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The DVD release of the Will Smithend-of-times blockbuster contains a few surprises.
Since I am Legendhas been out a long time, we don't still have to say spoiler alert, right?Anyway, the alternate ending included with the DVD release on March 18 goes ina totally different direction than the one you saw in theaters, one much morein line with the spirit of the book the movie was based on. Catch it beforeWarner Bros gets the lawyers involved!
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Last December when I am Legend hit theaters, one of thebiggest complains I heard was that the ending was completely changed from thebook and in turn the entire "legend" concept that Richard Mathesonoriginally wrote was never actually seen. The DVD is arriving in a few weeksand Francis Lawrence's original ending that was made is included on it.Thankfully we've grabbed the new version for you viewing pleasure below. And tosay it simply - you NEED to watch this.
You've been warned - everything from this point forward contains spoilers.Proceed at your own risk!
I actually really loved I Am Legendquite a damn bit. I think I saw it around three times in theaters and loved itmore each time. Up until the point where Alice Braga's character appeared, Iwas enjoying it so much that I was considering making a spot for it on my bestof 2007 list. However, by the end, I wasn't as sure. The scene at the end wherethe vampire creatures break into Robert Neville's lab is intense and amazing,and I enjoyed it, but it wasn't how it should have played out. This endingbelow is what we should have seen. <o:p></o:p>
For those unaware, let me explain the conceptof RichardMatheson's book to help clarify why this original ending was so amazing tofinally see. Without spoiling too much (incase you want to read it), the entirepurpose of the title I Am Legend is that in the book, Robert Neville actuallyis the last man on the planet. And he has switched places from our reality ofwhat we perceive as legend, to actually being the legend. As in, vampires are "legendary"to us because they're a myth from fantasy. In the book, Robert Neville is"legendary" because he is that myth and goes out day after dayhunting them. With the original theatrical ending, they never actually touchedon that idea at all - but when you think about, that's a pretty damn coolconcept.
While an ending that direct wouldn't have worked at all in this interpretationof I Am Legend, the way this original ending plays out actually caters muchmore to that concept than the one we saw in theaters. I love the dynamicbetween Neville and the lead vampire, especially when he finally brushes upagainst next to him and comes in contact with him. He never got that close toany of them in movie and seeing that gave me a chill. It's rare that I'm this movedby something like an alternate ending, but this was truly breathtaking!<o:p></o:p>
This is the kind of situation where I want tobreak the rules because I want to show Warner Brothers that the actualaudiences in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>would have accepted this ending and preferred it over the one that made it intothe final theatrical cut. Although I Am Legend performed amazingly well at thebox office anyway, I think this is a much more profound and emotional ending.Unfortunately now WB is already thinking that the ending they chose was rightbecause it made them money - so I hope you can prove them wrong and show yoursupport of this new alternate ending. That is, if you prefer it.
Special thanks to SlashFilm for first pointing this out - I'm truly grateful tohave come across this.
I wrote this specifically so I could hear everyone's feedback. What do youthink of this new ending and would you have preferred it in the theaters?<o:p></o:p>
Wikipedia<o:p></o:p>
Quote:
The tone of the ending of the film was altered dramatically beforethe film's release, with the majority of the changes made to the standoffbetween Neville and the infected in his laboratory. Visual effects supervisorJanek Sirrs recounts the original ending starting with the standoff, "Atthat point, Neville's—and the audience's—assumptions about the nature of thesecreatures are shown to be incorrect. We see that they have actually retainedsome of their humanity. There is a very important moment between the alpha maleand Neville." David Schaub stated, "Then, when Neville finally turnsthe alpha female over to the alpha male, there is this little love momentbetween the two of them." The infected then retrieve the captured femaleand spare Neville's life. The original final shot follows Neville, Anna, andEthan as they cross the remnants of the George Washington Bridge in hopes offinding other survivors. This ending will be used in the DVD release.
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