7 | / 10 |
Users | 2.9 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A police officer in the year 2274 uncovers the deadly secret behind a society that worships youth.
Starring: Michael York, Richard Jordan, Jenny Agutter, Roscoe Lee Browne, Farrah FawcettSci-Fi | 100% |
Imaginary | 19% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Romance | Insignificant |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
French: Dolby Digital Mono
German: Dolby Digital Mono
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH, French, German SDH, Japanese, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Run, runner!
So what does the world of Logan's Run really look like, that is, beyond the flowing and
revealing singularly-colored garb, sterile indoor environments, and the ability to change faces on a
whim? There's little-to-no baldness. Not bad! There are no cutesy little "Lordy, Lordy, Logan's
40!" quips in the newspaper. A definite plus! Grumpy Old Men
doesn't exist. Eh, take it or leave it. There's the fiery ritual "Carrousel" that kills everyone on their
30th Birthday. Excellent!...oh, wait. Surely there had to be a catch, and that's it. No
longer does man live until his "11's" are up (that's for all the Mel Brooks fans); instead, the slate is
wiped clean and room is made inside the happy little dome (that's for all the Bob Ross fans) for the
next generation of hedonists to live it up until it's time for the ultimate trip up into the blowing
vortex of Carrousel, which is really a downer. And for those that refuse the ride to eternity? The
Four Aces will be sure to send someone to "give [them] a dream"...permanently.
Carrousel.
Logan's Run jogs onto Blu-ray with a decent 1080p, 2.40:1-framed transfer. Though the image looks consistently flat, much of that may be attributed to the mundane set design that doesn't do much to spruce up the image and populate it with objects that give more than a basic sense of depth to the frame. The sterility and smoothness of the dome play in contrast to the bowels of the forbidden zones behind the walls, and fine detail tends to become more visible as the movie moves along to areas that actually have more textured objects to showcase. Still, close- ups of clothing -- particularly the Sandmen's black and grey sweaters -- reveal stitches and lines well enough. Also, the 1080p transfer makes it particularly easy to spot the many wires holding up Carrousel's latest victims. Colors -- particularly those shades that represent the citizens' age, are bold and nicely rendered, and as the film moves into its second and third acts, additional shades make for a welcome reprieve from the doldrums of the dome. Black levels waver a bit, ranging from a slightly overly bright shade to deep and dark shades. Flesh tones are nicely rendered, and the transfer retains a layer of film grain that spikes over some of the more effects-heavy shots. A few vertical lines appear in places over the image, but they don't particularly distract from the film. All in all, Logan's Run isn't the stuff of high definition visual bliss, but it looks fairly good in every regard on this Blu-ray release.
Logan's Run arrives on Blu-ray with an uneven Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. As for the good, the surround channels are used to fine effect in several instances, particularly during some early overhead model shots of the dome. The clarity and precision of Jerry Goldsmith's score isn't to die for; it's a passable rendition but won't be mistaken for a fresh-out-of-theaters modern presentation. Several sound effects play far too loudly at reference volume, and Logan's Run may have listeners scrambling to turn down the volume during much of the film. The first Carrousel sequence features thunderous applause from an eager crowd, but the effect sounds muffled at best and a jumble of not-at-all-pleasurable sounds at worst. This is a case where aggressive volume can't make up for lack of clarity, and the two combined make for a crucial segment in the film that's simply hard to listen to. Dialogue delivery is never unintelligible, but the track often places it at the far reaches of the front half of the soundstage, and while it's meant to replicate the location of the actors on-screen, it makes for more a distracting nuisance that seems detached from the picture. As the film goes on, a few effects tighten up and deliver a bit more of a natural and focused presentation, even accompanied by a fair level of bass, but more often than not the soundtrack plays as far too eager to spread things out so that it comes across as more unnatural than it should. Logan's Run's lossless soundtrack isn't terrible, but it has several distracting characteristics that often take away the pleasure of the moment.
Unfortunately, this Blu-ray release of Logan's Run delivers a rather paltry collection of extras. First up is a commentary track with Director Michael Anderson, Actor Michael York, and Costume Designer Bill Thomas. The three participants are recorded separately and have been cobbled together after the fact for flow. Each participant is well-spoken and informed, recalling plenty of interesting facts all these years later, from the design and special effects of Carrousel to the costuming seen in the film. Fans of Logan's Run will want to give this one a listen. A Look Into the 23rd Century (480p, 9:18) is a retro piece that takes a generic look at the movie's futuristic setting. Rounding out this all-too-brief collection of extras is the Logan's Run theatrical trailer (480p, 2:56).
Logan's Run turned 30 several years ago, and thankfully, the film wasn't lost to the brutal ritual of Carrousel. Instead, it's been reborn on Blu-ray as a quality release from Warner Brothers. Although neither the picture nor sound are going to rival G.I. Joe, Logan's Run probably won't look or sound worlds better in some future release than it does here. There are still some aggravating flaws, particularly with an unbalanced soundtrack, and the disc lacks a more extensive supplemental package, but all things considered, this is a decent release of a classic Science Fiction film, and it comes recommended to fans.
Theatrical & Unrated Cuts
1972
1971
2019
2017
The Remastered Collection
1978-1980
2015
2018
2013
2018
1966-1969
Theatrical & Extended Cuts
1973
2006-2007
2018
2018
Director's Cut
2009
2007
2014
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: Awakening
1979
1996
2009