Director: Michael Anderson
Screenplay: David Zelag Goodman
Starring: Michael York, Jenny Agutter, Richard Jordan, Roscoe Lee Browne, Farrah Fawcett, Peter Ustinov
Country: United States
Running Time: 119 minutes
Year: 1976
BBFC Certificate: 12
Logan’s Run was a smash-hit science fiction movie from titan studio MGM, releasing a year before Star Wars would redefine the genre. The Michael York starring film came out during an era when it was felt blockbuster sci-fi movies should be infused with deep and meaningful subtext – meaningless fun popcorn romps wouldn’t suffice. So, it was around this time, Leo the Lion also delivered huge weighty blockbusters such as Soylent Green, Westworld and Demon Seed.
Set in the distant future, Logan’s Run takes please in a utopian society where citizens must die at the age of 30. Arrow Video is releasing a brand new 4K restoration from the original negative which has been made in-house. It comes with Dolby Vision and is HDR10 compatible.
Along with a range of audio options, including the original lossless stereo mono track, a DTS-HD MA 6.0 surround (70mm mix) audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 legacy surround mix. It also comes loaded with a massive treasure trove of extras, including new and previously unreleased interviews with the director and stars, a new audio-commentary by Blu-ray veteran duo film historians Kim Newman and Stephen Jones and two new video essays about the movie. These are all included on an additional Blu-ray disc.
Arrow describes the plot, as follows: ‘The year is 2274; overpopulation and wars have ravaged the earth. The survivors live a carefree, hedonistic existence in Domed City, a hermetically sealed, shiny metropolis ruled by a supercomputer, but under one condition: life must end at the age of thirty. Those who attempt to flee their fate are known as “runners”, desperately searching for a legendary Sanctuary somewhere outside the city.
‘The hunter becomes the hunted when Logan 5 (Michael York), one of the lethal Sandmen assigned to track down the fugitives, is forced to turn runner himself. His only hope of survival is to find Sanctuary, with the aid of rebel girl Jessica 6 (Jenny Agutter).’
You’d be forgiven for believing it was British movie as the director and actors were all of English stock which adds to its peculiar charm. Helmed by The Dam Busters (1955) director Michael Anderson, the film is a feast for the eyes. The restoration looks and sounds spectacular.
Filmed in ‘Metrovision’, The Domed City provides the colourful backdrop of the future which perfectly mirrors the vibrant optimistic vision of the 70s – think The Jetsons, complete with monorails, laser guns and zoot suits. But all is not quite right, the utopia is a little evil and there’s a lurid sexual tension running through it, it’s unnervingly weird. Names ‘Logan 5′ and ‘Jessica 6’ seem to indicate our heroes are clones living within artifice.
York is reliably earnest and sympathetic, if not quite the ideal action star. Agutter gives off Jane-from-Tarzan vibes as she spends the whole film in a skimpy green outfit. The leads mirror the clinical artificial nature of the Dome City. It felt believable they would have been raised, or reproduced, in this strange contemptable sterile vision of the future. The great Peter Ustinov also stars in a cameo giving a particularly bizarre and goofy performance, plastered in a heap of prosthetics. It does feel they should have cast someone more age appropriate – or just dispensed with the awful latex.
It’s a lot of fun, if you’re into weird movies that aren’t by any means a masterpiece. The film is famously missing about 11 minutes of cut raunchy scenes which made producers sweat, as they needed a PG rating, which is a shame – but it still feels a tad too long.
I watched with the 6.0 surround sound audio mix which felt cinematic. I was surrounded by atmospheric noises, abstract electronic music with lots of synth, strings, and keyboard, reflecting the automated hedonistic reality of the Domed City. There’s also a section with a more traditional score which felt grand and warm. It’s an all-round fantastic restoration.
Film:
Special Features
- Archival audio commentary with actor Michael York, director Michael Anderson and costume designer Bill Thomas, plus previously unreleased unedited solo commentary with York
- Brand new audio commentary with film historians Kim Newman and Stephen Jones
- Logan is Alive, a previously unreleased interview with director Michael Anderson
- In the Palm of Your Hand, a previously unreleased interview with actor Michael York
- Jessica’s Run, a previously unreleased interview with actor Jenny Agutter
- Cats in the Capitol, a previously unreleased interview with actor Peter Ustinov
- Clothing Optional, a newly filmed appreciation of costume designer Bill Thomas by historian Keith Lodwick
- The Power of Youth, a newly filmed interview with Paul McComas, author of the novel Logan’s Last Run
- Running the Circuit, a newly filmed interview with Lisa Morton, co-organizer of the original Logan’s Run fan club
- Sanctuary Shock: The Future According to MGM, a brand new video essay on MGM’s dystopian sci-fi films
- Logan’s Loss, a brand new video essay about the film’s longer 70mm preview cut, now considered lost
- A Look Into The 23rd Century, an original promotional featurette from 1976
- The Lion Roars Again, a featurette on MGM Studios from 1975
- Selected Scenes ’75 and ’76, two promo reels made for theatrical exhibitors, featuring deleted scenes and alternate angles
- Newsreel footage from Channel 8 News and WBAP-TV News, featuring rare behind-the-scenes footage and interviews
- Trailers, TV spots and radio spots
- Image galleries
The breadth and depth of the archival features speak for themselves, so I’m going to cover what’s new which includes the previously unreleased interviews and new audio commentary.
Kim Newman and Stephen Jones audio commentary: These two are great, I’ve listened to the pair on so many different releases for ‘weird movies’ at this point. Neither of them seems to rate the film very highly which I found quite amusing. They speak at length about the differences with the book, the various classic sci-literary influences on the movie (which was at odds with the quite different book) and why so many Brits were involved in the production. They seem to have an inexplicable love for actor Richard Jordan who I thought gave a decent performance, if not quite deserving of the pair’s rave reviews. Reliably entertaining, as always.
Director Michael Anderson interview: (13 mins) These interviews were filmed in the early 2000s and were in surprisingly decent quality. Anderson speaks about how he got involved in the project, casting, working at MGM on their ‘last big film’ and there’s an amusing anecdote about cats which were used in the movie.
Michael York interview: (15 mins) York speaks about working with Anderson. There’s a nice anecdote about a young runner getting him interested in the project. He also speaks about the various ‘psychological buttons’ pressed in the movie’s themes.
Jenny Agutter interview: (10 mins) Agutter speaks about having fun on the project, her “ridiculous little green outfit” and fond memories of working with Peter Ustinov.
Peter Ustinov interview: (6 mins) This was a nice little treat, although Ustinov was clearly past his raconteur days at this point. He jokes about playing the “100-year-old man” with an amusing anecdote about the makeup. Dismisses various rumours about the filming.
Sanctuary Shock: The Future According to MGM: (17 mins) Daniel Kremer video essay. A thoughtful look at the various MGM titles in the 50s, 60s and 70s, comparing their major releases and other “otherworldly potboilers”. He analyse the subtext running through these films, the role of sex and the various sci-fi subgenres which sprang out of this creative period ahead of Star Wars.
Logan’s Loss: (9 mins) A decent breakdown of what was cut from the movie and why. Plus, a look at pictures, posters and lobby cards that give a clearer understanding.
Special Features: