"The Omega Man" starring Charlton Heston

[operator114]

Zombie Survival Guide

AugustusMcCrae

Okay, I'll play the game. If it were modern day, I would still have to know if the zombies were the mostly dead type (as in 28 Days Later), or the ones that could be dispatched with a head shot (as in the Dawn of the Dead series). Also, are they the fast movers or the ones that you could walk away from at a brisk pace.

For entertainment, you might want to check out a couple of books by Max Brooks (son of Mel Brooks-Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstien...) entitled Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z. The later book would be good movie to make if Hollywood doesn't screw it up.

Now for the guns. In a SHTF zombie scenario, in addition to food, water, and a fortified shelter(s), I would have a three gun combo comprising of a suppressed M4 carbine with a bunch of loaded magazines in one of those tacticool vest, a Remington 870, and a (.40 cal) Glock 23.

 

[AugustusMcCrae]

Cosmoline, I fully intend to buy the DVD. However if I hadn't watched the free version, I would never have seen it as I usually don't watch horror movies. "Jaws" not counting. I'm not a big gore person & that's all most modern horror movies are.

Suspense films I love & that's what I'd classify "Omega Man" as.

Operator, I like your ideas but I don't want this to turn into a SHTF zombie thread & get closed. I just wanted to show folks a great movie by a even better actor.

 

[SoCalShooter]

I really like the "OMEGA MAN" that an red dawn are my two favorite movies ever.

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

I've had it on DVD for awhile...Great movie.

This is the first I have heard of I Am Legend, it looks pretty bad a$$ as well.

 

[Cosmoline]

Let's not forget that many of Heston's action movies had strong anti-war messages

"Omega Man" has a strong racial theme running through it as well. The fact that he ends up with a black woman may not seem like a big deal today, but in 1971 it was explosive. This was MOSES and BEN HUR kissing a young black radical! For an established actor to take that kind of chance is still incredibly rare. Almost unheard of, actually. But Heston never gave a wetslap about protecting his image or his career if he wanted to make a statement.

 

[Hogfan1911]

Just got home from taking my daughter to see "Ratatouille" (did I spell that right?) and noticed a poster for "I am Legend". Was just Will Smith walking through a grayish scene, didn't look that close but don't think it showed him carrying any weaponry. Would've noticed that, I think. Immediately spotted the Kahr Jodie Foster was holding in the poster for her new flick, especially since mine was on my hip at the time...anyway, will definitely have to see Legend, and probably wait until after it to watch "The Omega Man". Can't believe I've missed out on it.

 

[zoom6zoom]

Immediately spotted the Kahr Jodie Foster was holding in the poster for her new flick

Supposedly that's a remake of "Death Wish".
Enough with remakes, already - at least combine two old movies and come up with something different. How about "Red Dawn of the Dead" - zombie Russian paratroopers invade the Midwest.

 

[Richmond]

awards

He's actually a pretty good actor.

Of course not - he won a Best Actor Academy Award as well as numerous other awards during his career. Remember that his Oscar was 1960 (Ben Hur) and most of his big lead roles were in the late 50s, 60s and early to mid 70s.

 

[Hogfan1911]

How about "Red Dawn of the Dead" - zombie Russian paratroopers invade the Midwest.

LMAO Now, I WOULD pay $7.50 a ticket (plus a car payment for popcorn & cokes) to see that! Hey, to keep the ladies interested, maybe Patrick Swayze & Jennifer Grey could defeat the commie zombie horde with a magical dance number!

 

[cracked butt]

I hope the movie is faithful to the book, but I somewhat doubt that it will be- the story is bit too much of a downer for people.

 

[Cosmoline]

"They're COMMUNIST zombies, Earl. And I'm tellin' you JOSEPH STALIN is leading them! He's got a five year plan to eat all the brains."

 

[rcellis]

I liked "The Flesh, The Blood and The Devil" better than Omega Man - no zombies to come in for the finale.

 

[Cannonball888]

"Omega Man" has a strong racial theme running through it as well. The fact that he ends up with a black woman may not seem like a big deal today, but in 1971 it was explosive. This was MOSES and BEN HUR kissing a young black radical! For an established actor to take that kind of chance is still incredibly rare.

