My choice for Neville in 'I Am Legend' - The Omega Man (1971) Discussion

[–] ronsdamnsure 15 years ago

I thought Will Smith did a fine job in I am Legend, but the movie overall turned out just okay. I thought the "night walkers" or whatever you want to call them seemed too primitive (and too CGI'ed). But Ed Harris definitely resembles Charlton Heston. Although i can't agree that he would have been a better choice since i haven't seen many of Eds movies.

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[–] calduc-1 15 years ago

smith was good. but ed harris would be an interesting choice.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] cinemanchild 15 years ago

I dunno.

Neville was supposed to be 36 in the book and he had a young daughter.

Ed Harris is going to turn 60 this year.

I suppose he could do alright, but 60 is closer to a grandparent's age.

Cheers...

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[–] steven_titchenell2006 15 years ago

But when Charlton Heston played him, he was 48 with a receding hairline and when Vincent Price was in "The Last Man On Earth" he was 53 with a receding hairline. And his character also had a young daughter. And remember, "I Am Legend" (The movie) is nearly 3 years old

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[–] cinemanchild 15 years ago

Yeah, I dig... they cast Heston & Price on the old side, but 60 is almost a senior citizen.

I'm not saying that Ed Harris wouldn't be a good choice.

In fact, since... SPOILERS!!!

SPOILERS!!!

SPOILERS!!!

Since Neville in the "Omega Man" did not have a young daughter that we know of, I guess if he was 60 it really wouldn't matter, but in "I am Legend" he was supposed to have had a young daughter.

I can dig that I am Legend is 2+ years old know, but I fail to comprehend the significance.

Cheers...

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[–] steven_titchenell2006 15 years ago

The significance is that Ed Harris was 2+ years younger when the movie came out

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[–] cinemanchild 15 years ago

Gotcha!

I guess they probably cast the role 4 or so years ago.

I can dig what you're saying.

I'm not hung up on ages and artistic license per se.

And it didn't bother me that they cast a black dude as Neville.

I don't think Will Smith did a terrible job as Neville.

What bothered me was how lame the writers/producers made the character.

SPOILERS!!!

SPOILERS!!!

In the book, Neville was a chain-smoking, hard liquor-guzzling guy tormented by lust.

As soon as they cast Will Smith, I knew that the character would be none of the above because he's so big with the kids.

There was 36 years between The Omega Man and I am Legend, so I reckon I'll be dead before it's ever remade.

Oh, well...

Cheers...

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[–] steven_titchenell2006 12 years ago

Arnold Scwarzenegger was the original choice, but dropped out when he decided to run for Governor of California

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] glemay25 15 years ago

My choice would be Kevin Spacey for Neville. I was thinking this choice
would make Robert Neville more of a modern day Van Helsing. I just see
Spacey making a great Neville.

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[–] gregghaw 15 years ago

Denzel was the perfect choice for the role, not Will Smith. I think Hollywood realized the mistake and gave him Book of Eli.

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[–] MercurialAquarian 12 years ago

Too young and too hip. A family man? Sure, and he (Smith) already had one to mimic, but still too hip. I would have opted for Clive Owen, a little more roguish than Jeremy Sisto, who might have also been good, and proved capable of handling end of days matters well in "Children of Men".

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[–] geor1772 8 years ago

Will Smith and I Am Legend are both jokes compared to Chuck and The Omega Man!

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[–] omendata 8 years ago

So true!

Wish they had kept to the novel in both movies but Omega Man is a superb film despite what the critics might say!

There were a few movies at that time that had that truly "apocalypse" feel.
Another was Damnation Alley and the Andromeda Strain and possibly the Satan Bug!

Its uncle Frank Kirsty!
Its time to play!

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