Richard Matheson: RIP to a real legend

[RJDiogenes]

He is legend, indeed. A quiet legend, but still a legend. It's mind-boggling to think of the extent of his work and the influence he had on many generations of readers and fellow writers.

When I was a young man in the early 80s, I read an interview with him in Twilight Zone magazine, in which he talked about The Night Killers, his third Kolchak script, which went unproduced in favor of the TV series. I wrote him a letter, asking if he had a copy of that script that I could buy, since I was such a huge Kolchak fan (heh-- I was about twenty, so perhaps a bit naive). Of course, he didn't, but he sent me back a very nice letter telling me so and explaining why, which I thought was great of him.

Years later, a hardcover collection of all three of his Kolchak scripts came out, which I bought-- when it came, it was autographed, which I hadn't even expected.

RIP, Mr Matheson. The world would not be the same without you.

 

[Greg Cox]

If anyone is interested, I wrote an essay on working with Matheson for io9.com.

 

[Neroon]

Definitely interested. Link?

 

[Greg Cox]

Definitely interested. Link?

Alas, I'm not not sure how you post links here. (I'm old and grew up before computers.) But it's titled "Remembering Matheson" and can be found at io9.com.

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

Here's the link to Greg's io9 article.

 

[Greg Cox]

Here's the link to Greg's io9 article.

Thanks!

 

[Sindatur]

Here's the link to Greg's io9 article.

Thanks!

You can do it old fashion like, like I do: Copy (Ctrl+c) URL and paste into post (Ctrl+v). That just shows the URL. Other Folks, like Out of My Vulcan Mind, are able to be fancy and add formatting that allows you control the text that shows, but, Copy/paste the URL works just fine.

 

[RJDiogenes]

It's easy. You just highlight the word or words you want to attach the link to, as if you were going to bold or italicize, then click on the "insert link" button on the menu, then ctrl-v the URL into the pop-up box.

 

[Greg Cox]

Okay, I just posted another appreciation of Richard, so let's try this.http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/06/six-degrees-of-richard-matheson#more

 

[kirk55555]

I've always found Hollywood's fascination with Phillip K Dick laughable, as Matheson has, IMO, contributed far more to filmed science fiction over his career. Whether it was the fantastic, such as What Dreams May Come, or the outright scary, like I Am Legend, Matheson put together a plethora of classic stories. I've enjoyed reading his work for decades. He will be missed.

Well, it's not as though Hollywood has exactly ignored Matheson's work: THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, DUEL, SOMEWHERE IN TIME, WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, STIR OF ECHOES, THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE, THE BOX, REAL STEEL, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, THE OMEGA MAN, I AM LEGEND, etc.

I didn't know who this guy was when I was first reading this thread, but I've apparently seen a few of the things he was involved in. I actually really enjoyed the What Dreams May Come movie with Robin Williams (even if it seems to get a lot of hate, I enjoyed it, and I didn't know it was based on a book) and (looking on wikipedia) it looks like he also wrote The Enemy Within for TOS, which was also very good.

RIP Richard Matheson

 

[Greg Cox]

Kirk55555, you're not alone. Everyone knows Matheson's work, but, sadly, not everyone knows his name. He was possibly the most influential science fiction/horror writer in America who wasn't a household name.

Among other things, he was the grandfather of the entire zombie apocalypse genre. His 1954 novel, I Am Legend, inspired Romero's Night of the Living Dead, which led to The Walking Dead and every other variation on the theme. And, of course, he wrote many of the most famous episodes of The Twilight Zone.

 

[Sindatur]

It's easy. You just highlight the word or words you want to attach the link to, as if you were going to bold or italicize, then click on the "insert link" button on the menu, then ctrl-v the URL into the pop-up box.

Google

Oh, Cool, Thanks RJD

I just realized I haven't commented on the thread topic. I haven't read any of his written work, but, I've seen and enjoyed Will Smith I am Legend, and Vincent Price Last Man on Earth, of course The Enemy Within. I'm sure I've enjoyed several of his Twilight Zones and of course there's Martian Chronicles. A true loss

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ You're welcome.

