I was saddened to hear today that Charlton Heston died this weekend at the age of 84. Charlton Heston is perhaps best known for portraying heroic roles in epic films such as in The Ten Commandments (1956) and Ben Hur (1959). But I am particularly a fan of Charlton Heston’s science fiction films from the late sixties and early seventies, such as The Omega Man (1971), Planet of the Apes (1968), Soylent Green (1973). As a matter of fact, Mr. Rollerblog and I watched both Soylent Green and Planet of the Apes just in this past week.

Tonight we are going to watch another Charlton Heston film, Airport 1975 (1974). With an all-star cast including Helen Reddy, Linda Blair, Erik Estrada, and Jerry Stiller, the movie promises to be an entertaining one. As an added bonus, the movie was included in the book The Fifty Worst Films of All Time so I know it’s going to be good.

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2.5

As we approach the last day of the year, I thought it only appropriate to view a seventies movie that follows the story of the last living man on earth. I’m talking, of course, about the 1971 film The Omega Man, starring Charlton Heston as Army Colonel Robert Neville. The movie is based on the 1954 novel I am Legend by Richard Matheson (the book was also adapted onto screen in a movie starring Will Smith which is in theaters now).

The movie opens with Robert Neville speeding around the deserted streets of Los Angeles on a sunny day. He is the last human alive after biological warfare has wiped out the earth’s entire human population three years previously. The individuals who were not instantly killed by the deadly germs were transformed into violent albino creatures who roam the streets at night. The creatures have formed a group called “The Family,” and, under their leader Matthias, make it their sole mission to exterminate Robert Neville.

Robert Neville has transformed his home into a fortress in order to withstand the nightly assaults by The Family. He runs a generator to keep the lights on around his home and plays chess with a mannequin that he has set up at his kitchen table. During the day he goes on forays into the city to find useful items and to root out The Family’s nest. Robert Neville’s life changes dramatically, however, when he discovers a group of human survivors who are somewhat resistant to the disease…

I found the movie somewhat dated and a rather loose adaptation of the book (the entire ending is completely changed), but still fun to watch. The shots of Los Angeles streets that are completely devoid of human life make the film worth viewing on their own merit; this is also my favorite aspect of the 2007 remake which takes place in New York rather than in L.A. The albino members of “The Family” are a significant departure from the zombie-like vampires depicted in the book, however, and are somewhat laughable. The portrayal of Lisa (played by Rosalind Cash) is also pretty funny - sporting a tight brown leather outfit, one of the biggest afros I have ever seen, and attitude to match, she is definitely a figure out of another era.

My favorite scene takes place when Robert Neville attempts to hang onto his sanity by talking to himself and to his mannequin friend. He has video surveillance set up all around his home, including a camera set up in his living room so that he can talk to himself. Shirtless and sweating, he turns on the camera and says to himself “Hi, Big Brother, how’s your ass?”

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2.5