NOTE: Peter Smith told us in email about the Legend colorized version available HERE "NOT THE VERSION TO BUY IF YOU ONLY WANT THE B/W MOVIE

If you're looking for the best B/W version of this film on DVD, then either of the two MGM DVD's, is the way to go, but if you want it in color, then the Legend Films disc is sufficiently colorized for your viewing pleasure.

I have both of the MGM DVD's, and just got in the Legend Film one to do a comparison, seeing as no one else had done one, and I was stupidly enticed by the, "includes restored original black & white version" that was written on the top of the rather badly done DVD cover (the MGM, The Last Man on Earth movie only edition, has a better cover, still not the greatest, but better than this cover),

Here's the lowdown, it looks like the exact same print was used for all three DVD's, with the exception that the Legend Films picture has a couple of incidental dirt specs removed at the very beginning of the film (like 3 or 4 in a 5 minute span) but in return, the picture is just a touch softer then the MGM image (where as the MGM image quality is very crisp over all) and a slightly tighter frame around the widescreen.

Yes, and erroneously, the DVD cover states the film is full screen, but it's actually the widescreen version in both the B/W and color versions.

Another problem with the Legend version, is that even though they seem to make a big stink on the cover about the B/W version, in actuality, the B/W movie has a play only option, with no chapter stop menu (although you can skip forward using your remote, at what looks to be around 5 minute increments) and I was unable to use the, "goto" feature on my remote to jump to a specific time point in the B/W film (the scene select in the DVD menu, only allow you to jump to scenes in the colorized version).

As for the colorized version, the colors are dark pastels, as per most colorized drivel, kind of reminding me of the early 2 strip Technicolor process, used before the 3 strip process was invented, which gave skin tones a tanned, orange/brown look, and muted all of the other colors.

So, the MGM DVD is the way to go for serious lovers of this film, but for novices who might want the novelty of the colorized version, then the Legend DVD is an okay second choice." (Thanks Peter!)

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ADDITION: November 07: Just hold on a minute!

Well, we appear to have caught MGM in another quasi-swindle. The single edition of The Last Man on Earth being released Dec 3rd, 2007 is exactly the same (menus, bitrate, single-layered transfer, disc size etc.) as the March 2005 Midnite Movies edition... but minus Panic in the Year Zero.  Supporting our contention it also has the 2004 VOB files. BUT, the aggravating thing here is, they are asking almost the exact same purchase price for the Midnite Movies edition (actually only $1.40 more) - yes, the one that includes a better film; Panic in the Year Zero !!!

NOTE: Both have the 6 minute Richard Matheson interview.

So they want us to pay essentially the same money... for less content - with absolutely no improvements. Hummmfff.

Don't get hoodwinked by MGM! If you are interested in buying (and I do recommend at less than $13) then go for the Midnite Movies edition and have an apocalyptic doomsday festival night incorporating The Omega Man as well. What fun!

I have one thing to say to MGM - 'Not on my watch pal'.

On the MGM vs. the Diamond: I'm sure we don't have to say too much here. The MGM is infinitely superior in every area. It really looks like a decent DVD - sharp and clean - correct ratio, nice grays - optional subtitles - all good. It is bundled with Panic in the Year Zero reviewed HERE.

There is 30 seconds difference in the running times, 10 seconds is 2XMGM logo's, we haven't looked for the missing 20 seconds on the Diamond release but they appear in the last 20 minutes of the movie.

 - Gary Tooze