LOGANS RUN
Screenplay By
David Zelag Goodman
Producer:
Saul David
Director:
Michael Anderson
Production Design:
Dale Hennesy
Revised :
April 30, 1975
PLEASE NOTE THE CRYSTAL WILL BE USED IN THE
LEFT HAND OF ALL CHARACTERS.
FADE IN:
BEFORE AND DURING TITLES
1 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
2 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
3 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.
4 CLOSER ANGLE – ROOFTOPS
As a MAZE-CAR slides softly to a stop.
5 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.
6 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.
7 OUT
8 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.
9 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.
10 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.
11 THE SANDMAN (FRANCIS)
Vaulting the rail, dropping lightly to ground level, weapon poised.
12 P.O.V.
The crowd melting, parting to reveal the Runner backed against the
pool. People are YELLING, shaking their fists, terribly excited and
fearful.
13 THE SANDMAN
Emotionless. Aims. Fires.
14 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.
15 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 flowercrystal shape in it. He lets the hand fall back now as
the crowd CHEERS and APPLAUDS him.
16 EXTREME CLOSE UP – HAND – IN THE WATER – (INSERT)
Closing in until the crystal fills the SCREEN.
MATCH DISSOLVE TO:
(TITLES END)
17 CLOSE UP – CRYSTAL – (INSERT)
Clear, sparkling, flower-like. CAMERA PULLS BACK to reveal
18 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.
19 OUT
19X1 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.
19X2 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.
20 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 WHOOSHES
softly off into a kind of twilight.
21 INT. – MAZE-CAR – LOGAN AND FRANCIS
The door slides shut. They sink into seat forms which yield to them.
They move off.
22 EXT. – MAZE- CAR
Moving through the city at terrific speed. Giving us glimpses of the
city as it goes. slowing finally as we see:
23 THE CITY – FEATURING ARCADE
Brightly lit, garish. We get only a glimpse as the maze-car
disappears into a tunnel.
24 MAZE-CAR STATION – ARCADE
As the maze-car stops, opens and Logan and Francis exit into a
gathering CROWD.
25 FULL SHOT – ARCADE
Glittering, crowded. Throngs of people moving on many levels, some
walking, some on moving platforms. It’s The Great White Way, Luna
Park — you name it. Gaudy booths and entrances, featuring every
delight — too much to take in at a glance.
26 WITH LOGAN AND FRANCIS
As they thread their way through a crowd which admires them when it
notices them, across halls and up moving platforms, the good-natured
argument continuing…
LOGAN
but you don’t know, you Just
say what everyone says. One for
one. One for one.”
FRANCIS
Well, why no!? That’s exactly how
everything works. How else could
the city stay in balance -You have
a better idea?
LOGAN (laughs)
No, but at least I wonder sometimes —
instead of doing that “one for one” song
of yours. You sound like a sleepteacher
With a stuck tape.
FRANCIS
Well the minute you get a better
idea you can stop wondering.
(beat)
You know, Logan — you wonder
a lot. Too much for a Sandman
They are passing the facade of a Relive Shop The signs urging people
to: RELIVE YOUR MOST PRECIOUS MEMORIES. DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN!
REFRESH AND RENEW ANYTIME!!
As they cross the entrance, two men come out, grinning broadly,
falling into step just ahead of Logan and Francis. Then one of the
men stops abruptly, almost colliding with them. He mumbles an
apology and starts back to RELIVE.
As he disappears into the RELIVE SHOP, his friend shrugs cheerfully
to Logan and Francis and moves on.
27 ARCADE – ANOTHER ANGLE – NEW YOU
They are moving past a shop called NEW YOU #483 when a man comes
cannonading out, thrilled and excited. He rushes over to a pretty
young woman who has been eying Logan and Francis, plants himself in
front of her with his hands framing his face.
MAN
Well? How do you like it?
WOMAN (critically)
I don’t know. The cheeks maybe…
look a little –
MAN
Cheeks? Cheeks? Right. Too much,
you think?
WOMAN
Too little.
MAN
Too little?
(gestures)
Too little. Okay, wait for me.
And he darts back into NEW YOU #483. The woman shrugs, glances
around, smiles and goes off with a passer-by.
28 ARCADE – ANOTHER ANGLE – LOVE SHOP
Signs promising LOVE, FULFILLMENT, RARE DELIGHTS. People streaming
in and out. A woman comes out looking glazed, breathing
“yes…yes…” As she passes CAMERA Logan and Francis emerge from
the crowd and CAMERA moves with them.