Though referred to as "the first modern vampire novel",[9] it is as a novel of social theme that I Am Legend made a lasting impression on the cinematic zombie genre, by way of director George A. Romero, who acknowledged its influence and that of its 1964 adaptation, The Last Man on Earth, upon his seminal film Night of the Living Dead (1968).[10][11][12] Discussing the creation of Night of the Living Dead, Romero remarked, "I had written a short story, which I basically had ripped off from a Richard Matheson novel called I Am Legend."[13] Moreover, film critics noted similarities between Night of the Living Dead (1968) and The Last Man on Earth (1964).[14][15]
...
10. ^ "House of Horrors Presents: The Night of the Living Dead"
11. ^ "Steve Biodrowski, Retrospective: Night of the Living Dead (1968)"
12. ^ Richard Matheson Interview, in Tom Weaver, Return of the B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers: The Mutant Melding of Two Volumes of Classic Interviews (Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1999), p. 307, ISBN 0-7864-0755-7.
13. ^ "One for the Fire: The Legacy of Night of the Living Dead" — Night of the Living Dead DVD, 2008, Region 1, Dimension Home Entertainment
14. ^ "Thomas Scalzo, The Last Man on Earth (Film Review)"
15. ^ "Danel Griffin The Last Man on Earth (Film Review)"