The Omega Man
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Boris Sagal
Produced by	Walter Seltzer
Written by	Richard Matheson (novel I Am Legend) John William Corrington Joyce H. Corrington
Starring	Charlton Heston Anthony Zerbe Rosalind Cash
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	August 1 1971 (U.S. release)
Running time	98 min
Language	English
IMDb profile

The Omega Man is a 1971 science fiction thriller starring Charlton Heston. The movie is based on Richard Matheson's 1954 novel, I Am Legend. The screen play was written by John William and Joyce Corrington, and the movie was directed by Boris Sagal. It was filmed in technicolor with mono sound and ran for 98 minutes. The movie received a MPAA rating of PG in the U.S. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Boris Sagal directing The Omega Man Boris Sagal (October 18, 1917 - May 22, 1981) was an American television and film director. ... Walter Seltzer is a film producer who was born in 1914. ... Richard Burton Matheson (born February 20, 1926) is an American author and screenwriter, typically of fantasy, horror or science fiction. ... This article contains a trivia section. ... Anthony Zerbe (born May 20, 1936 in Long Beach, California) is an American stage, film and television actor. ... Rosalind Cash was an actress whose career endured and flourished on stage, screen, and television, despite her staunch refusal to portray stereotyped black roles. ... Warner Bros. ... is the 213th day of the year (214th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... See also: 1970 in film 1971 1972 in film 1970s in film years in film film // Events February 8 - Bob Dylans hour long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New Yorks Academy of Music. ... See also: 1970 in film 1971 1972 in film 1970s in film years in film film // Events February 8 - Bob Dylans hour long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New Yorks Academy of Music. ... Poster for 2001: A Space Odyssey, an archetypal science fiction film Science fiction film is a film genre that uses speculative, science-based depictions of imaginary phenomena such as extra-terrestrial lifeforms, alien worlds, and time travel, often along with technological elements such as futuristic spacecraft, robots, or other technologies. ... This article contains a trivia section. ... Richard Burton Matheson (born February 20, 1926) is an American author and screenwriter, typically of fantasy, horror or science fiction. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cover for the first edition of I Am Legend. ... Boris Sagal directing The Omega Man Boris Sagal (October 18, 1917 - May 22, 1981) was an American television and film director. ... The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is a non-profit trade association formed to advance the interests of movie studios. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from...

Plot

It is the year 1977 and it has been two years since biological warfare between China and the Soviet Union wiped out the entire world population. Neville, at the time a military scientist, injected himself with an experimental vaccine, which amazingly makes him immune to the plague. In Los Angeles, several hundred somewhat resistant albinos calling themselves "The Family" have survived the plague (in Matheson's book, they are actually vampires). The disease has turned them into violent, light-sensitive albino mutants, the plague having affected their minds with such symptoms as psychosis and "delusions of grandeur". Although resistant to the plague, these wretched creatures are slowly dying off, apparently due to the plague mutating. Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ...

The Family is led by a zealot named Matthias (Anthony Zerbe), formerly a popular Los Angeles television newscaster, now reduced to a rhetoric-spewing, controlling madman. He believes, and has convinced his followers, that modern science and technology (instead of the ingrained flaws of humanity) are the cause of the war and their damnation. His followers have reverted to a medieval lifestyle complete with long black robes, torches, bows and arrows, and catapults. Because of their light sensitivity they are nocturnal, retiring to their “nest” during the day. As they see it, Neville, as the last symbol of science, the old world, and a "user of the wheel," must die. Anthony Zerbe (born May 20, 1936 in Long Beach, California) is an American stage, film and television actor. ...

Neville in turn considers himself to be at war with The Family and would like to wipe them out. As a former military officer, he is a hardened, realistic person who lives in a secure, fortified apartment, and has no compunction about using modern military weapons to defend himself. His arsenal of weapons includes a S&W M76 submachine gun, an infrared telescopic sight equipped Browning Automatic Rifle and satchel charges, which helps keep The Family at bay. By day, Neville forages for supplies and searches for The Family’s headquarters throughout the deserted buildings of his emptied city. At night, Neville barricades himself in his apartment building penthouse as The Family rages outside, taunting him while burning books and other objects of science and culture. The use of powerful searchlights deter The Family's after-sunset raids on Neville's home. It is unclear what will kill Neville first, the Family or his maddening isolation. Reduced to talking to a bust of Caesar and a television image of himself, Neville leads an existence of nothing but survival. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Browning Automatic Rifle (commonly known as the BAR; properly pronounced bee ay are) is a family of automatic rifles (or machine rifles) and light machine guns used by the United States and other countries during the 20th century. ... Two improvised satchel charges along with Sidolówka grenades, as used in the Warsaw Uprising A satchel charge is a powerful, man-portable explosive device used by infantry and airborne forces. ...

