BUCKET LIST UPDATE No. 156: Watch “Logan’s Run” (1976)

One of my favorite science fiction novels is “Logan’s Run” by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. Published in 1967, this novel is set in a future in which no one’s allowed to live past the age of 30. Supposedly, for the betterment of society, those past 30 are put down to prevent overcrowding and to conserve resources. Those who fight or flee are tracked down by trained killers called Sandmen.

I read “Logan’s Run” for the first time several years ago and loved it. A short time later, I was discussing it with my brother-in-law, and he said he knew of a group of friends who celebrated their 30th birthdays by having "Logan’s Run"-themed birthday parties in which they actually watched the motion picture version of the book. It dawned on me that I’d never seen this movie, which is why I put it on my “bucket list” a short time later.

During the past week, courtesy of NetFlix, I officially watched “Logan’s Run” from start to finish, and it was actually better than I thought it would be. Directed by Michael Anderson, this 1976 movie starred Michael York, Richard Jordan, Jenny Agutter, Farrah Fawcett and Peter Ustinov. Not only was this movie nominated for two Academy Awards, but it also won the 1976 Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film.

If you’ve never seen “Logan’s Run,” be forewarned. It’s not a slick, modern sci-fi movie like you’d see in theaters today. The special effects remind me of what you’d seen in the old “Planet of the Apes” movies or from the old “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century” TV series. That’s not to say the movie isn’t any good. It’s just a little out of date by today's standards.

As you might have imagined, you’ll also find “Logan’s Run” on a number of “best of” lists. Not only did it win a Saturn Award, but it was also ranked No. 16 on Popular Mechanics’ list of “100 Best Sci Fi Movies.” This movie and novel also spawned a 14-episode TV series that aired on CBS, and that series was ranked No. 28 on Popular Mechanic’s list of “50 Greatest Sci-Fi TV Shows Ever.”

If you’ve never read the original novel, I highly recommend it. I read it in August 2010, and the novel is somewhat different than the 1976 movie version. In the book, citizens aren’t allowed to live beyond the age of 21. In the movie, citizens aren’t allowed to live beyond the age of 30. Also, in the book, the main character is named Logan 3, but in the movie, he’s called Logan 5. These are just two of more than a few differences between the movie and the book.

In the end, how many of you have watched “Logan’s Run”? How many of you have read the original novel? What did you think about them? Let us know in the comments section below.