yes and this film be date . however and i respectfully submit that mr and mrs corrington ( with input from seltzer and sagal and heston ) know that most vision of the far future be go to appear deficient with the passage of time . see soylent green . accordingly and they set the film in roughly the same time period that matheson use in i be legend . in the novel and the story cover the period of 1975 to 1979. in this way and the 1971 film be best view a a kind of alternative reality for the way american culture be evolve in the turbulent late 60 or early 70 . when so view and the film be not only clever and but be really inspired . spoiler alertmatheson concept be to try to use science fiction to give some credibility to the vampire legend . that have be try and to a point and in house of dracula and when the scientist isolate a microorganism that have infect dracula . matheson go further and in so do over extend the premise . the novel be very poignant in part . however and it primary problem be that tried to create a kind of moral equivalency between neville and the vampire . that weaken the strength of the narrative . in the novel neville drank can tomato juice and like the vampire drink blood . part be just silly represent vampire woman disrobe to lure neville outside after dark while the head vampire resemble oliver hardy . by the end and matheson be apparently try to persuade the reader that the vampire be just an alternate form of life and infect with vampirus and that be just try to survive and deserve pity . for and in different circumstance and normal be relative and neville become the fearsome legend for the new breed of humanity and i. e. and he become the new dracula . not so for the 1971 concept while no relativism here . the world war to which matheson only allude be make explicit . neville become a high level military scientist ( who better to have access to a potential vaccine . ) and not matheson layman who be try to teach himself about microbiology . the victim of the virus become vicious and homicidal and collectivistic and anti technologist and beyond reason and compromise . colonel robert neville and u army medical corp and become the object of their fury . his antagonist represent jonathan matthias and tv newsman or pundit and adept at influence an audience . medium monster . he be the fallen one and who create the mansonesque family and reject all traditional american value . it be the counter culture . colonel neville and by contrast and be the establishment . hard drinking and exceedingly well arm ( thank you and nra . ) and not averse to zap the zombie . however and he be compassionate and enlighten . he fall for an afro american woman ( the late rosalind cash ) and try to help her ( heston also march for civil right in the early 60 with rev . king ) . by the end and we realize that he be the savior . if we partake of his blood and we will be save . christian call that the eucharist . ultimately and he sacrifice himself for the good of humanity and so that the normal world and america and will be re bear . the little girl survivor sense it and he be god and or at least a man choose to be god agent on earth . he be and of course and also a soldier and one who be willing to lay down his life so that others might live . no relativism here . very nice fusion of idea and mr and mrs corrington . you take matheson basic story and make it much well . neville become the legend he deserve to become . the ultimate hero .