Logan's Run

Logan's Run  

Screenplay by       David Zelag Goodman

Produced by       Saul David

Directed by       Michael Anderson

Cast List:

Michael York      Logan

Richard Jordan      Francis

Jenny Agutter      Jessica

Roscoe Lee Browne    Box

Farrah Fawcett      Holly

Michael Anderson Jr.    Doc

Peter Ustinov      Old Man

Please note the crystal will be used in the left hand of all characters.

FADE IN:

BEFORE AND DURING TITLES

EXT. SKY NIGHT

The moon and stars are visible, but as CAMERA looks down, the SCREEN fills with dark, billowing clouds. CAMERA moves into the clouds and just as they blank out the SCREEN, a distant shimmer of light becomes visible. Moving toward it, the shimmer becomes

EXT. DOME OF GLASS – NIGHT

A glowing but not transparent structure stretching off into the clouds that press it. CAMERA continues to move in until the detailed structural webbing of the dome fills the SCREEN and then CAMERA MOVES THROUGH IT and we see

EXT. THE CITY – DAY

Shining below the dome (which we now see as a series of dome-like structures standing off without end) -a marvelous crystalline city of great openness, building clusters, green plazas, fountains... multi-leveled but human scale, crisscrossed by the flickering clear tubes of the MAZE-CARS.

CLOSER ANGLE – ROOFTOPS

As a MAZE-CAR slides softly to a stop.

ROOFTOP – THE RUNNER

The hatch opens and a MAN in a hurry leaves the maze-car and runs swiftly along the rooftop and disappears into an open elevator which instantly starts to descend.

INT. RESIDENCE PLAZA – THE ELEVATOR

From a busy courtyard below we watch the elevator slide down from a great height. As it reaches the courtyard the RUNNER darts out, pushes into the crowd.

WITH THE RUNNER

As he reappears around a corner, skirts a brimming pool and makes for a kind of broad corridor which seems to lead out of the courtyard. He is moving even faster now, glancing back as if he fears pursuit.

ANOTHER ANGLE – CORRIDOR

Above, at the railing of an oval light well, dressed in black and silver, a figure holding an odd looking weapon lazily in one hand – and watching. It is FRANCIS.

WITH THE RUNNER

Moving rapidly down the corridor, he suddenly stops as if feeling the presence above. He looks up, sees the SANDMAN and his face breaks in terror. He wheels, frantic, screaming, runs back into the hall.

THE SANDMAN (FRANCIS)

Vaulting the rail, dropping lightly to ground level, weapon poised.

POV

The crowd melting, parting to reveal the Runner backed against the pool. People are YELLING, shaking their fists, terribly excited and fearful.

THE SANDMAN

Emotionless. Aims. Fires.

THE RUNNER – CLOSE

Seeming to burst aflame in the LENS, then slipping BELOW FRAME to reveal Francis sauntering forward, holstering his weapon. The crowd closing in behind him, applauding, congratulating him.

THE SANDMAN

Arriving at the pool where the body lies, half immersed. He leans over, lifts the right hand from the water, revealing a palm with a black flower-crystal shape in it. He lets the hand fall back now as the crowd CHEERS and APPLAUDS him.

EXTREME CLOSEUP – HAND – IN THE WATER – (INSERT)

Closing in until the crystal fills the SCREEN.

TITLES END

MATCH DISSOLVE TO:

CLOSEUP – CRYSTAL – (INSERT)

Clear, sparkling, flower-like. CAMERA PULLS BACK to reveal...

INT. NURSERY CORRIDOR

The crystal is in the hand of a sleeping INFANT who is behind glass in one of many cubicles. Standing outside, looking in, LOGAN, dimly lit in the soft glow of the cubicle where the sleeping infant lies, swaddled and coccooned in the rosy auto-tender which caters to the baby's every need. Faint MUSIC bubbles like distant laughter.

LOGAN

Logan is twenty-five, strong, virile (yet sensitive) with a kind of austere grace.

He is somewhat manic... proud... as he peers through the nursery window into a kind of foam cocoon which cradles THREE SLEEPING INFANTS. Logan is KNOCKING on the soundless glass.

LOGAN
Wake up... come on, Logan-6.

FRANCIS

Entering.

FRANCIS

(shaking his head in mild, mocking disbelief)

You are here. I couldn't believe it when they told me. What are you doing?

LOGAN

(still knocking on the soundless glass)

Turn this way.

(as one of the infants stirs, smiles, bubbles)

No, no... not you... YOU!

Francis tries to pull Logan away from the window, but Logan is intent on waking one of the infants.

FRANCIS

You should've seen me take my last Runner... perfect.

(Logan continues to pound the soundless glass)

I backed him up against a residence pool and when he terminated... his hand...

(breaks off as Logan is paying no attention)

So now you've seen him... what's the difference awake or asleep?

LOGAN

(to infant)

Open your eyes once, idiot.

(to Francis)

It's not every day that a Sandman son is born. I'm telling you, Francis – that's him!

FRANCIS

Maybe, maybe not. What's the difference? Come on, Logan, let's get out of here before

everybody finds out.

But Logan isn't moving. Francis gets an idea.

FRANCIS

Okay... you really want to wake him up?

Francis starts to pry at the Panel... knowing it will sound an ALARM.

LOGAN
Hey, cut that out !

Too late: There is a SOUND OF ALARM CHIMES. The area in which they stand is bathed in a violet glow. Logan grabs Francis firmly and stops him from prying at the panel:

LOGAN
Now you've done it...

The CHIMES STOP... but the glow continues, a metallic VOICE is heard:

VOICE
Break-in scanners report intrusion, identify.

LOGAN

Logan-5... Francis-7, authorized duty quadrant. Intrusion accidental.

VOICE

Clear Logan-5 and Francis-7.

The violet light goes off.

FRANCIS

(with affection: to Logan)

Had enough?

LOGAN

(looking at the infant)

Even the alarm didn't wake him.

As Francis starts out:

LOGAN

(one last look; joining Francis)

All right, Francis... I'm with you.

They move off down the corridor... the lights behind them DIMMING as they pass cubicles suffused with soft pink light, CHILDREN automatically tended.

CHIMES... soft. A lullaby and a soothing impersonal VOICE.

VOICE
Sleep time... go to sleep. Sleeping time, little ones.

As they exit Nursery... Logan stops and takes one final look backward.

FRANCIS

You need a lift. Let's go to Arcade and celebrate...

(teasing tone)

your alert successor... Logan-6.

LOGAN

Has anyone ever broken in to where the babies are?

FRANCIS

(putting a card key into a door which opens soundlessly)

Not in my time...

They move through the door which closes.

EXT. MAZE STATION – NIGHT

They are now on a kind of enclosed platform with widely spaced doorways, each glowing faintly. They pause, waiting.

FRANCIS

(peering at Logan curiously)

Why?

LOGAN

Just wondered... what happens?

FRANCIS

(shrugs)

Dunno... flameout maybe. Whatever happens, you can bet it's final. But who would want to find out?

One of the doorways brightens and the word "ARCADE" appears on it. The two men move to the spot as a maze-car stops. They enter it through the doorway which dims behind them as the maze-car HOOSHES softly off into a kind of twilight.

INT. MAZE-CAR – LOGAN AND FRANCIS

The door slides shut. They sink into seat forms which yield to them. They move off.

EXT. MAZE- CAR

Moving through the city at terrific speed. Giving us glimpses of the city as it goes. slowing finally as we see: