Stephen King Fans discussion

Who's reading along this month? Be sure to mark spoilers!!

I read this last month, so should be fresh enough on it to discuss.

I'll probably participate in this discussion. I haven't read the story so recently but it does kinda stick with you. Plus, I feel like discussions of this book often turn toward comparing the text to it's movie adaptations. Saw all 3 of them within the last month or two.

I have just finished the book and have loved it. My copy of I am legend was a movie tie in and had several short stories in it as well. This is the first I have read from Richard Matheson and I was quite pleased. All though it was written in the '50's I did not find the story to be dated.

This was one of the first stories I read by Matheson as well and it has led me down a path of other great things.

I am waiting for my copy from the library.

Rachel wrote: "This was one of the first stories I read by Matheson as well and it has led me down a path of other great things."

Stephen King recommended Richard Matheson because he was such an influential part of his writing. Once I started reading him, I loved it. :)

I read I Am Legend a few years ago. I absolutely loved it, and I actually thought that the movie did it no justice. Granted, Will Smith is a good actor, but the movie SUCKED!

I thought Will Smith was the best Robert Neville of the three. (Smith, Vincent Price, and Charlton Heston) I really felt sympathy for his character like I did for the Robert Neville in the novella.

The book has one of the best endings that all three movies manage to somehow mangle in their own special ways.

I liked the fact that i was not expecting the ending.

I loved it...first time ever reading any Matheson..what next? It's essentially a clever look at lonliness..we yearn to love and be loved. I loved the scene with the dog "He had such a terrible yearning to love something again, and the dog was such a beautiful ugly dog" and yet the human condition can get used to anything when the girl stayed with Robert Neville, he regretted having found her "As the moments passed he could almost sense himself drifting farther and farther from her. In a way he almost regretted having found her at all"....fantastic :))

Any book or story that has been made THREE times into a movie: the first with Vincent Price, the Second was "The Omega Man" with (shudder) Charlton Heston - a tremendously racist version, and third - with Will Smith, which I haven't seen. -- At any rate, anything that is made over three times, and the book is still better deserves to be read, not seen in a movie!

Trev wrote: "I loved it...first time ever reading any Matheson..what next? It's essentially a clever look at lonliness..we yearn to love and be loved. I loved the scene with the dog "He had such a terrible year..."

I agree, the description of the relationships made me feel hopeful then lonely as well.

Just out of curiosity I watched the 2007 remake with Will Smith to see how if differed and if a movie could in anyway live up to the book....One of the most memorable scenes from the book is the emergence of the dog and how it slowly grew to accept and trust Neville, I thought this in particular was extremely well conveyed in the book, however the movie had the dog as Neville's constant companion from the beginning until it's death....which did not have quite the same impact as the book. Still a movie is a different animal (excuse pun!) and you are catering for a somewhat wider audience and it was interesting and enjoyable in it's own way.

Trev wrote: "Just out of curiosity I watched the 2007 remake with Will Smith to see how if differed and if a movie could in anyway live up to the book....One of the most memorable scenes from the book is the em..."

I am not sure that the movie (with Will Smith) should even be compared to the novella. I am in complete agreement with you Trev, whenever I think of "I Am Legend", I think of the scenes with the dog (well, that and the scenes with Cortman -- "He Is Legend" has an excellent backstory dealing with the relationship of these characters). But the movie essentially misses that point -- the entire idea of what makes Neville a legend is corrupted.
(view spoiler)[ Neville is a legend in "I Am Legend" (though this is mho and I could be really off here), because he is last remaining human and his death is the death of humanity. The emergence of the new society of the "vampires" is the emergence of a new society of ubermenschen, humanity, with its imperfections (like human connections) is gone. This is a new society where there is no place for dogs or loneliness for connection. In the movie, Neville is legendary since he cured the virus. A totally different animal (excuse stealing your pun) that I think sort of corrupts the story. (hide spoiler)]
But then again, I guess it depends on what sort of ending you are looking for and whether one cares whether the ending reflects the heart of the novella or simply wraps up a vaguely associated plotline.

I am about 40% through it so far, and I like it very much.
I have only seen the Will Smith version of the movie and though I thought it was pretty good, I think the book is much better.

Which movie? :)

He's my favorite part of the movie and the best Neville, IMO. I find fault with the CGI vampires (to me, if you can do it withh make up or practicalk effects, it seems lazy to do CGI monsters.) And the ending does send a different message from the book and i love the book's ending so much.

Jonathan wrote: "The most recent. I didn't even know there were two others. Smith, if you can forgive the Fresh Prince of Bell-Air and Independence Day, is actaully a very good actor in my opinion. I thought his ro..."

You should see Will Smith in 6 Degrees of Seperation with Donald Sutherland. He was most awesome!

There was also a fantastic movie called Enemy of the State that starred Will Smith and Gene Hackman..at the end of the 90's which I really enjoyed...but we stray a little of subject :))

I finished I am Legend last night...I thought the ending was fantastic. I also thought that the ending was really the only ending there could be. He didn't try to write himself out of a situation by throwing in some sort of fairy tale ending (like even King does, at times.)

Enemy of the State was good too, Trev.
We won't bring up the Wild, Wild West though. : (

Charlene wrote: "I finished I am Legend last night...I thought the ending was fantastic. I also thought that the ending was really the only ending there could be. He didn't try to write himself out of a situation b..."
This is why I think that the novella is "better" (I quote here since to me the movie and novellas are so different it's like comparing apples to oranges). It fits the story without going totally cheesy/trite/obvious. (view spoiler)[ Will Smith is legend since he cured the world's problems -- typical and not at all like the novella (hide spoiler)]

Not that I didn't like the movie, it is just like almost all Matheson-into-movies: so different, why don't the writers/directors/producers simply steal some of the ideas and call it something else?

I agree, Leah!

Leah wrote: "Charlene wrote: "....Not that I didn't like the movie, it is just like almost all Matheson-into-movies: so different, why don't the writers/directors/producers simply steal some of the ideas and call it something else?
..."

Smae thing happened with "I, Robot".

I thought the book was a lot of fun. I also had the copy that was relased with the movie and the short stories were really good!!

Hiddenheart wrote: "I read I Am Legend a few years ago. I absolutely loved it, and I actually thought that the movie did it no justice. Granted, Will Smith is a good actor, but the movie SUCKED!"

sorry you didn't like the movie. I actually liked both the movie and the book. The movie was not the Nevilles character in the book i.e., bumbling, trying to find answers when he doesn't even know what questions to ask. He had become desperate, cold, harsh, almost inhuman and violent in the book. In the movie, he maintained some of his humanity, but quite desperate for companionship; even if he did not know it.

I just recently read the book, andwasnt impressed. I wasn't fond of either the Will Smith movie or the Charlton Heston movie. I didn't know there was a third.