In the second half of the film, Neville is captured by The Family, "tried" and "found guilty" of being a heretic, and is nearly burned at the stake. He is rescued by an enclave of still-human survivors who are somewhat resistant to the plague; although they are all infected, apparently their youth has given them an extra level of resistance, maintaining them at a pre-albino stage of the disease. Nevertheless, given enough time, they may succumb to The Family’s stage. Neville realizes that even if it might be possible to somehow duplicate the original vaccine without any sure means of doing so, it would take years. But he might be able to extend his own immunity to them by creating a simpler serum derived from his blood. Neville is amazed and gratified to find that some of the survivors include very young children, and has a brief relationship with an older member of the group, Lisa (Rosalind Cash). If the serum works, Neville and Lisa plan to pull out of the ravaged city and with the rest of the survivors start a new life out in the unspoiled wilderness. Rosalind Cash was an actress whose career endured and flourished on stage, screen, and television, despite her staunch refusal to portray stereotyped black roles. ...

Neville is successful in creating the serum and administers it to Lisa's teenage brother Richie (Eric Laneuville) who is on the borderline of “going over” to the mutant stage of the plague. Once cured, the idealistic, naive Richie goes to The Family to try to convince them to take the serum as well. Matthias is controlled by his psychotic hatred of "normal" people and, of course, would rather keep things as they are. He also refuses to believe that Neville would try to save him or his followers, and accuses Richie of being sent by Neville, ordering the albinos to murder him. Neville finds a note Richie left about going to talk to the Family, and discovers Richie strung up where The Family left him. Neville, caught outside after dark, is stalled in his attempts to reach home but manages to fight off the Family. Eric Laneuville has become a director of some note. ...

During this, Lisa suddenly and unexpectedly changes into a nocturnal. She betrays Neville and allows The Family access to Neville's bunker-apartment. Returning home, Neville is treated to an unexpected welcoming party. The Family destroys Neville's apartment, the remnants of the modern world. Matthias declares that now is the time to build; Neville tells him all they need build is coffins, they'll all be dead soon anyway. Attempting to escape, he is impaled by a spear thrown by Matthias. The final scene shows the remaining survivors departing in a Land Rover after being handed a flask of the blood serum by the dying Neville, lying in a pool of his blood in a dramatic posture which alludes to the crucifixion of Christ Jesus. Land Rover was the name of one of the first British civilian all-terrain utility vehicles, first produced by Rover in 1947. ... This article is about the figure known by both Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus Christ. For other usages, see Jesus (disambiguation). ...

Production notes

• The shots overlooking the 'deserted' city, mostly at the beginning of the film, were filmed at very early morning to achieve the deserted look. However, for those sharp eyed enough, the odd sign of life can actually be seen here and there.
• Filming was disrupted by the Sylmar earthquake of 1971.
• It features a brief excerpt of Country Joe and the Fish as well as Arlo Guthrie performing at Woodstock.
• Ω (omega) is the final letter in the Greek alphabet.

The Sylmar earthquake struck at 6:00:55 a. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ... Country Joe and the Fish, from the cover of Feel Like Im Fixin to Die Country Joe and the Fish was a rock music/folk music band known for musical protests against the Vietnam War, from 1965 to 1970. ... Arlo Guthrie (born July 10, 1947) is an American folk singer. ... Woodstock may refer to: Woodstock Music and Art Festival, a 1969 U.S. rock festival which inspired a 1970 Warner Bros. ... The Greek alphabet is an alphabet that has been used to write the Greek language since about the 9th century BCE. It was the first alphabet in the narrow sense, that is, a writing system using a separate symbol for each vowel and consonant alike. ...

