The Last Man on Earth (1964)

The Last Man on Earth is a black-and-white post-apocalyptic horror/science fiction film directed by Ubaldo Ragona and Sidney Salkow, starring the legendary Vincent Price. It is the very first film adaptation of Richard Matheson’s classic novel I Am Legend. Let’s dive deep into the film, its story, production, and legacy.

Detailed Summary

Opening: A World Without Humanity

The film begins with Dr. Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) waking up in a deserted, decaying city. He is the supposed last survivor of a plague that wiped out most of humanity, turning the rest into vampiric creatures. Each day, he reinforces his home against nightly attacks, hunts the infected during daylight, and quietly battles the crushing loneliness of being the only human left.

Daily Survival

Morgan’s life is shown in meticulous routine: gathering supplies, fixing barricades, and driving stakes into the bodies of vampires he finds asleep during the day. His loneliness is amplified by his nightly ritual of listening to music and looking at old home movies, reminders of the family he once had.

Flashbacks: The Collapse of Society

Through flashbacks, we see how the plague spread. Morgan, once a scientist, tried to warn officials and work on a cure. His wife and daughter became infected, and tragically, he had to bury them. In a devastating scene, his wife rises from her grave as a vampire, forcing him to confront his worst nightmare.

Meeting Ruth

Morgan eventually discovers another human, Ruth. At first, he’s overjoyed at the possibility of companionship. However, he soon realizes that Ruth is not entirely human—she is part of a new society of infected survivors who have developed resistance to the disease and are trying to rebuild.

The Truth of Morgan’s Role

Ruth explains that Morgan, in his quest to kill vampires, has actually been slaughtering her kind—those who are still alive but infected. To them, Morgan is not a hero but a terrifying figure: a killer who hunts them in their sleep. He is their monster, their legend.

Movie Ending

The climax unfolds when Ruth’s people come to capture Morgan. He flees to a church but is mortally wounded. Cornered and bleeding, he shouts to Ruth’s group that they are “freaks” and that he is the true last man. In his final moments, he defiantly declares, “You are all freaks! I’m a man—the last man!” before succumbing to his wounds. The irony is crushing: the man we followed as humanity’s last hope dies, and the infected society becomes the future. To them, Morgan was never a savior—he was the monster of their nightmares. This bitter twist encapsulates the tragic theme of Matheson’s novel: perspective defines who is hero and who is villain.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, the 1964 film has no post-credits scenes. The story ends with Morgan’s death and Ruth’s people moving forward with their new world.

Type of Movie

The film is a mix of science fiction, horror, and post-apocalyptic drama. While marketed as horror due to its vampire-like antagonists, its real strength lies in psychological dread and existential themes.

Cast

• Vincent Price as Dr. Robert Morgan
• Franca Bettoia as Ruth Collins
• Emma Danieli as Virginia Morgan
• Giacomo Rossi Stuart as Ben Cortman

Film Music and Composer

The score was composed by Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter, who created a moody, suspenseful soundscape that emphasizes isolation, dread, and melancholy rather than jump-scare horror.

Filming Locations

The movie was shot in and around Rome, Italy, even though the story is set in the United States. This explains some of the European architectural backdrops. The deserted Italian streets gave the film a hauntingly eerie, otherworldly quality that amplified the atmosphere of desolation.

Awards and Nominations

The film did not win major awards on release but has since gained a cult following. Many critics now consider it the most faithful adaptation of Matheson’s I Am Legend.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Vincent Price was not the studio’s first choice; Richard Matheson reportedly wanted someone “tougher,” but Price brought a haunting vulnerability to the role.
• The Italian setting was largely due to budget constraints, but it accidentally gave the movie a unique visual flavor.
• The script was reworked multiple times—Matheson himself wrote a version but was dissatisfied with the final product and used a pseudonym.
• The film later influenced George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968), particularly in its depiction of reanimated, zombie-like creatures.

Inspirations and References

The movie is directly inspired by Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel I Am Legend. The book was a groundbreaking work blending horror and science fiction, and it influenced countless later works about pandemics, zombies, and the collapse of society.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

There are no confirmed alternate endings for this film, though later adaptations (The Omega Man in 1971, I Am Legend in 2007) offered different conclusions. Deleted material mostly involved extended scenes of Morgan’s daily survival, which were trimmed for pacing.

Book Adaptations and Differences

The film is the closest adaptation to Matheson’s novel compared to later versions.

• In the novel, Morgan’s death is even more philosophically pointed: he realizes he is the monster in the eyes of the infected before willingly accepting death.
• The movie simplifies some of the science of the disease and portrays the infected more like traditional vampires than the “living infected” in the book.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• Morgan burning the corpses of the infected in a pit.
• The heart-wrenching flashback of his wife’s burial and her return as a vampire.
• The moment Ruth reveals that Morgan is seen as a killer, not a hero.
• The climactic standoff in the church where Morgan meets his fate.

Iconic Quotes

• “Another day to live through. Better get started.”
• “You are all freaks! I’m a man—the last man!”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• The design of the infected, though vampire-like, served as a prototype for modern zombies, influencing Romero.
• The movie’s use of deserted city streets in Rome unintentionally gave it a surreal tone that fans now love.

Trivia

• Matheson disliked the film and had his name removed from the credits, using the pseudonym Logan Swanson.
• The movie fell into the public domain, which is why it is so widely available today.
• Vincent Price considered this one of his most exhausting roles due to its isolation-heavy script.

Why Watch?

Watch this film if you want to see the roots of the zombie genre and a haunting Vincent Price performance. It’s slow, atmospheric, and deeply tragic, staying true to the existential horror of Matheson’s novel.

Director’s Other Movies

• The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (1973)
• Panic (1963)

Recommended Films for Fans

• Night of the Living Dead (1968)
• The Omega Man (1971)
• I Am Legend (2007)
• The Day of the Triffids (1962)
• Soylent Green (1973)
• Planet of the Apes (1968)