In honor of some of their 50th anniversaries, I’ve been watching and rewatching the classics that came out in 1976. One of those that I’ve never seen until this week is the legendary sci-fi flick, Logan’s Run, the book-to-screen adaptation from a novel by authors William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. It’s considered by some to be one of the best sci-fi movies of all time, and it is, at the least, a major cult classic. I really liked the film, but I did get stuck in my head on the main point of the movie, and it’s still freaking me out.
I’m Really Sensitive To My Own Mortality These Days
If I had seen Logan’s Run when I was the age of the people in the dystopian-esque future (everyone is under 30), I’m sure I would’ve gotten wrapped up in the adventure of it all. A “Sandman” named Logan (Michael York) running for his life as he approaches 30 years old, when all people are killed for the benefit of society, would have been a lot of fun to watch. However, I’m well past 30 now, and it was something else that I got caught up in: my own mortality.
It’s something that’s been on my mind a lot lately, and I’ve come to terms with what has really spooked me. It’s the unknown. Not knowing what happens is one thing, but it’s not just that. As a pop culture writer, I’ve grappled with it in a way I’m very familiar with. My mortality is the ultimate cliffhanger that I’ll never get a resolution to. After I die, I’ll simply not know what comes next. It sounds simplistic, sure, but it’s how I’m coping, I guess.
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The Movie Is Stressful, But It Affected Me Differently
There is plenty of action and adventure in Logan’s Run, enough to make it a great sci-fi film from its era. Logan and Jessica (Jenny Agutter) are trying desperately to escape the hedonistic city where they live. The movie is full of exciting moments, and trippy scenes like the one in the slow-motion “Love Shop” with dozens of people exploring all kinds of carnal situations as the two try to hide from Logan’s one-time friend and pursuer, Francis (Richard Jordan).
Like another movie I’ve watched this year, The Man Who Fell to Earth with David Bowie, Logan’s Run is the perfect blend of sci-fi fun and psychedelic imagery. The stress of rooting for the two to escape the messed-up world they inhabit is one thing. Facing down the exact moment of your demise, as Logan is, brings this movie to a whole new level of anxiety for me. I wouldn’t have given it a second thought 20 years ago, but now it was on my mind for the whole movie. I was way more invested in Logan’s fate.
It kept coming back, of course, because Logan is trying to outrun his fate. From the first “Carousel” scene, when the “Capricorn 15s” try to be “renewed” to Logan learning that he’ll not get his time back, despite being four years away from 30, to Logan begging for his life, with the underground he needs help from to escape. It all comes back to his mortality, which meant me thinking more about mine. For me, the movie ended up a lot deeper than I expected it to be.
Logan’s Run Came At A Weird Time For Sci-Fi
Like The Man Who Fell to Earth, this movie came out at a strange time for the genre. Logan’s Run was released on June 23, 1976. 11 months later, on May 25, 1977, Star Wars was released, and science fiction would never be the same. I don’t need to get into all the reasons why George Lucas’ space opera changed cinema forever, but when you see movies like Logan’s Run, it really feels like a completely different era, despite being less than a year earlier.
That said, the set pieces in Logan’s Run are really cool. It has a Planet of the Apes vibe in how it looks. The models used to show the larger city as Logan and Jessica traverse through the tubes are clearly models, but they still look good for the time. The special effects are predictably a little cheesy and dated, but that’s where Star Wars and Industrial Light and Magic (the SFX company behind Star Wars) had the most profound effect on the genre. I didn’t expect much, so they weren’t a disappointment.
I Completely Understand Why They’ve Been Trying To Remake It For Years
A remake of Logan’s Run has been discussed in Hollywood for years, and I understand why. Audiences (myself included) love a good dystopian future story, and the story, grounded in that question of mortality, is timeless. A sexy future with a couple trying to escape their prescribed fate is something that can be reinvented for every generation. So far, despite some effort, a remake has remained elusive.
Going back more than 30 years, the first talk of a remake started with writer and director Skip Woods pitching the idea. Over the years, there have been various rumors and names attached to write, direct, or star in a remake. Big names, too, but to date, no one has been able to put it all together. There was a short-lived TV show based on the story that aired on CBS for one season in 1976-1977, but since then, all the projects have languished in one version of production hell or another.
I don’t always love the idea of remakes, but I think Logan’s Run is the perfect example of a reboot that could take full advantage of all the advancements in special effects and CGI. The only flaw in the movie, in fact, is that the SFXs are so outdated. That’s hardly a knock on the filmmakers, of course, they were working with what they had at the time. So here’s to hoping it happens one day, and hopefully that day comes when I’m still around to watch!
