The Omega Man (1971)

This summer, Will Smith will save the world (again) in I Am Legend, the story of the last human on earth battling against the nightly attack from the rest of the world - all of whom have transformed into blood-thirsty vampires.

In 1971, back when Smith was just three years old, Charlton Heston did pretty much the same thing in The Omega Man. (And for those keeping score Vincent Price did it, too, in 1964’s The Last Man on Earth.)

In The Omega Man, Heston plays Robert Neville, an army scientist working on a top secret biological experiment that goes horribly wrong. Just before the outbreak, Neville, who was working on a cure, injects himself with an experimental drug that keeps him alive.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that everyone who didn’t get the antidote –which is just about everybody left on the planet – is pretty pissed off at Neville and wants him dead. So Neville spends his days hunting down and killing the infected, while at night, the infected get together to come up with ways to repay the favor.

Although it’s a little bit dated – particularly the groovy clothes and cool dialogue Heston looks so uncomfortable with – the film has enough action, and social consciousness, to make up for any unintentionally funny moments.

Heston who, unfortunately, is known by the younger generation of film fans for his senile NRA ranting in Michael Moore’s documentary, Bowling for Columbine, gives a good performance, as does Rosalind Cash as his not-infected-yet love interest. The real treat, though, is watching the great character actor Anthony Zerbe chew the scenery as Matthias, leader of the infected legions.

Starring Charlton Heston, Rosalind Cash, Anthony Zerbe.

IMDB Site.