Popular culture references

The film has been parodied on numerous occasions, including the "Treehouse of Horror VIII" annual Halloween special of The Simpsons, titled "The HΩmega Man," and an episode of Recess. Treehouse of Horror VIII is the fourth episode of The Simpsons ninth season, as well as the eighth Halloween episode. ... Halloween, or Halloween, is a tradition celebrated on the night of October 31, most notably by children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door collecting sweets, fruit, and other gifts, called most commonly trick-or-treating. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Recess was an American animated television series that was created by Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere, and produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. ...

"Omega Man" was also the title of songs by The Police, Fred Falke, and also the Bee Gees. The Police are a three-piece rock band consisting of singer/bassist Sting, guitarist Andy Summers, and drummer Stewart Copeland. ... The Bee Gees were a singing trio of brothers — Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb — that became one of the most successful musical acts of all time. ...

A sample from the movie was used in the Choking Victim song "Death Song", from the Squatta's Paradise 7". Choking Victim was an influential ska/punk/hardcore (what they call Crack Rocksteady, a slight satire on the Rocksteady style of music which Choking Victims style was often included by) band from New York City in the 1990s. ...

The White Zombie song "Creature Of The Wheel" from the album Astro Creep: 2000 contains samples from the movie and takes its title from dialogue spoken by Anthony Zerbe. The audio samples are, "Creature of the Wheel, lord of the infernal engines," and, "And oh brothers and sisters. I ask you to look at him, does he have the marks? Do you see them?" White Zombie is the name of: White Zombie (film), a 1932 film about zombies starring Bela Lugosi. ... Astro Creep: 2000 - Songs Of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head was released in 1995 by White Zombie through Geffen Records. ...

The White Zombie song "I Am Legend" from the album La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1 contains the line "Omega-man say, 'It's all gone away, I cannot believe it.'" White Zombie is the name of: White Zombie (film), a 1932 film about zombies starring Bela Lugosi. ... I Am Legend is a song off White Zombies album La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. ...

Two samples from the film are used in Revolting Cocks' "We Shall Cleanse the World" on their album Big Sexy Land. Revolting Cocks (often abbreviated Revco) were a musical side-project for Alain Jourgensen (Ministry) and Luc Van Acker. ...

The movie's theme was parodied in two CBC Radio comedies, Steve, The First and Steve, The Second. The first details the adventures of a slacker who sleeps through the apocalypse, then tries to save what is left of humanity; the second is about his son's adventures, twenty-five years later. CBC Radio is the English language radio division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. ... Steve the First was a four-part dark comedy set in a post-apocalyptic future, broadcast on CBC Radio One in 2005. ... Steve the Second was a four-part comedy series that was broadcast Saturday mornings on CBC Radio One, running from 11:30 - 12:00pm (half an hour later in Newfoundland). ... Slacking in the park The term slacker was commonly used in the United States in World War I and World War II to describe men who were avoiding the military draft. ... Look up Apocalypse in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Series 3 Episode 3 of the BBC series Jonathan Creek is called "The Omega Man".

Eminem video used elements of "The Omega Man".

The movie's theme was parodied in the film The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew. Great White North album cover Bob & Doug McKenzie were a pair of fictional Canadian brothers who hosted The Great White North, a sketch which was introduced on Second City Television for the shows third season when it moved to the CBC in 1980. ... Strange Brew is also the title of a song by the band Cream (released on their 1967 album Disraeli Gears), and of a compilation album - Strange Brew: The Very Best of Cream Strange Brew is a 1983 film starring the popular SCTV characters Bob & Doug McKenzie, played by Dave Thomas...

The Snog song "The End (suite)" includes the line "There will be no Mad Max or Omega Man... a meager man." Snog is a band formed by Australian musician David Thrussell, along with Tim McGrath and Julia Bourke, in 1988. ...

The Kinnikuman character The Omegaman's name is a reference to the film. Kinnikuman (front center) on the cover of Kinnikuman volume 14 (JCS). ... The Omegaman (ジ・オメガマン) is a fictional character who appeared in the final story arc of the superhuman wrestling manga Kinnikuman. ...

"The Omega Man" is the title of the second track on Iron Savior's album Megatropolis, and the song describes the story of the film. Iron Savior is a German power metal band formed by Piet Sielck, with a science-fiction theme to their writing. ... Megatropolis is Iron Saviors sixth full length album, scheduled to be released 4 June of 2007. ...

External links

• The Omega Man at the Internet Movie Database