Old School Reviews: Boris Sagal, The Omega Man

Omega Man, The (1971)

Director: Boris Sagal

Stars: Charlton Heston, Rosalind Cash, Anthony Zerbe

Release Company: MGM

MPAA Rating: PG

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In the late 1960s and early 1970s Charlton Heston expanded his persona from religious icon to the last hope of mankind in science fiction flicks like Planet of the Apes, Soylent Green, and The Omega Man—a trio that also reflects Heston's political-sociological leanings at the time. Oh sure, he does tote a gun in these films, but the hambone actor also broaches interracial relationships, decidedly daring for mainstream films of the era. (Can you imagine the super hero power that could have been generated if television's pioneering first interracial kisser, William Shatner had ever been paired with Heston!) Of these three films, The Omega Man shows its age the most, and is best viewed as a historic relic most significant for being part of the Heston sci-fi genre and its landmark place in interracial sexual relationships.

Although early 1970's mainstream films refrained from grinding action on screen, Heston's Robert Neville clearly beds Lisa (Rosalind Cash), a deliberate coupling with a black actress that screenwriter Joyce Corrington urged. This is the closest you'll ever see Heston abandoning his varnished wooden persona in a romantic relationship. The man actually shows glimmers of passion under that highly chiseled mask he haughtily maintains.

The Chuckster makes his first deliberate move with a musical reference:

You know the old song? If you were the only girl in the world, and I was the only boy, well, okay, but until then, don't bother me? Well, I guess I'm the only boy

This refers to the basic premise of The Omega Man, one that has been wonderfully adapted to better effects and artistry in Danny Boyle's provocative 28 Days Later. Medical doctor Neville had been working on a cure to the biological warfare microbe that has wiped out mankind, resulting in his lone survival. He's not alone, however, because a few humans have "gone over" and mutated to white faced vampires that only come out in darkness. They all drape themselves in brown monk's robes (saves on makeup) and hurl fire bombs while continually trying to scale Neville's high rise Los Angeles apartment penthouse. Chief vampire is former newscaster Matthias (Anthony Zerbe), who leads the underground cult ("The Family") into the "new world," declaring Neville as the last remaining link to the former evils of civilization—something that Heston should be familiar with from his Planet of the Apes days.

Neville has his run of the city during the day, drag racing new cars through the deserted streets and having private screenings of Woodstock to remind him of the days when the Universe meant something—a similar scene will occur in Soylent Green, only using pastoral nature scenes instead of peace-loving hippies. Neville is no peacenik, however. He machine guns brown hooded Matthias “Family” members and bobby traps his apartment complex to assure his nighttime safety. He's been surviving for two years, when he finally encounters Lisa and a vestige of regular surviving humans that have taken up communal living outside the city.

With renewed hope for humanity, Neville uses his own immune system to make up a serum to prevent his newly adopted family from disease, but complications inevitably ensue. Heston has to bare his chest a few times and blast a few Family vampires along the way. He knows how to play the hero, the man upon whom all mankind depends, whether he's descending with God's laws from Mt. Sinai or pounding the sands near Manhattan 4,000 years later. Whether Heston ultimately succeeds I'll leave for you to discover, but will note that he gets to combine his religious and science fiction personas to take on obvious Christ imagery in the end.

The Omega Man doesn't hold up as well as Heston's other science fiction vehicles of the era, but provides some campy fun despite having zero suspense. Heston demonstrates thinly disguised lust for a change, and gets to utter a few great lines—most of them when talking with his Caesar bust or to himself, like his quip at viewing himself in his security system screen: "Hi, Big Brother, how's your ass?" Definitely worth a rental for historical purposes, at a minimum this film shows us how to behave if we find ourselves the survivors of an Apocalypse. Just ask yourself, what would Charlton Heston do? You could check a survival guide, but watching Heston in action provides a must faster read.