Logan's Run [Blu-ray]

Overview

In a hermetically sealed post-apocalyptic urban environment several centuries hence, Logan 5 (Michael York) and his friend Francis 7 (Richard Jordan) lead unquestioning lives of hedonism. Entertainment comes in the form of casual sexual liaisons and gladiatorial games in which those who do not wish to undergo euthanasia at the age of 30 vie for the illusory chance of continued life. As "sandmen," Logan and Francis are charged with tracking down and killing "runners" -- those citizens who will submit to neither "renewal" (a peaceful death) nor "carousel" (a gladiatorial battle) when their time comes. When Logan grows intrigued by a beautiful young woman, Jessica 6 (Jenny Agutter), who plans to become a runner, he is forced to question the fundamental principles of his society. And when his superiors force him to pose as a runner himself to weed out Jessica's guerilla underground, Logan finds himself fleeing the city in search of a mythical place called Sanctuary, where people are allowed to live out their natural spans.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/10/2009
UPC:	0883929073887
Original Release:	1976
Rating:	PG
Source:	Warner Home Video
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Language:	English
Time:	1:58:00
Sales rank:	12,981

Special Features

Commentary by Michael York, Director Michael Anderson and Costume Designer Bill Thomas; ; Vintage Featurette A Look Into the 23rd Century; ; Theatrical Trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Michael York	Logan
Jenny Agutter	Jessica
Richard Jordan	Francis
Farrah Fawcett-Majors	Holly
Roscoe Lee Browne	Box
Peter Ustinov	Old Man
Michael Anderson Jr.	Doc
Gary Morgan	Billy
Denny Arnold	Runner
Glenn Wilder	Runner
Lara Lindsay	Runner
Camilla Carr	Sanctuary Woman
Greg Michaels	Ambush Man
Roger Borden	Daniel
Michelle Stacy	Mary Two
Ann Ford	Woman on Last Day
Laura Hippe	New-You Shop Customer
Michael Anderson	Doc
Randolph Roberts	Sanctuary Man
Bob Neill	First Sanctuary Man
David Westberg	Sandman
Greg Lewis	Cub
Laurence Rosenthal	Composer
Jerry Goldsmith	Composer

Technical Credits

David Zelag Goodman

David Zelag Goodman	Screenwriter
Saul David	Producer
Bill Couch	Stunts
Glenn Wilder	Stunts
Glen Robinson	Special Effects
Frank Van Der Veer	Special Effects
Matthew Yuricich	Special Effects
L.B. Abbott	Special Effects
Michael Anderson Jr.	Director
Jerry Jost	Sound/Sound Designer
Harry Tetrick	Sound/Sound Designer
William McCaughey	Sound/Sound Designer
Aaron Rochin	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Taking its basic premise and characters' names but little substance from the 1967 novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson, Logan's Run appeared in the mid-'70s, after the grim sci-fi explorations of Stanley Kubrick, but before the populist success of George Lucas. Falling artistically as well as chronologically between those two directors' works, the film explores interesting sociological issues with more slickness than depth. As with many science fiction films, too much effort is spent explicating the scenario and too little is spent truly exploring the issues of morality and mortality inherent within. Brooding blond hunk Michael York plays the morally ambiguous protagonist with scowling proficiency, but fellow marquee name Farrah Fawcett manages to cram more wretched acting and non sequiter facial expressions into a brief cameo than most actresses could fit into a leading role. The action sequences involving York's and Jenny Agutter's characters as they flee the city prove gripping and well-directed even though the final act collapses under the weight of its own silliness. Still, the what-if premise of Logan's Run proved resonant enough that it spawned a short-lived TV series the following year. Stylish production design offsets special effects so dated that you can practically smell the mothballs when the film receives contemporary screenings. Compare this with David Cronenberg's contemporaneous Shivers for a more nuanced extrapolation of '70s decadence.

All Movie Guide - Brian J. Dillard