Film analysis of i am legend

I am legend is a 2007 american postapocalyptic thriller film based on the 1954 novel of the same name by richard matheson. Mise en scene in i am legend by jennifervissering concentrating on the impact of lighting choices that were used din the movie i am legend, the meaning of the film is intensified by use of a combination of lowkey lighting, highkey lighting, in between lowkey and highkey, and traditional threepoint lighting. Directed by francis lawrence, the film stars will smith as us army virologist robert neville set in new york city after a virus, which was originally created to cure cancer, has wiped out most of mankind, leaving neville as the last human in new york. That is the main focus of the scene and with out that element then there would be nothing going on. Themes of transformation, spirituality, and mans struggle with isolation come up throughout i am legend. Camera angles this angle gives a deserted abandoned feeling to the audience again duethethe starts with an establishing shot of to film. A brilliant scientist who raced to discover a cure for. I am legend is a 2007 american postapocalyptic film based on the 1954 novel of the same name by richard matheson, directed by francis lawrence and starring will smith, who plays us army virologist robert neville. Matheson remained a prolific, highlyrespected scifi writer throughout the second half of the 20th century. If he had been more analytical, he might have calculated the approximate time of their arrival. Of particular salience in i am legend are the motifs of being isolated, sexually frustrated, and preyed upon. The film, i am legend is a postapocalyptic science fiction film directed by francis lawrence and starring will smith. Samantha, also known as sam, was the deuteragonist of i am legend. He works to create a remedy while defending himself against the virus victims, who turn into hostile mutants.

As i am legend begins, in january, 1976, earth has been ravaged, first by nuclear war, then by a mysterious plague that transforms its victims into vampires. Neville broadcasts over all am and fm frequencies that he is in new york city and. I am legend, directed by francis lawrence, is a 2007 american postapocalyptic dystopian film. As such, i can not speak for all of the people that complained about the departures from the source material that this film has taken. The entire basis of this movie is centered around the completely dehumanized state the humans are left in. I am legend themes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. I am legend dystopian movies always have a big change in the society. I am legend the movie is based on richard mathesons novel of the same name. I am legend is about a zombielike horde wiping out much of humanity, but its confusing ending and butterfly symbolism become a lot more clear if you understand the personal journey of its hero. The challenge of survival in the road and i am legend. I am legend essays are academic essays for citation. The camera focuses most on this by cutting to shots of the zombies getting closer.

The streets are overgrown with weeds, cars are abandoned, the infrastructure is beginning to collapse. Author richard mathesons 1954 horror and science fiction novel, i am. Seeing the opening scene, we expect i am legend to be a utopian movie. January 1976 chapter one on those cloudy days, robert neville was never sure when sunset came, and sometimes they were in the streets before he could get back.

Analysis of i am legend directed by francis lawrence 123. September 14, 2015 september 24, 2015 maddie jack years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in new york city struggles valiantly to find a cure imdb. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of i am legend by richard matheson. While i am legend, the latest in a series of film versions of a novel by richard matheson, fits comfortably within the conventions of the. This show celebrates ryans love for film, games, art and entertainment through personal retrospective analysis that aims to explore what. This film is actually the third adaptation of richard mathesons novel of the same name from 1954. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing i am legend near you. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in i am legend, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.

I am legend study guide from litcharts the creators of. Robert neville, a skilled military colonel who is believed to be the last man in new york city. I am legend is about a zombielike horde wiping out much of humanity, but its confusing ending and butterfly symbolism become a lot more. I am legend key scenes analysis by stuart grenville.

