The Last Man (1964)

The Last Man on Earth appeared in 1964 and stars the incomparable Vincent Price. The film is the first adaptation of the 1954 novel I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. As you may know, the film was remade again in 2007 with Will Smith (who does much more than slap people in the film). We will view both of these films and I think it is helpful to try and compare them and note how the films evolve between the two historical moments. Remember, we are thinking of these films as artifacts in the way that cultural studies scholars might. So our job is to try and historicize these artifacts by noting how they emerge at a particular historical and cultural juncture and then ask how they relate to that context. Since The Last Man on Earth emerges in 1964, we might want to review some information about the 60s. What was happening at that moment in US or world history? How is the film in dialog with that historical moment? Does the film articulate anxieties or fears or hopes about its cultural moment? Does it suggest a possible solution to the problems faced by that era? What do you think? We will do the same sort of work when we view the Will Smith version from 2007, and we will appreciate how much better special effects (and acting) became over the years.