Taking part in a cinema of Spain viewing challenge on ICM, I kept a look out for any unexpected titles suddenly appearing. Aware of the three movie versions,I was shocked to spot a lone adaptation not in English, that has recently appeared with English subtitles,leading to me meeting the legend.
Note: Some spoilers in review.
View on the film:
Never moving into cinema feature films, (his longest was the 1 hour TV movie Ciertos reflejos: La Chunga (1978)) co-writer/(with Alfonso Nunez Flores ) director Mario Gomez Martin displays a stunning level of ambition, which packs each corner of the 36 minute run time, as Martin & cinematographer Jesus Ocana casts the last man on earth against long, thick shadows which are dented by stylish, isolating wide-shots of the sun flickering against Neville's daylight travel.
Paying close attention to the sound design, Martin covers Neville's lone cramped room with the subtle howls/bellowing from the zombies/vampires, that are only broken by a shivering scream and (off screen) thud from a steak being driven into the heart by Neville in the daylight.
Wiping out humanity in a compact opening credits sequence, the screenplay by Martin and Flores dig deep into the icy, isolating horror Neville now must confront daily, with the writers keeping him held in his small room,and the only thing close to daily contact being stabbing the former humans in daylight.
Bringing Virginia (played by a wonderfully vampish Elisa Ramirez) in to break the personal space of Neville, ( played by a great, nose to the grindstone Moises Menendez) the writers edge their Richard Matheson adaptation towards Neville making a emotion bond with Virginia, but make the encounter all too fleeting, which is thankfully tided up by a delightfully downbeat ending of the shadows taking the legend.
