For those of you that have read "I Am Legend"

lokiju

Lifer
May 29, 2003
18,526
5
0
****Contains Book Spoilers**** (even though the book is from the 50's)

I'm currently reading I Am Legend and am a little over half way through with it.

I'm excited to see the new movie but already see that they've changed numerous things from the story to the movie and wonder "why?"

For instance, the movie takes place in NYC but the book takes place in CA (Compton)

The previews show him with a dog but in the book the dog died quickly.

He was a big tall white guy with blonde hair, in the movie it's Will Smith.

No Ben Cortman in the movie, IMO this is a big disappointment.

Again, I'm only half way though the book and already I see all these changes and it makes me wonder "why?"


FWIW it's a really good book so far and would recommend it.
 

Anubis

No Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
78,712
427
126
tbqhwy.com
yes ive read the book, and no i wont see the movie

tho a "Big tall white dude with blond hair" as the loan person on earth woudl prob piss off people that like to bitch about shit like that
 

BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
1
81
See this is all wrong.

Black people know how to kill zombies. White people know how to kill vampires.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
No, doesn't bother me a bit. Omega Man didn't follow it at all and was a great movie.

Disclaimer: I also liked Total Recall, Blade Runner and David Lynch's Dune, none of which were faithful to the original stories.
 

Wuffsunie

Platinum Member
May 4, 2002
2,808
0
0
The dog was added so he'd have someone to talk to besides himself, I think. VERY hard to do a one-man movie well.

For setting it in NY, well, all movies are either NY or LA, don't you know that?

They actually got rid of Ben Cortman? Damn it. He was a cool part of the book.

I have to wonder how much of the latter parts of the book they're going to change, after he meets the woman. From the look of the vamps in the movie, that could be quite the sticking point.
 

lokiju

Lifer
May 29, 2003
18,526
5
0
Originally posted by: Wuffsunie
The dog was added so he'd have someone to talk to besides himself, I think. VERY hard to do a one-man movie well.

For setting it in NY, well, all movies are either NY or LA, don't you know that?

They actually got rid of Ben Cortman? Damn it. He was a cool part of the book.

I have to wonder how much of the latter parts of the book they're going to change, after he meets the woman. From the look of the vamps in the movie, that could be quite the sticking point.

Tom Hanks pulled it off very well in Cast Away...

I finished the book last night and do wonder if they'll have the bleak ending that the book (more a long, short story) had.

Good read nonetheless.

In the previews for the movie that are at apple.com/trailers, they show scenes with him in sewers with the vampires also, which never happens in the book.

I'll still watch the movie though, just like I Robot was changed around for the movie, it was still an enjoyable IMO.
 

gar3555

Diamond Member
Jan 8, 2005
3,510
0
0
Originally posted by: lokiju
Originally posted by: Wuffsunie
The dog was added so he'd have someone to talk to besides himself, I think. VERY hard to do a one-man movie well.

For setting it in NY, well, all movies are either NY or LA, don't you know that?

They actually got rid of Ben Cortman? Damn it. He was a cool part of the book.

I have to wonder how much of the latter parts of the book they're going to change, after he meets the woman. From the look of the vamps in the movie, that could be quite the sticking point.

Tom Hanks pulled it off very well in Cast Away...

I finished the book last night and do wonder if they'll have the bleak ending that the book (more a long, short story) had.

Good read nonetheless.

In the previews for the movie at are at apple.com/trailers, they show scenes with him in sewers with the vampires also, which never happens in the book.

I'll still watch the movie though, just like I Robot was changed around for the movie, it was still an enjoyable IMO.

I, Robot was deplorable when compared to the book, it took almost nothing from the original Asimov tale.
 

Anubis

No Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
78,712
427
126
tbqhwy.com
Originally posted by: gar3555
Originally posted by: lokiju
Originally posted by: Wuffsunie
The dog was added so he'd have someone to talk to besides himself, I think. VERY hard to do a one-man movie well.

For setting it in NY, well, all movies are either NY or LA, don't you know that?

They actually got rid of Ben Cortman? Damn it. He was a cool part of the book.

I have to wonder how much of the latter parts of the book they're going to change, after he meets the woman. From the look of the vamps in the movie, that could be quite the sticking point.

Tom Hanks pulled it off very well in Cast Away...

I finished the book last night and do wonder if they'll have the bleak ending that the book (more a long, short story) had.

Good read nonetheless.

In the previews for the movie at are at apple.com/trailers, they show scenes with him in sewers with the vampires also, which never happens in the book.

I'll still watch the movie though, just like I Robot was changed around for the movie, it was still an enjoyable IMO.

I, Robot was deplorable when compared to the book, it took almost nothing from the original Asimov tale.