I am legend film analysis essay examples 1218 words. One could always argue for other interpretations, but this is a wellconsidered take on mathesons work. Sometime in or before 2009, sam was a puppy, who was adopted and became part of the neville family, consisting of lieutenant colonel robert neville and his wife and daughter zoe and marley. The researches of doctors lend to discover how to cure the cancer. This links to the theory of blumer and katz where the audience can escape from reality as he is the last man alive and there are zombies. I am legend film analysis essay 1227 words bartleby. The opening scenes of i am legend have special effects so good that they just about compensate for some later special effects that are dicey. But npr movie critic bob mondello says that the film has some. Living alone in new york city, robert neville smith, a former lieutenant and us army virologist, tasks himself with finding a cure to the plague. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. The first adaptation is the movies last man on earth in 1964, and the second is the movie the omega man in 1971. Still, you cant fault i am legend for trying to be different from the typical action thriller. Its as if the screenwriters or director, or producer ran out of ways to wrap it up. We see manhattan three years after a deadly virus has killed every healthy human on the island, except one.

We depend on other people not just for re production and survival, but for psychological and. In the process, he empowers himself and gives himself a new purpose in life. On a morning in january 1976, a man named robert neville walks around his house, carefully checking to see if its wellfortified. I am legend is a novel by richard matheson in which robert neville struggles to survive as the sole remaining human in a world overrun by. In this scene the most important and focused on element is the zombies trying to get in the house. The haunting meaning of i am legend ryan hollinger. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Camera angles the film starts with an establishing shot of new york city, this shows a lifeless run down new york which creates questions in the audiences minds. Another important theme of i am legend is the powerboth benevolent and maliciousof science.

Dystopian film i am legend by daniel thomedos santos on. I am legend is based on the popular 1954 novel by richard matheson, which inspired countless vampire and zombie threads, including. With will smith, alice braga, charlie tahan, salli richardsonwhitfield. I am legend, the movie released in 2007, is the third adaptation of richard mathesons novel of the same name. Lets deal with the horror aspect, because its the most academically. It is the third movie to be made from the novel and mathesons writings have modernized the vampire, in todays culture. Throughout the entire dystopian trailer, the director has used the visual construction of it as the primary device to not only entice the audience, but also deduce the key elements of a dystopia. The movie i am legend directed by francis lawrence is dystopian movie. Throughout the book, robert neville studies the science of vampirism. I will be looking at the way it entices the viewer and how along with the magazine cover and teaser trailer the whole package advertises the film to potential viewers. Camera angles this angle gives a deserted abandoned feeling to the audience again duethethe starts with an establishing shot of to film presence of only one moving car new york city, this shows a lifeless run instead of a crowded avenue. Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in new york city struggles valiantly to find a cure in this postapocalyptic action thriller.

Indeed, nobody in 2007 could believe that we were going to eradicate cancer in less than 2 years. I am legend established all the classic themes of the modern zombie film. Whether is it has something to do with aliens or the world ending. Definition of a legend in i am legend by robert neville. Director france lawrence creates a world of hopelessness in the human race after a man made virus breaks out, mutating new york residents in man eating animals.

I will be analysing the film poster for i am legend like i analysed the empire magazine cover for the same film. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of i am legend, directed by francis lawrence. She was robert nevilles beloved german shepherd companion and best friend, and a survivor of the krippin virus. The 2007 loose film adaptation and only one to bear the name of richard mathesons novel i am legend will smith plays virologist robert neville, who is immune to a manmade virus originally created to cure cancer. You can either love it or hate it, but will smiths powerful acting is something you can never deny. Film poster analysis i am legend the film poster of the horror i am legend is used to tease the audience into wanting to see the film. Or perhaps the film simply doesnt have the same nuances as the richard matheson book on which its based. The story is set in new york city after a virus, which was originally created to cure cancer. I am legend, directed by francis lawrence, is the latest adaptation of richard mathesons 1954 novel of the same name, following two earlier versions the last man on earth 1964 and the omega. The i am legend community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Francis lawrences i am legend is a 2007 sciencefiction thrillerdrama starring will smith as the lone survivor of a devastating virus that has wiped out 90% of the population of humanity. Compare contrast book movie i am legend free essays. Adapted from acclaimed author richard mathesons influential novelette of the same name, constantine director francis lawrences i am legend follows the last man on earth as he struggles to survive while fending off the infected survivors of a devastating vampire plague.