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Sunshine Writer Joins Logan's Run Remake

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the expect-nothing-get-something dept.

bowman9991 writes "Remember to check your palm to ensure that your crystal hasn't gone black. If it has, you better start running. The 1976 science fiction classic Logan's Run, starring Michael York, is being remade in 3-D with British writer Alex Garland now onboard to write the screenplay. Garland's film Sunshine, directed by Danny Boyle, was one of the stand-out science fiction films of the last decade, and he wrote the screenplays for Leonardo DiCaprio's The Beach (based on Garland's own novel) and the science fiction horror 28 Days Later (a massive adrenaline rush of a movie). This should give first-time director Carl Rinsch some great material to work with — a great premise meets a great writer."

24 of 216 comments (clear)

  1. This is good news by Pojut · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Logan's Run is a classic in every sense and, in my opinion, shouldn't be fucked with. Still, if someone HAS to do it, the guy that wrote Sunshine (which was a modern day masterpiece) is certainly a good choice.

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    Living With a Nerd
    1. Re:This is good news by Seq · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'll bet it will be great, until about half-way through, when the sunburned space zombie appears.

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      -- Seq
    2. Re:This is good news by radtea · · Score: 5, Insightful

      which was a modern day masterpiece

      Implausible premise, implausible technology, and completely ridiculous story peopled by totally unrealistics characters. The most important rescue mission in history is crewed entirely by psychologically unstable children who routinely make trivially imbecilic decisions for no readily apparent reason.

      I guess as a reflection on how vacuous and self-involved modern Western culture it has some artistic merit, but not very much.

      To be great art there has to be at least a thread of internal logic that makes for a self-consistent story. Sunshine didn't have that: a culture so completely degenerate as to crew a ship on such an important mission with such a bunch of losers would never have been able to build the ship in the first place.

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      Blasphemy is a human right. Blasphemophobia kills.
    3. Re:This is good news by MozeeToby · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Maybe I'm the only one who really didn't like Sunshine? The premise was ludicrous, the science was laughable, and it devolved into a fantasy slasher film half way through. I prefer my science fiction to have a bit more basis in science personally.

    4. Re:This is good news by clone53421 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I had about the same reaction. Well, that and the otherwise generally-inaccurate science, such as the astronaut wrapping himself in insulation to protect him from the cold of deep space.

      In reality, without any atmosphere to draw heat away from him via convection, he would really only lose heat via black-body radiation. Sure, the virtually-nothing of space is nearly absolute zero, but that is only because there is virtually nothing but empty space to absorb the heat from the sunlight... and by the same token it cannot absorb the heat from your body either. It is a common misconception.

      Are we are going to get the same piss-poor treatment of science in this one?

      --
      Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
    5. Re:This is good news by Abstrackt · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I had about the same reaction. Well, that and the otherwise generally-inaccurate science, such as the astronaut wrapping himself in insulation to protect him from the cold of deep space.

      In reality, without any atmosphere to draw heat away from him via convection, he would really only lose heat via black-body radiation. Sure, the virtually-nothing of space is nearly absolute zero, but that is only because there is virtually nothing but empty space to absorb the heat from the sunlight... and by the same token it cannot absorb the heat from your body either. It is a common misconception.

      Are we are going to get the same piss-poor treatment of science in this one?

      Well, it is called science fiction for a reason. To me, Sunshine was never about the science so much as the people and their circumstances. Till they introduced the sunburned space zombie mentioned in an earlier post anyway.

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      They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
    6. Re:This is good news by TheRaven64 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Put an hot object in a (near-)vacuum at 100'K and it will chill quite capably.

      Do you know what a vacuum flask is? It eliminates the heat exchange from conduction and convection, leaving just radiation. Try this as an experiment. Get some water and heat it up to boiling. Now pour it into a vacuum flask and put it in the freezer. Freezers cool to below freezing point, so the temperature difference is more than 100K, but it will still take a long time to lose heat - a lot longer than a human can hold its breath, for example.

      Note, however, that temperature difference is not relevant when you're talking about radiation (only convection or conduction). Heat lost to radiation is dependent on the absolute temperature, not the relative temperature. An object at room temperature radiates a little infra-red light, but not a huge amount.

      Do you think your fridge is cold because it's windy?

      Not too far wrong. The primary reason things cool in the fridge is through convection. The cold air in the fridge touching the object heats (cooling the object) then, because it expands and becomes less dense, rises to the top of the fridge allowing more cold air to touch the sides. Air is fairly good at this, but liquids are even better. Try putting some water in the fridge until it reaches the ambient temperature and then put two warm things in the fridge, one in the water and one in the air. The one in the water will cool faster. Try the same thing with

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      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  2. Why 3D? by Gothmolly · · Score: 3, Insightful

    There's nothing in Logan's Run that needs 3D. Are they going to do weird bullet-time Matrix-like effects of the needlers and rippers flying around?

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    I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
    1. Re:Why 3D? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      There's nothing in Logan's Run that needs 3D.

      Jenny Agutter's tits in 3D!

    2. Re:Why 3D? by gregthebunny · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Because everything nowadays has to be made in 3D. Apparently, your movie just isn't good enough for the public unless it's in 3D, regardless of how sucky it is (e.g. Alice in Wonderland).

  3. Classic? by 16K+Ram+Pack · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I like the original Logan's Run, and it's a good story, but I don't think it's a classic. It could be remade as a better film.

    1. Re:Classic? by fermion · · Score: 4, Interesting
      Agreed, but it will have to use the modern misgivings about the future. Logans run about a future where resources were limited and therefore lives had to be limited. We do not believe that anymore. Most of us believe that we can have as much stuff as we want, we can live as long as we want and we should never have to suffer. Every old person deserves as much medical care and welfare, because the worked and earned it.

      Further, logans run was made at a time when we thought that science was going to make nature irrelevant. We would all be living in cocoons never to see the sun. Some sort of technological disaster, such an oil spill, would mean the natural environment would not be safe and we would no longer have safe food, such as oysters. It was only after time had past and the world had healed that the people could be free.

      Obviously this future has to some degree happened. For many, they can move from house to garage to SUV to garage to office with very little natural contact. Filtered water and filtered air is the rule. Processed food using natural food as the base to which synthetics are added to reconstruct the texture and taste.

      So the premise has to be different. Maybe a natural disaster killed off the older people. Maybe everyone who is old and unable to work at maximum efficient are shunned and forced to the outside. I can tell you one thing. When Jessica get undressed I expect to see alot more of Jessica. Margo Stilley has no issue with nudity.

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      "She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
  4. It's already been remade! by scorp1us · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The Island (2005) was already a remake. I was pissed because in LR you got to see tits. Not so with Scarlett Johansson. Damn Hollywood.

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  5. But Carousel is always 3D! by random+coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    It doesn't work right if Carousel is in 2d; it has to be 3d!

  6. Hope they do it right this time... by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Informative
    I hope they stick more to the BOOK, rather than the previous movie.

    I'd read the book first, and IMHO, they really fsck'ed up the movie. The gun was MUCH cooler in the novel (I'd like to see how they do the 'Homer' fired out of it), and much more riveting, and character development was better as you saw Logan change through his run. That and the Sandmen were badasses, trained in all sorts of arts, like a Jason Bourne type in abilities.

    At least...go back to the age limit of 21 (not 30), and for God's sake...don't do the stupid carousel thing they made up for the movie.

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    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    1. Re:Hope they do it right this time... by billmarrs · · Score: 4, Informative

      I read this book recently. I don't mean any offense, but it's pretty badly written and stupid.

      I hope they completely ignore the book.

