Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Run from Brave New World, October 1, 2008
Ah, 70s science fiction... ridiculous costumes, campy visual effects, social commentary... and an underlying weirdness you just can't ignore. Logan's Run is something like THX 1138, only to Aldous Huxley's Brave New World instead of Orwell's 1984. And in the words of the character Logan himself, "It all made sense until Box..." In the future, mankind survives in a mall-like bubble of society that entirely subsists off of pleasure and materialism. Everyone is forced to die at the age of 30, basically to prevent the knowledge of suffering from getting into their minds. Those who do not want to die at 30 are "runners" that get tracked down by "sandmen" who blast them with what essentially amounts to flare guns. Despite this, the walls are not TOO scorched with spent rounds, and most people go on happily. Unfortunately for the status quo, this world is a lie and not everyone is happy, resulting in one particular sandman, the eponymous Logan 5, to have to become a runner himself.
There are some pretty bizarre scenes in the lieu. The whole rite of the carousel is actually quite disturbing if you think about it. An entire quadrant of the city is filled with derelicts and gangmembers, and of course this part is the one called "The Cathedral". On the other hand, there's visual candy as well, with superb modeling for the cityscapes and, yes, Jenny Agutter in a miniskirt that only gets more revealing as it slowly falls apart over the course of the movie.
Unlike THX 1138, Logan's Run doesn't end upon successful exit of the city; that's only the first half. Afterward the audience is treated to a gorgeous vision of the empty and abandoned Washington D.C. The movie kind of drags at this point, but is made up for mostly by the disturbing visions of American landmarks in various states of decay. When all else fails, science fiction's greatest asset is the ability to displace the audience with what they feel are familiar landscapes--just look at Planet of the Apes or 28 Days Later...
This is a very enjoyable movie, nonetheless. People who like the fact that Star Wars is a Campbellian construction of the Hero's Journey should definitely check this movie out--it might as well have been the primary source for George Lucas' later work. And for science fiction fans as a whole, it's a classic example of the form.
But MAN, was that robot and the ice cave WEIRD.
--PolarisDiB
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A very good sci-fi film, often underrated, August 17, 2008
This film is enjoyable to watch as a straightforward sci-fi chase adventure. However, it has much more to offer - as a possible future for mankind where a "utopian", closed, domed city has imposed death at 30 in order to keep "balance" - one dies, one is born (or reborn, as the system would have you believe). It follows the story of Logan 5 (Michael York) as a sandman (someone who kills "runners" - people that attempt to live beyond "lastday") and Jessica 6 (the beautiful Jenny Agutter) as they try to find "sanctuary". Importantly, they also find their adventure bonds them in a truly loving relationship, something they never experienced in a city of free love. Their journey also earns them a freedom they don't expect, and an exposure to discomfort and danger they find truly alarming. Is it all worth it? Peter Ustinov does a great job as the "old man".
The DVD is of good quality, and there is a nice commentary by the directory and Michael York. Apparently this was the first film to use holograms. It was originally shot in Todd AO.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Last Great Pre-Star Wars Sci-Fi, August 13, 2008
People may see this as another cheesy 70s sci-fi movie, but it illustrates the state of special effects in Hollywood before George Lucas dropped the bomb on us. I loved this movie as a little kid, and the spin-off TV series was a favorite of mine, even at 4 years old. The "futuristic" fashions and hairstyles are hilarious, as is most of the miniature work, but that's what passed for state of the art in 1976. The story is out there, when your hand starts flashing, you're a goner so you'd better run. This, alongside THX-1138 shows a future where humanity is contained in an artificial world, afraid of what's outside, and it's the protagonist's job to find out. Overall, a forgotten classic of the science fiction genre, and hopefully the remake will get off the ground with a good director.
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