Fuga no Século 23

Michael Anderson's 'Logan's Run' is a fun little futuristic sci-fi, set in a 23rd century post-apocalyptic society, where overpopulation has been controlled by disposing of citizens as soon as they reach thirty years of age.

Michael York ('Cabaret', 1972) is Logan 5, a "Sandman" who is responsible for tracking down and "terminating" Runners - people who attempt to flee from death once their thirty years are up. In order for Logan to infiltrate the underground Runner refuge known as Sanctuary, the society's mother computer, unbeknown to all others, advances Logan's life-clock, and so Logan suddenly becomes a Runner himself.

Jenny Agutter portrays Jessica 6, the young woman who decides to accompany Logan, whilst Richard Jordan ('The Hunt For Red October,' 1990) is Francis 7, the former Sandman friend of Logan, who must now track him down and "terminate" him.

The special effects, one year before George Lucas' 'Star Wars' was to grace our screens, are excellently done, though some of the model-work of the Dome City is a bit transparent. As a sci-fi film, it is crucial that 'Logan's Run' is not taken too seriously. Though a few of the scenes could be described as a bit cheesy, it is a lot of good fun. Peter Ustinov's ("Quo Vadis", 1951) small but very important appearance later in the film was a pleasure to watch.

Also, I can't be the only person to have noticed some very large similarities between 'Logan's Run' and Michael Bay's 2005 film 'The Island.' Whether any such inspiration has been acknowledged by the makers of the latter I cannot say, though it does help with my recommendations. If you enjoyed 'The Island,' then there's a pretty good chance you'll enjoy this one, as well!

I was twelve when Logan's Run came out and I thought that it was the best thing since sliced bread. It blew me away. So when I picked it up recently on DVD and watched it for the first time in twenty-eight years I was wondering how it would fare after all this time.

Well, not too badly. Many of the IMDb reviewers of Logan's Run hit the nail on the head when they say that this film is definitely a product of its time. Yes, the special effects are sort of laughable now (the teeny tiny maze cars zipping through the a model of the city that looks about six inches tall), but you have to judge those sorts of things in the context of the time they were made. As strange as it may seem to people who now expect Lord of the Rings-quality special effects, Logan's Run was cutting edge in its day. And a few of the special effects still stand up fairly well. The light envelope that comes down over the Carousel or the matte shots of Washington. Not great for twenty-first century film-making, but a minor miracle for 1976.

The story has more holes than a piece of swiss cheese and the acting is a bit touch and go, but that doesn't get in the way of a fairly entertaining movie. Seeing the movie all these years later I suppose the few moments of bad acting hit me more than anything else. As a kid I thought that Peter Ustinov's old man was brilliant, but now it just seems like awkward overacting. Which isn't to say that his character isn't somewhat endearing.

Michael York, a really wonderful actor, misses the mark a few times, but generally he and Jenny Agutter do a fine job.

Listen, this isn't a brilliant movie, but it does have its moments. Most science fiction movies made in the 1970s haven't endured the test of time especially well. With the purple mascara, pastel-coloured costumes and hair feathered like a great phoenix. But all in all I still found Logan's Run to be an entertaining and enjoyable trip back to the strange world of 1976.

Loosely based on the novel of the same name, Logan's Run is set in a dystopian future where life is perfect, but nobody is allowed to live past 30. People who refuse to sacrifice themselves and try to escape are called 'runners', and special police called sandmen are sent after them. Logan is a sandman, and after killing one runner gets caught up in a secret mission to find out where the successfully escaped runners are hiding. He does this by posing as a runner himself, and the story unravels from there to show the truth of our species' past. If any film is ripe for a remake, its this one. In terms of sets, dialog and performances it is very much stuck in the 1970's, but the basic premise is brilliant. I quite enjoyed Logan's Run despite it getting off to a slow start, and the admittedly wonkey effects don't detract from some interesting topics the film touches on, such as overpopulation and conformity. If you don't mind the fact that in many ways it has not aged well, its worth a watch.

A really good use of models, second best use of models I've seen in film after Metropolis, which this looks like it follows, also this shows the way to many other films and looks like it shows the way to Blade Runner, Brazil and Total Recall, just to name a few.

I think its a brilliant story, the old man in the building in Washington, it is really believable.

The models are really well made and used, and this reminds me of old Dr Who episodes (which I love more than the recent, for the models and badly made suits).

A must see if you like sci-fi films, like the ones mentioned before.

Popular and lavish Sci-Fi with some nice effects sequences with imaginative sets about a futuristic society where young people are allowed to live an unending pleasure until the age of thirty (though Michael York, Richard Jordan and Michael Anderson Jr. were all over 30 when they made the film) that are compelled to die , adapted from a novel by William F Nolan and George Clayton Jackson . 2274 some type of holocaust has decimated the earth, and the survivors sealed themselves into a computer-controlled bubble . To maintain the population balance, the computers that run the city have decreed that all people have to die at 30. This system is enforced by "sandmen" (Michael York , Richard Jordan) : black-clad cop operatives who terminate hunting "runners" ,those who try to live beyond 30. Logan, a sandman, whose job is to hunt fugitives , is sent on an assignment to find "sanctuary," which is a code- word used by the master computer to describe what it thinks is a place to which runners have been getting away. Then Logan nearing the limit searches desperately for a way to avoid mandatory extermination . As a day outside the bubble Logan along with Jessica (Jenny Agutter) discover new emotions .

This classic Sci-fi contains suspense , thrills , action , breathtaking production design and is pretty entertaining though with some feeble stereotypes . Impressive big-budgeted production by Saul David enhanced immeasurably by an enjoyable cast as Michael York , Jenny Agutter , Farrah Fawcett and special mention to great Peter Ustinov . Roscoe Lee Browne both voiced and performed Box the robot on-set. The unwieldy costume made it impossible for Browne to right himself if he fell over. Colorful and spectacular cinematography in Todd-Ao 35 by Ernest Laszlo . Rousing and evocative musical score by the maestro Jerry Goldsmith . Jerry uses a full orchestra with no electronic instruments when the action is outside of the city. When inside the city, his orchestra consists solely of strings, piano, and electronic instruments , the music at the beginning of the film during the credits does add the electronic instruments with the full orchestra though. Dated but effective miniatures about a domed city near Washington, D.C. It earned a special Academy Award for visual effects by Glen Robinson . The motion picture is originally directed by Michael Anderson . Rating : PG (Parents guide) for some nudism and violence. Good but overlong and some corny moments, worthwhile watching . Followed by a brief TV series with Gregory Harrison , Heather Menzies and Donald Moffat