Logan's Run

Warner | 118 minutes | 1976 | PG | Directed by: Michael Anderson |
Blu-Ray reviewed by: Matt Brighton and Christopher Bligh

Science fiction films in the early part of the seventies were few and far between. It was even further when the subject of a story was set in the future. It came down to a well known screenwriter and two former writers of the Twilight Zone to give their take on the future. It deals with the palm of a human being's hand, a funeral seen as celebration and a search for the truth that leads us from a person's walk to Logan's Run.

In this world every human being lives and breaths but when it comes time for birthday #30, your time in this world is up and brought in a celebration called Carrousel. This world is patrolled by Sandmen who are ready for action at any moment and two of the best are Francis 7 (Richard Jordan) and Logan 6 (Michael York). Life is good for the two of them until Logan is given an assignment to become one of the expired. The problem is once the system takes it away, there is no going back and Logan is not only tracking down stragglers but is being tracked down himself.

What starts off as a solid premise with some excitements turns into an average film that could've been so much more. Granted, the B-movie element is there but there is too much in the second half that is so uneven it literally sinks what started out as a very good film. The actors are fine and give it their all and the look of the film is decent and there is a lot to love with an edge of your seat feel in the first half of the film.

Unfortunately, there is so much thrown in during the second half that has little or nothing to do with anything as well as some extras that were rejected from Star Trek, that the overall film is a bit of a letdown and gave in too much too soon. Although there are some nice things to look at and this viewer wanted to like this film, there is much room for improvement and Logan's Run is a disappointment on many accounts.

I have to admit, this is the first viewing of "Logan's Run" for me, though I'm sure I've caught bits and pieces while channel surfing. The 2.40:1 VC-1 HD transfer looks very good, especially considering the film's age. I caught a few instances of some slight shimmering and though the palette is unusually bleak, I do believe that was the filmmaker's intention. The 23rd century is a cold and merciless place, but thankfully it doesn't look all that bad. This Blu-Ray is most assuredly a step up over the previous DVD versions, so fear not - this transfer is worthy.

A new Dolby TrueHD soundtrack has been put on this Blu-Ray and while not the most robust out there, I was genuinelly impressed at some points during the movie. Dialogue is stong and well-concentrated. It sounds rich and full, yet there are some times when it's a bit lacking as well. Surrounds do come into play at times, though it sounds a bit artificial. Sometimes it's best to leave a good thing and sadly we don't get the original mono soundtrack. Still, like the audio, this is an upgrade from the previous Dolby Digital 5.1 track for sure.

The same extras are carried over from the previous DVD and I would really like to think that this disc wasn't rushed out due to Farrah Fawcett's recent passing. The commentary by director Michael Anderson and actor Michael York and costume designer Bill Thomas is interesting. Mainly they discuss the film, their memories of it share some selected insight on the material. "A Look into the 23rd Century" is a "retro" featurette meaning it was made at the time of the film itself and it's a far cry from today's featurettes. Not a whole lot of information is learned here, but if it's camp value you're after - you're in for a treat. The original theatrical trailer is also included.