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Matheson, Richard (Richard Matheson)
Were storytelling akin to wizardry, Richard would be the grand poobah of the enchanted realm.
Let's start with a bang, or rather a bite! "I Am Legend" is a story where you’ll find yourself cheering for the last man on Earth as he takes on a world of pesky vampires who seemingly had nothing better to do than ruin his day. They made it into a film three times! The third one stars Will Smith, who, let’s face it, is just as cool as fighting off vampires. But wait, there’s more! The first adaptation, “The Last Man on Earth,” had Matheson himself meddling with the script. Spooky, right?
Then there’s the brilliant “Duel”, a story of man vs. truck. Imagine driving down the road, minding your business, when suddenly a rogue truck decides it doesn't like the look of your car. It's like Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, but, you know, darker and with an actual vehicle. The story is so thrilling, Steven Spielberg couldn’t resist making it into a movie. Spielberg and Matheson? That’s a supernova of awesomeness!
Journeying further into Matheson’s trove, let’s not forget his conjurations for “The Twilight Zone.” Remember that guy seeing gremlins on a plane in "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"? Or those heavy metal robots in "Steel"? Yep, Matheson's sorcery!
Edgar Allan Poe, the Sultan of Spook, also got the Matheson treatment. He adapted some of Poe’s haunting tales into films that are to die for! Pun intended.
Oh, and let's talk about dolls. Not the cute ones, but the ones that send chills down your spine. Matheson gave us “Prey”, a story about a Zuni warrior doll that comes to life. Spoiler alert: It’s not friendly. Think of it as a teddy bear that went to the dark side.
Did you know Matheson was also a time traveler? Not literally, but his novel “Bid Time Return” takes you back in time, and it’s so enchanting that it was turned into a film titled “Somewhere in Time”. A whirlwind romance between past and present, just make sure you’ve got tissues handy. You can search the Nest for articles on Matheson, Richard (Richard Matheson) over at https://www.SFcrowsnest.info/tag/Richard-Matheson
