Last Woman on Earth

Harold and Evelyn Gern are "vacationing" in Puerto Rico, with friend/lawyer Martin when while scuba diving they realize that all the world's oxygen has left the atmosphere for some inexplicable reason. For all purposes and intent, they are the last human beings on Earth. What shall they do? Can two men and one woman coexist alone? Watch this film and those questions shall be answered. This film is very creative on many counts and it is a satisfying tale of what life might be like for a handful of survivors in a post-apocalyptic state. The film is a Roger Corman quickie/cheapie, yet don't make that keep you away. Corman is a good director and does know how to get the most with what he is given. The script is written by Robert Towne, and although it has holes, it is inventive and interesting. The acting by Anthony Carbone, Betsy Jones-Moreland, and Robert Towne as the trio is very good. Jones-Moreland is lovely and she gives a very good performance. Above all, the film reiterates the flaws that exist in each of us no matter what circumstances we are thrust into. On a side note, the same director, same crew, same actors, and same locations were used for a film simultaneously made with this one...Creature From the Haunted Sea. A word of advice: AVOID IT!, but see The Last Woman on Earth.

It is certainly not a horrible movie. Leonard Maltin called it a Bomb. It has decent acting and a reasonable plot. It's very talky. Unlike most end-of-the - world movies, there are no efforts to come up with food, resist annihilation, hole up somewhere, although those things are talked about. It begins with what seems to be the death of all the people in the Puerto Rican area where this takes place. The main characters are saved because they were SCUBA diving and had oxygen while others didn't. This opens a whole can of worms. Theere are people all over with oxygen supplied for various reasons. We have three figures, a young wife who feels because of her relationship with her driven husband, she has missed out on much of life. She's really quite stunning. We have the husband, a take-no-prisoners businessman who has crossed the line many times. Finally, we have his nihilistic, whiny attorney who spouts philosophy and poetry, but is rather ineffectual. He and the wife begin a relationship, but even she tires of his ramblings and his negative discourse. There is a sad conclusion with many unanswered questions. Just a rather dull, talky movie.

This is a fine film that does much with almost nothing; shot on location in Puerto Rico without a finished script, 'The Last Woman on Earth' is a lean, mean post apocalyptic drama machine. Despite the poor print(s) the DVD was assembled from, Roger Corman's minor directorial genius shines through, especially in shots like the one where Harold, Martin and Ev all confront each other after coming back from the beach. Narratively efficient, suspenseful and even kind of thought-provoking, this film is a well-crafted low budget classic. Contrary to other comments here, the ending is great, especially considering how lame it could have been; at no point is the outcome certain in the way that predictable yawner 'Six String Samurai' was. And the fact that the poster is nothing like the actual film is a good thing, unless you're looking for Italian sexploitation trash. For a more reasoned assessment, check out Kim Newman's book 'Apocalypse Movies,' but if you're looking up this film you probably already know that one backwards and forwards. If you want an interesting and engaging vision of what the world might be like after it ends, you won't be disappointed here.

I bought this film because we(my sons and I) were really curious about the fact that it was set in Puerto Rico, and I was a surprised it was. I look in old films to mostly to look for acting and photography techniques and specially atmosphere and locations( to compare with current lifestyles or everyday life). This film was a trip to the 60's way of living in PR, and it is fair to the Island, in many films we are portrayed as natives or Indians, and in some series like Roger Moore's "The Saint" they portrayed us very poorly and like other South American stereotype or Latin type, which we are but with very different history and experiences. We enjoyed the film a lot and had much fun when they find a dead "stiff" paradise bird on the "jungle". My sons are hard critics and they found interesting the fact that really they doesn't need explanations of the air shortage to find the film amusing and interesting. I really enjoyed it and found it one of Corman's best movies.

"Last Woman on Earth" shows what happens as a romantic triangle plays out during an "end of the world" type of story. Harold Gern (Antony Carbone) is a shady banker enjoying the sights and sounds of Puerto Rico. Tagging along are his sexy young wife Evelyn (Betsy Jones- Moreland) and his loyal attorney Martin Joyce (future Oscar winning screenwriter Robert Towne, acting under the pseudonym Edward Wain). After a scuba diving excursion, they come out of the sea to find that some mysterious disaster has eliminated almost every living thing in sight. Harold is given to macho "this is how it's gonna be" proclamations, while Martin, who realizes that he's falling for Evelyn, acts as a voice of reason.

Towne also wrote the screenplay for this one, his first. Since he worked slowly (according to producer & director Roger Corman), his script was unfinished by the time of filming. So, in order to ensure that the screenwriter could be on set regularly, Corman convinced Towne to co-star in the film. Corman had come to Puerto Rico partly to take in the beauty of the surroundings, but largely due to "certain tax laws". By the time he and his crew left the country, they had not one film under their belt, but three: this one, "Creature from the Haunted Sea" (a remake of "Naked Paradise"), and "Battle of Blood Island".

A great film this is not, but it's a passably engrossing one, thanks to some wonderful atmosphere (Corman actually ponied up the dough to shoot it in color) and Townes' somewhat philosophical tale. There is some decent dialogue, good music by Ronald Stein, and effective cinematography by Jacques R. Marquette. The three cast members are reasonably good. Towne fares well enough, despite not being a professional actor.

The ending is abrupt, and may not be to all viewers' satisfaction. Still, Corman and Towne deserve some credit for tackling the theme of the hostility and violence ingrained in mankind, on a rather meagre budget.

Six out of 10.