For more than six decades, the sci-fi and thriller works of the renowned author Richard Matheson have transported readers to fantastical realms of the mind, and they will no doubt continue to do so for many more. Numerous works of his short fiction, books, and screenwriting have been made into movies and TV shows.
The post-apocalyptic thriller book of 1954 I Am Legend, made into three different movies, seems to be his most well-known work. Although Richard Matheson passed away at age 87, he has inspired and collaborated with authors and filmmakers like George A. Romero, Stephen King, Ridley Scott, and Steven Spielberg. People that share his ambition to go into the dark corners of the psyche and unearth the unknowable truths about humanity will carry on his heritage as an imaginative storyteller and playwright. Despite the fact that there are several Matheson adaptations, it is exceedingly challenging to choose out the best of them for the viewers. Let’s find out.
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8 The Omega Man (1971)
Warner Bros.
In this second version of Matheson’s book, I Am Legend, Robert Neville, a military researcher, is the main character in a post-apocalyptic survival story. There were many changes made to the novel. The most significant alteration in the scenario was that most people were killed by bioweapons. Those that survived were transformed into beings resembling albinos who set out to eradicate any existing technology. According to the story, a fatal infection wiped off humanity and transformed the remaining people into vampire-like beasts. Neville subsequently encounters two surviving people who inform him about more survivors who are sick and require his assistance. Neville starts working on a vaccine to immunize the remaining people because he is resistant to the alteration.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 The Last Man On Earth (1964)
American International Pictures
The role of Dr. Robert Morgan, the protagonist of I Am Legend’s initial version, was portrayed by Vincent Price. This rendition is thought to be the most faithful to its original material and a superior rendition to that of the Omega Man. It follows the last human on Earth as he battles vampires while the planet recovers from an illness. Matheson co-wrote the screenplay but, apparently, was very upset with the movie’s outcome. Meanwhile, among fans of sci-fi and horror, it is widely regarded as a classic and is shown at numerous horror movie events around the globe.
6 What Dreams Might Come (1998)
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
What Dreams Might Come is an exploration of the abyss of hell and heaven adapted from Richard Matheson’s 1978 book of the same name. The movie centers on Chris Nielsen, a guy who dies in a car accident and ascends into heaven. There, he discovers that his spouse is attempting to contact him in his afterlife. Chris’ spiritual advisor argues that although hell is predicated on our dreams, heaven is formed from them. Chris discovers that his wife has killed herself, guaranteeing her a quick trip to hell. Chris goes to hell because he believes his wife to be his soul mate and wants to spare her from eternal punishment. The book and the movie differed in some ways, and even though it didn’t do well at the box office, the movie got favorable reviews and won some accolades.
5 Stir Of Echoes (1999)
Artisan Entertainment
This paranormal suspense thriller is based on Matheson’s 1958 book A Stir of Echoes. The protagonist of the narrative is an employee at a Chicago phone provider whose son can speak with the dead. Although Bacon’s role initially dismisses his son’s powers, he gradually realizes that a suffering soul is attempting to get in touch with him. With just a few slight characterizations and plot line changes, the movie largely sticks close to Matheson’s book. The film earned favorable reviews from analysts and had a respectable box office collection. People should know that it also had a sequel.
4 Somewhere In Time (1980)
Universal Pictures
The script, written by Matheson, was adapted from his 1975 book, Bid Time Return, and deviates somewhat from his standard writing style. In the movie, a playwright receives a timepiece from an old woman who passes away shortly after. Years later, he discovers a woman’s portrait from the early twentieth century while he is a guest in a hotel. Richard discovers that the picture’s subject was the same person who gave him the wristwatch years earlier. He finds himself in love with the enigmatic woman and searches for a means to return to the past, so they can be together. Despite the film’s poor box office performance, it got positive reviews and won several accolades. Additionally, the movie sparked a cult status in later years.
3 The Night Stalker (1972)
Buena Vista International / Disney-ABC Domestic Television
The screenplay for this made-for-TV film, based on an unreleased book by Jeff Rice, was written by Matheson. The plot focuses on a journalist in Las Vegas who is looking into a string of unsolved killings. It doesn’t take long to realize that vampires are responsible for these heinous crimes. It performed well enough to warrant a sequel, The Night Strangler, scripted by Matheson as well. The Night Stalker is regarded as the finest made-for-TV horror film ever by several TV critics and there was also a remake with Johnny Depp.
2 Duel (1971)
Universal Television
The screenplay, which Matheson developed from his storyline of the same title, is drawn from an event Matheson had in 1963 while traveling with a companion. In the movie, David Mann is on his way to a work meeting while traveling along a deserted lane in California, and unexpectedly, he is pursued by a crazy truck driver who pursues and harasses him. Soon after, he realizes that the vicious driver is out to kill him, and he needs to figure out a way out. The narrative’s simplicity contributes to the drama that is steadily growing as we witness the hapless motorist struggle to survive on the deserted highway. If one is an admirer of Matheson, one should definitely see the movie.
1 The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
Author Richard Matheson adapted the original sci-fi novel with his son based on his own 1956 book, The Shrinking Man. The movie’s main character is Scott Carey, who shrinks after coming into contact with a weird cloud’s mist. After a couple of months, he starts to find that his clothes are no longer suitable for him. He starts to lose weight and grows shorter shortly after, finally growing to be three feet tall. He is provided with medicine that will prevent him from shrinking but won’t make him grow back to his natural size. The remedy appears to be effective for a time, but eventually, he continues to shrink even further and decides to move into a dollhouse. While battling a house spider and his own cat to stay alive, Scott comes to terms with his reality as a tiny man. It is still regarded as a masterpiece of science fiction and the finest adaptation of Richard Matheson’s book for the big screen.
