Logan’s Run

Written by William F. Nolan & George Clayton Johnson in 1967, Logan’s Run is a kind of harsh statement against the decade of free love and optomism. Adapted into film, TV and into a comic book series, Logan’s Run has captivated audiences for years. Soon, another adaptation will be on its way. To help get readers prepared, here is a primer.

In the future world of Logan’s Run, the population has become so much of a problem that the youth culture must be culled at the age of 21. The society of 2116 is depicted as being made up of mainly obedient citizens, ruled by a super computer, who dutifully report for their death when their time has come.

The very few who seek to escape death are called ‘Runners’ and hunted down by ‘Sandmen’ trained in state of the art martial arts and armed with a specialized hand weapon. When Sandman Logan 3, reaches his last day, he seeks out fellow Runners in desperation, hoping to find the legendary Sanctuary where no cullings are made and there is no all-powerful computer governing people. The novel, while dark and ominous in its view of the future, was packed with plenty of brilliant ideas and action to be well received at the time.

In 1976, the book was adapted by Michael Anderson (1984, the Martian Chronicles, Doc Savage) into a major motion picture starring Michael York as Logan 5 and the delectable Jenny Agutter as Jessica 6. A few details were altered, such as the age limit being moved from 21 to 30 (possibly to accommodate an older cast), and the civilization living in a vast domed city. Much like the novel, the citizens of the future are fitted with a crystal ‘Life Clock’ in the palms of their left hand that blinks red and black when they are due for death. The Last Day ceremony is presented as a wonderful event in which those whose time has come sore into the air and are sliced to ribbons by a laser light show. Logan 5 is called in to the meet the master computer system who uses him as an agent to find Sanctuary. To give Logan a bit of incentive, his crystal is altered to blinking red, making him a Runner.

Logan’s close friend and fellow Sandman Francis follows him on a mad chase as he makes connections with the underground and seeks to find escape through the bowels of the domed city. Admittedly dated, the film featured impressive visuals at the time such as real holograms that are still amazing today. There is also a scene with one of the goofiest robots you’ve ever seen since Heartbeeps chatting about different food. The film was full of beautiful young people (such as the aforementioned Jenny Agutter and Farrah Fawcett) who gleefully rut like teenagers until they are due to expire. The movie did well at the box office but wasn’t well received by critics at the time. It was later out-done by Star Wars and the like but time has been kind to this movie as it functions as kind of kitschy nugget of nostalgia.

After the film, a pair of novels were released by one half of the original writing team, William F. Nolan. Marvel Comics also printed a comic book version drawn by George Perez that I have a soft spot for. The movie was popular enough to launch a TV series that stretched the concept paper-thin and centered mainly on tired plot ideas in steady rotation since the Fugitive. Nevertheless, Logan’s Run had proven itself a cult hit of sorts.

Never one to let a good idea languish, Logan’s Run has been scheduled for a reboot bu 20th Century Fox since the 1990’s. In 2004, the plan was to adapt all three books into feature films (Hollywood loves a trilogy) and that still holds today. After Bryan Singer was lost first to the Superman Returns film and an aborted Man of Steel sequel, the Logan’s Run remake was shelved. Currently, the remake is helmed by director Carl Erik Rinsch and screenwriter Alex Garland (The Beach). No release date has been announced yet.

A science fiction adventure story in which the population count is closely monitored by computers and age is punished with death could be just the kind of movie that could wake Hollywood up from the candy-colored pop that has become so popular lately. I for one adore the nihilistic and gloomy future flicks of the 80’s and 90’s that confirmed my worst fears that times could and will get much worse. Presenting a glitzy and glamorous paradise of youth and beauty undercut by death squads of karate-kicking teenagers toting ray guns deserves to be a magnificent movie.