      Really, I wish Hollywood would stop remaking stuff. I mean, there's a ton of good, fresh, original, insightful, well-written science fiction in many books from the last few decades that would be great to see made into a movie. But, Logan's Run...again? Well, it makes me sad.

      I did love the oringinal movie when I was a kid... I even liked the TV series... I was young.

      I suppose they know I'll have to watch this new movie because of that and I will. But...

  7. Re:Why remake perfectly good classics? by Lumpy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    There are a LOT of good ideas. It's just that hollywood execs are too stupid to try anything new...

    HEY this made money 30 years ago.... let's remake it!

    Hey let's remake CasaBlanca but this time use Vin Diesel!

    We can remake the epic Ben Hur in 3d with laser swords on a sand planet.... Let's combine Dune and Ben Hur! Dune Hur!

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    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  8. Classic? What classic? by rbrander · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The original novel came out at the height of the baby boom hitting adulthood; across the developing world, the population explosion was making it look like the whole world was kids. (Erlich's "The Population Bomb" was just out, too.) So they had this world where you were shot at 20, there were only teenagers. How the high-tech machinery kept running was never explained.

    The movie raised the 20 to 30 to accommodate a not-nearly-teen Michael York. Who kept the lights on was still never explained; everybody seemed to lounge about in day-glo party clothes.

    Of course, it was terrible science fiction; many analysts were pointing to dropping birth rates in the developed world and debunking Erlich even at the time. The youth explosion of the decade was a blip. Now the world faces an increasingly aging population and it's the loss of 50-somethings from the workforce that is creating concerns.

    Apparently, they are good at keeping the lights on.

  9. Puritan Americans will ruin it by commodore64_love · · Score: 3, Informative

    They will subtract the nudity. NSFW. These were the best stills I could find. They look a lot better on the giant silver screen:

    http://www.moviesnxs.com/web/thumbnails/tn-Jenny-Agutter_logans-run_25-02-06.jpg
    http://rarevideos.bravepages.com/JennyAgutter@Walkabout.JPG
    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PWR3w2VkSZs/SNAbQiLWStI/AAAAAAAAA7s/2mxn62WhWWY/s400/JennyAgutterLogansRun.jpg

    --
    "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
  10. 'Little miss Sunshine', one of the stand-out scifi by Culture20 · · Score: 3, Funny

    The best part was the ending, when grandpa became a zombie, and the little girl was revealed to be a gray alien.

  11. Dune + Ben Hur? by The+Iconoclast · · Score: 3, Funny

    They don't need to make it, it's Ben Dune (been done)

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    Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
    1. Re:Dune + Ben Hur? by Capt.DrumkenBum · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Hey let's remake CasaBlanca but this time use Vin Diesel!

      That is, without a doubt, the most horrifying ideas I have ever heard.

      --
      If I were God, wouldn't I protect my churches from acts of me?
  12. Sunshine == Top Gun for Solar Physicists by oneiros27 · · Score: 5, Funny

    what's with all the love for Sunshine

    They're still working on making sure there's an equivalent of Top Gun for every profession:

    • mail carriers : The Postman
    • fire fighters : Backdraft
    • geophysicists : The Core
    • meteorologists : Twister

    ... etc.

    Why can't the solar physicists get an unrealistic movie that makes them seem cool, too?

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    Build it, and they will come^Hplain.
  13. Director's Commentary notes this by Animaether · · Score: 3, Informative

    The Director's Commentary on the DVD (probably the Blu-Ray as well) notes that they did consult with scientists to be as scientifically accurate as possible.. but also noted specifically the float-in-space-and-you-freeze as an example where they went for visual and story-telling appeal, rather than for scientific accuracy; pointing out that it really doesn't matter much that you wouldn't lose heat that quickly.. you can't hold your breath for more than a few minutes anyway and then you'd die from asphyxiation.

    So yes, maybe the same piss-poor treatment of science would be in this one, too... if they believe that visual/story-telling appeal takes precedence.