Danse Macabre: I Am Legend (1954)

Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend is often called the first modern vampire novel. Preceding Salem’s Lot by 21 years, the story follows a would-be scientist named Robert Neville who also happens to be the last man on Earth. Tormented by the memory of his wife’s horrific transformation, not to mention the hordes of vampires trying to break through his heavily fortified home, Neville spends his days systematically euthanizing the undead and searching in vain for a sustainable cure. But a surprising discovery throws his efforts into question while destabilizing his lonely life.

In the latest episode of Bloody FM’s The Losers’ Club podcast, co-hosts Jenn Adams, Mac Gerber, Ashley Casseday, and Dan Caffrey revisit this seminal text as they explore the titles mentioned in Stephen King’s Danse Macabre. Is Neville a likable protagonist? Do we understand Matheson’s musings on germs? Why do adaptations always skew towards zombies and why does that ending pack such a punch? They’ll answer these questions and more while discussing Matheson’s larger body of work and incomparable contributions to the horror genre. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.