 

[E-DUB]

"Martian Chronicles" was Bradbury (unless Matheson wrote the screenplay). No one has mentioned "Duel" or "Trilogy of Terror". Two great TV movies based on his work. If the name of the latter doesn't ring a bell, maybe this will.

http://halloweenhorrorhappenings.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/tril4.jpg

 

[Sindatur]

"Martian Chronicles" was Bradbury (unless Matheson wrote the screenplay). No one has mentioned "Duel" or "Trilogy of Terror". Two great TV movies based on his work. If the name of the latter doesn't ring a bell, maybe this will.

http://halloweenhorrorhappenings.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/tril4.jpg

Writer on the 1980 Mini-Series (Usually IMDB credits "Screenplay" or "novel/Book", but, The Martian Chronicles just credits him as "writer", so, I was unsure exactly what that meant)

I also noticed just now Stir of Echoes Novel is his as well.

 

[Greg Cox]

That's correct. Matheson wrote the screenplay for The Martian Chronicles miniseries back in the 1980's.

As a screenwriter, he also wrote movie adaptations of MASTER OF THE WORLD (by Jules Verne), DRACULA (starring Jack Palance), THE NIGHT STALKER (based on a novel by Jeff Rice), THE DEVIL RIDES OUT (based on the occult novel by Dennis Wheatley), and, of course, various Poe movies with Vincent Price: HOUSE OF USHER, THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM, THE RAVEN, and TALES OF TERROR. He also wrote a TV-movie biography of L. Frank Baum, THE DREAMER OF OZ, among many other projects.

Someone was just pointing out on Facebook that Matheson is the only writer whose TWILIGHT ZONE episodes have been remade as feature films twice, with THE BOX and REAL STEEL. (Three times if you count the "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" segment in TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE.)

 

[Mistral]

I've always found Hollywood's fascination with Phillip K Dick laughable, as Matheson has, IMO, contributed far more to filmed science fiction over his career. Whether it was the fantastic, such as What Dreams May Come, or the outright scary, like I Am Legend, Matheson put together a plethora of classic stories. I've enjoyed reading his work for decades. He will be missed.

Well, it's not as though Hollywood has exactly ignored Matheson's work: THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, DUEL, SOMEWHERE IN TIME, WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, STIR OF ECHOES, THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE, THE BOX, REAL STEEL, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, THE OMEGA MAN, I AM LEGEND, etc.

Greg, sorry, perhaps I was not clear. The suits in Hollywood seem to have a thing for PKD, despite Matheson's contributions. Anytime I read an article about scifi and Hollywood, PKD comes up. I used to get a perverse joy when I worked at Borders out of suggesting Matheson's work. No one ever seemed to know who he was-but they knew his work/movies. The look of wonder on their faces when I started listing some of the movies you wrote above was priceless.

 

[Greg Cox]

I've always found Hollywood's fascination with Phillip K Dick laughable, as Matheson has, IMO, contributed far more to filmed science fiction over his career. Whether it was the fantastic, such as What Dreams May Come, or the outright scary, like I Am Legend, Matheson put together a plethora of classic stories. I've enjoyed reading his work for decades. He will be missed.

Well, it's not as though Hollywood has exactly ignored Matheson's work: THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, DUEL, SOMEWHERE IN TIME, WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, STIR OF ECHOES, THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE, THE BOX, REAL STEEL, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, THE OMEGA MAN, I AM LEGEND, etc.

Greg, sorry, perhaps I was not clear. The suits in Hollywood seem to have a thing for PKD, despite Matheson's contributions. Anytime I read an article about scifi and Hollywood, PKD comes up. I used to get a perverse joy when I worked at Borders out of suggesting Matheson's work. No one ever seemed to know who he was-but they knew his work/movies. The look of wonder on their faces when I started listing some of the movies you wrote above was priceless.

I know how that goes. I've been doing the same for years! :

 

[gblews]

THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN

I know this is probably considered one of his lesser works, but I read this book as a kid and loved it. The story of this guy shrinking and the effect on his wife and child and the practical stuff like having to wear kids clothes just fascinated me. The movie of course, didn't do justice to the book. I was blown away when I found out he was a Zone writer.

RIP to a rare talent.

 

[E-DUB]

In both "Shrinking Man" and "Legend", the horror isn't found in the situation , but in how one man reacts to it. In both works the protaganist finds himself isolated, and the first person narrative only hightens that effect.