Synopsis
Charlton Heston drives around deserted Los Angeles. In the wake of a biological war, he isthe only human survivor of the plague. But he is not alone. At night, psychotic albino zombiescome out to kill him. After two years of war with the zombies (led by TV anchor turned madpreacher Anthony Zerbe), Heston discovers other human survivors. The race is on to see if hisblood can supply an antidote before these last people also perish of the plague. The first half ofthe fi…m, with Heston alone and struggling against the zombies, is the strongest. The secondhalf, though still fun, loses the oppressive paranoia of the first, and the Heston-as-Christ imagerybecomes more and more hamfisted. Stirring 70’s SF all the same.
Audio
The mono is very clean. There is no buzz to the sound or muzziness to the dialogue. (Exceptduring some clips in the introduction, but the film itself sounds fine.) The music has a good, richsound to it, so while the sound may not be stereo, it certainly gets the job done.
Video
A strong 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The print is essentially in very fine shape.There are a few speckles here and there, as well a some grainy moments (and a few shots aregrainy indeed), but these moments are the exception rather than the rule. The colours are warm,,the contrasts very strong, and the blacks nice and deep. There is no edge enhancement to dealwith either. In sum, then, a great-looking transfer for a thirty-plus-year-old film.
Special Features
The four-minute introduction features comments from the co-writer and two supportingmembers of the cast. Nothing earth-shattering here, but not without interest. “The Last ManAlive” is a featurette from 1971, and is a fascinating historical document in its own right. Theminor extras are a short essay on Heston’s SF films, a cast and crew list, and the theatrical trailer.The menu’s main page is scored.
Closing Thoughts
Great to see this cult classic hit DVD, especially with its widescreen ratio intact. If you’veonly seen The Omega Man on TV, now’s the time to see it again. Properly. For the firsttime.
Special Features List
- Theatrical Trailer
- Introduction
- “The Last Man Alive” Vintage Featurette
- Charlton Heston Sci-Fi Movies Essay