Actually the first on-screen interracial kiss occurred much earlier. It was when Captain Kirk kissed Ohura in episode 'Plato´s Stepchildren'
No, I am not a trekkie.

 

[koja48]

+1 for "The Mountain Men"

 

[Quiet]

For entertainment, you might want to check out a couple of books by Max Brooks (son of Mel Brooks-Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstien...) entitled Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z. The later book would be good movie to make if Hollywood doesn't screw it up.

World War Z currently in pre-pre-production (script is being written) and is being produced by Plan B and Paramount.

 

[Full Clip]

"Omega" was the second incarnation of the original story. See 1964's "The Last Man On Earth" with Vincent Price for something closer to the author's intent — still very different, but closer.

 

[AugustusMcCrae]

Just how gorey is the Vincent Price version? Is it virtually the same as the Heston version or more like a "Saw" movie?

 

[CWL]

No blood or gore whatsoever. Very little violence as well, although he was armed. You don't really see the "vampires" do that much except wander around.

It was filmed in black and white on a very low budget and it looked it, even the house that he sealed himself into was not well hardened.

The two versions are completely different. Omega Man had a 'cool and hip' feel to it and you knew violence could break out at any moment whereas The Last man on Earth moved incredibly slowly (most of it is a narration since Vincent Price was "the last man on earth") and is very close to the short story. Just like the short story, the ending is very confusing -but you don't get to reread the last few pages to try and figure out what happened.

 

[AugustusMcCrae]

The link I posted earlier for the Vincent Price version didn't work for me so here's another one. Also free.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGOAgBT--FA

 

[shc1]

Geeze, just how old am I?

Lots of good flicks.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

Mr. Heston is a great actor in many Westerns-- but he shines on in two very-specific sub-catagories of roles:

1) Biblical figure
2) Post-apocalyptic hero (almost always, a dystopian 'Last Man').


And as stated, he was way out in front in breaking stereotypes and and frankly confronting issues of race. It gets me hot when some moron, having seen "Bowling For Collumbine" wants to speak of Chuck Heston as some sort of rascist---"Oh, yeh, Chuck marched on Washington with MLK--and have you seen 'Omega Man'?".

As for the weapon in "Omega Man", --I love how spidery and light the S&W looks when Heston is running around town with it--very stylish.

 

[Johannes_Paulsen]

x2 for Airport 1975! Karen Black's magnum opus and Erik Estrada's breakout movie is probably the best airplane disaster film of all time. Not only that, Heston can actually be seen really flying a 747 in the movie!

 

[Glockman17366]

"I Am Legend" is actually a novel by Richard Matheson who was quite prolific in the 50's and 60's.

Charlton Heston was also quite the actor in the same era. I suggest "The Naked Jungle", "Ten Commandments", "Touch of Evil" as well as "Planet of the Apes".

BTW, another way cool and gun related movie is the 1951 version of "The Thing from Another World"...great flick, great dialogue and watch Kenneth Tobey's handling of a 1911.

 

[priv8ter]

Oh no you didn't....

CWL stated thus:

I am Legend was and is a drab and depressing short story, it is one time where I think the Hollywood version will be better than the book.

Yes, it is a short story, and the end is quite depressing, but only because the story was exquistly written and you care so much for the main charecter at the end.

I AM LEGEND looks like it will be a good movie, and I think Mr Smith is both a great actor and a hoot to watch is a slapstick 'action hero' role, but I don't see Hollywood paying Will Smith top money to have him end the movie the same way the story ends.

As for The Omega Man, I just watched it for the first time last week, and I was struck by the overwhelming 'Cheese Factor'. Entertaining movie, but...I guess I should be glad I spent my formative years in the '80's instead of earlier...

greg

 

[AugustusMcCrae]

I think your right priv8ter. I don't think the new Will Smith version will end nothing like the Vincent Price version. Smith will probably get a few RPG's & blow up all NY not to mention the monsters.

Hollywood seems obessed with the good guy winning, the bad guy dying & happy endings. I remember the latest remake of "The Count of Monte Cristo".

It was nothing like the book or the way the original author intended it to be. Horrible.