback sequences with Robert's wife and daughter. The reason I like this a lot is that we see how important they were to his life. Even though the world had been going down hill, he still had the people he loved, and could still function because of this. When they became ill and passed, he had nothing left in the world, and life didn't even matter anymore. I think this was a great move for the character development of Morgan's character, because it helps explain his hard and near insane personality. 

Personally, I don't think there could've been anyone better than Vincent Price for the role of Robert Morgan.  The character really needed a tough man that could shift emotions very well, whether he was dark, happy, sad, or powerful. Every one of these qualities were possessed by this amazing actor.  I feel that one of the scenes that shows this best was when he watched the home movies of his family. At first he watched with a straight face, but then he began to laugh crazily, and finally he broke down and cried like a baby.  While other actors could perform this scene, there really wasn't anyone that could pull it off so genuinely. 

One of the things that surprised me with this film was how true "I Am Legend" stayed to it. While they were very different films in nature, there were certain plot points that were in both movies.  One of the biggest giveaways in this is the relationship that Morgan has with his dog. This canine is just about the only thing that Robert has left in the world, and he loves it dearly.  Then the heartbreak comes for him when he has to kill the puppy because it is too infected with the bacteria that causes creature to become vampires.  What truly blew my mind was when Robert repeatedly said "Everything's gonna be alright."  The significance in this is apparent if the viewer has also seen "I Am Legend," because the theme song of the movie is "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley, which utters those same exact words. I found this to be truly amazing, because it showed the intricate brilliance of the more recent movie. 

The loneliness of Robert is soon ceased when a young girl named Ruth comes along.  Ruth has been infected by this bacteria, but she has a vaccine that takes away the symptoms. The actress in the role Franca Bettoia was absolutely stellar in the movie, because she had such a great way of showcasing the emotions needed for the role.  She could've been considered melodramatic for her performance, but in this character, this was absolutely necessary because of all of the strife she had gone through. 

Something that puzzled me about this film was the fact that the infected humans were classified as "vampires." While this wasn't terrible, it doesn't make much logical sense. First off, there are never any fangs shown at all.  The second thing is that none of these creatures are seen to have a blood lust, but a love for human flesh. The last thing that bugged me about this was that they walk very slow, and there appearance was somewhat decayed. All of these factors really lead me to believe that "zombie" is a much more appropriate title for these sad life forms.  So while this doesn't take away from my enjoyment of the film, I found it quite confusing, and I wish the filmmakers had been more careful with this.  

Honestly the ending of this film may be one of the best(if not the best) in any genre. It has the action, the emotion, and the most powerful monologue I have ever heard.  I was so mindblown by this last ten minutes, and it gave me a feeling of awe that has never shown up unless I was watching the end of the original "Planet of the Apes."  To be frank, any flaws that had dragged down the rest of the film were made up by this, because it set the whole tone of why this movie was made. 

While this may not be the gruesome horror flick a lot of people look for, this movie has a lot more to it than most.  There is a power behind it that makes the viewer become engrossed, and it is one of the most subtly brilliant movies ever made.  I highly recommend it to any fans of horror, scifi, or classic cinema in general, because it is a piece of art that cannot be missed.