The Omega Man (1971)
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A scientist becomes the sole immune survivor of a global biological warfare plague and must navigate a desolate Los Angeles populated by homicidal mutants.
The story
In March 1975, a Sino-Soviet border conflict escalates into full-scale war in which biological warfare destroys most of the human race. U.S. Army Colonel Robert Neville, a scientist based in Los Angeles, is about to succumb to the plague when he injects himself with an experimental vaccine, rendering him immune. By August 1977, Neville believes he is the only immune survivor. He lives in a fortified apartment building, patrolling the desolate city to hunt 'the Family,' a cult of homicidal nocturnal albino mutants who reject technology and blame it for the war.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In March 1975, biological warfare during a Sino-Soviet war destroys most of humanity. Colonel Robert Neville, a scientist in Los Angeles, becomes immune to the plague via an experimental vaccine. By 1977, he lives in a fortified apartment, hunting 'the Family,' a cult of nocturnal albino mutants. After a failed attempt to rescue a woman he thought was a hallucination, Neville is captured by the Family and sentenced to be burned at the stake in Dodger Stadium. He is rescued by Lisa and Dutch, who belong to a group of survivors in the Hollywood Hills. Neville realizes he can extend his immunity with a serum from his own blood. He treats Lisa's brother, Richie, who reveals the Family's headquarters is in the Los Angeles Civic Center. Richie pleads for the Family to be cured, but a hateful Neville refuses. Richie is executed by the Family. Neville later finds Richie's corpse and returns home to find Lisa has succumbed to the disease. The Family sets his home on fire; Neville attempts to shoot the leader, Matthias, but his gun jams and he is wounded. Neville eventually dies in a fountain, handing Dutch a flask of his serum. Dutch takes the weakened Lisa and the remaining survivors away from the city.
- First release year
- 1971
- Runtime (minutes)
- 98
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Boris Sagal
- Writers
- John William Corrington · screenplay; Joyce H. Corrington · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Charlton Heston · Robert Neville; Anthony Zerbe · Jonathan Matthias; Rosalind Cash · Lisa; Paul Koslo · Dutch; Eric Laneuville · Richie; Lincoln Kilpatrick · Zachary; Brian Tochi · Tommy
- Genres
- post-apocalyptic; action; science fiction; thriller; survival; dystopian
- Themes
- survival; isolation; humanity vs. mutation; science vs. superstition
- Tone and mood
- apocalyptic; dystopian; tense; stark
- Setting
- Los Angeles, California, 1975-1977
- Premise and plot tags
- post-apocalyptic; biological warfare; mutants; vaccine; cult
- Source material / true-story basis
- I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (1954)
- Content notes
- interracial kiss
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising its literate science-fiction drama and vivid performances while others criticized the climax and the ridiculousness of the mutants.
- Production trivia
- The film's producer, Walter Seltzer, also produced Soylent Green (1973).; The filmmakers filmed on Sunday mornings in the Los Angeles business district to create a depopulated metropolis without CGI.; The first short in The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror VIII (1997) is an homage to the film.; The 1981 album Ghost in the Machine by The Police features a track 'Omegaman' based on the film.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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