QFT I robot is on my list of thr 10 worst movies ever made
 

lokiju

Lifer
May 29, 2003
18,526
5
0
Originally posted by: Anubis
Originally posted by: gar3555
Originally posted by: lokiju
Originally posted by: Wuffsunie
The dog was added so he'd have someone to talk to besides himself, I think. VERY hard to do a one-man movie well.

For setting it in NY, well, all movies are either NY or LA, don't you know that?

They actually got rid of Ben Cortman? Damn it. He was a cool part of the book.

I have to wonder how much of the latter parts of the book they're going to change, after he meets the woman. From the look of the vamps in the movie, that could be quite the sticking point.

Tom Hanks pulled it off very well in Cast Away...

I finished the book last night and do wonder if they'll have the bleak ending that the book (more a long, short story) had.

Good read nonetheless.

In the previews for the movie at are at apple.com/trailers, they show scenes with him in sewers with the vampires also, which never happens in the book.

I'll still watch the movie though, just like I Robot was changed around for the movie, it was still an enjoyable IMO.

I, Robot was deplorable when compared to the book, it took almost nothing from the original Asimov tale.

QFT I robot is on my list of thr 10 worst movies ever made

I concur that the book was much much better but being that I saw the movie first and had no idea about the story line, I enjoyed it personally.

 

mindmaniac

Senior member
Dec 30, 2003
915
1
81
All of the changes really suck. If they are going to change it a bunch like "Omega Man" which was a good movie. The least they could do with this movie is change the title so we don't go in expecting to see the book made into film.

That being said it looks like "No Country for Old Men" is holding up to the book. I've been reading that and just saw a preview for it and thought it looks just like the book I'm reading then to find out that it is was pretty exciting.
 

BooGiMaN

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2001
7,955
0
0
99% of the time a studio decides to produce a film based on a book the main objective is to make money, they dont usually care if it is faithful to the book or not as long as it makes money...

in this case they cast smith to draw in a wider audience not just those that read the book.

im still undecided if i will go see the movie, most of the time when they cast will smith its to play a wise cracking cool street smart guy whether or not the role calls for it.

after enjoying the wild wild west series as a kid I did not watch the wild wild west movie with smith in it because i didnt think it would be anything like the series
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,758
603
126
Originally posted by: gar3555
Originally posted by: lokiju
Originally posted by: Wuffsunie
The dog was added so he'd have someone to talk to besides himself, I think. VERY hard to do a one-man movie well.

For setting it in NY, well, all movies are either NY or LA, don't you know that?

They actually got rid of Ben Cortman? Damn it. He was a cool part of the book.

I have to wonder how much of the latter parts of the book they're going to change, after he meets the woman. From the look of the vamps in the movie, that could be quite the sticking point.

Tom Hanks pulled it off very well in Cast Away...

I finished the book last night and do wonder if they'll have the bleak ending that the book (more a long, short story) had.

Good read nonetheless.

In the previews for the movie at are at apple.com/trailers, they show scenes with him in sewers with the vampires also, which never happens in the book.

I'll still watch the movie though, just like I Robot was changed around for the movie, it was still an enjoyable IMO.

I, Robot was deplorable when compared to the book, it took almost nothing from the original Asimov tale.

Neither did any of the Borne movies, but they were still good when taken as their own. It actually bothers me more when they adhere very close to source material and then deviate then if they don't even try to at all.
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,758
603
126
The most unsettling thing for me is the lack of Ben Cortman. But I haven't seen anything about this movie yet, so if I saw a preview I might feel differently.
 

gar3555

Diamond Member
Jan 8, 2005
3,510
0
0
Originally posted by: PingSpike
Originally posted by: gar3555
Originally posted by: lokiju
Originally posted by: Wuffsunie
The dog was added so he'd have someone to talk to besides himself, I think. VERY hard to do a one-man movie well.

For setting it in NY, well, all movies are either NY or LA, don't you know that?

They actually got rid of Ben Cortman? Damn it. He was a cool part of the book.

I have to wonder how much of the latter parts of the book they're going to change, after he meets the woman. From the look of the vamps in the movie, that could be quite the sticking point.

Tom Hanks pulled it off very well in Cast Away...

I finished the book last night and do wonder if they'll have the bleak ending that the book (more a long, short story) had.

Good read nonetheless.

In the previews for the movie at are at apple.com/trailers, they show scenes with him in sewers with the vampires also, which never happens in the book.

I'll still watch the movie though, just like I Robot was changed around for the movie, it was still an enjoyable IMO.

I, Robot was deplorable when compared to the book, it took almost nothing from the original Asimov tale.

Neither did any of the Borne movies, but they were still good when taken as their own. It actually bothers me more when they adhere very close to source material and then deviate then if they don't even try to at all.

But if there going to deviate so much from the original source material, why use the same title?