Omega Man

THE OMEGA MAN

©2003 Warner Home Video

• themovielord's Grade: A
• Disc Grade: B-
• Reviewed Format: DVD
• Rated: PG
• Stars: Charlton Heston, Anthony Zerbe, Rosalind Cash, Paul Koslo, Eric Laneuville
• Writers: John William Corrington and Joyce H. Corrington, from the novel I AM LEGEND by Richard Matheson
• Director: Boris Sagal
• Distributor: Warner Home Video
• Original Year of Release: 1971
• Retail Price: $19.98
• Extras: widescreen anamorphic; theatrical trailer; introduction by screenwriter Joyce H. Carrington, Paul Koslo, and Eric Laneuville; featurette; "Charlton Heston: Science Fiction Legend" filmography; French audio track; English, French, and Spanish subtitles

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The Omega Man (1971) starring Charlton Heston, Anthony Zerbe, Rosalind Cash, and directed by Boris Sagal.

Dr. Robert Neville (Charlton Heston) is on his way to administer an experimental cure for a global killing plague when he and his helicopter pilot come down with the disease. Surviving the crash, Neville injects himself with the experimental cure, which works. Neville, the lone survivor of the plague has inherited the world, but he is not alone.

This is the second time Richard Matheson’s novel I am Legend has been made into a book. The story deviates from Matheson’s book by making the survivors pale plagued disease ridden religious zealots instead of vampires. This change works for the time in which the film was made. In the Seventies, a post apocalyptic “future” (plague hit 1975 it is now 1978) which has a disease wiped out humanity, instead of a bomb was an a new horror for film audiences. However, this change also brings a science vs. faith parallel making the Omega Man more than just an action flick (which it still is). Neville is a doctor and a solider, the perfect mixture for a being who is at odds with his situation. When we see Neville, after three years of surviving, he is more the solider now. Alone surviving from day to day with a regimented plan: exterminate and live to tomorrow. Gone is the man of compassion.

Opposite of Neville is the survivors of the plague and their leader, Matthias (Anthony Zerbe) who see Neville as a tie to the past, the last of the dead, the reason why all this came to pass. Matthias preaches an understanding that they are to move in a new direction; one where they are to turn their back on technology. Matthias preaches about one family, his family, the survivors; excluding Neville.

There is more than reversing the “other” situation in Omega Man; where instead of one vampire vs. society you have a society of vampires hunting one last human. Faith vs. Science is questioned and throughout the course of the movie Neville’s humanity is what really is at stake. Can he see past his hate? Can he become a healer again? Is the solider all that’s left? Neville’s humanity is directly tested by Lisa’s (Rosalind Cash) brother Richie (Eric Laneuville). Richie asks him to see past the disease and see them as people again. Will Neville see them for what they really are or can he only see them as monsters they have become? This tension and struggle is played out by Heston; although briefly, but enough in this thinking man’s action flick.

What also makes Omega Man unique is that the “Omega Woman”, Lisa is a black woman. For 1971, with the race riots happening and people’s civil rights growing and involving; an interracial couple was still considered taboo (sadly not much has changed) but, to have this in a movie was ground breaking. As a character, Cash brought a strong woman to the screen that was in essence color blind. The situation in the story had moved society passed blacks and whites; society was now just human beings, infected and not.

With its strong religious overtones (that last shot of Heston in the fountain, come on!) and its science vs. faith (though twisted) ideology make the Omega Man a classic. Watch Heston never lose sight of his character in a film that defines his career and makes him an immortal to film aficionados who have come to know Heston as the lone warrior who will forever fight for not only his humanity, but all of humanity.