fine whine

I finally broke down and watched Logan's run yesterday.

Years ago I'd read what I thought was a thin paperback novelization of the movie, due in large part to words like "Now a major motion picture" on the cover atop a picture of Michael York, but I see now that this was, in fact, the actual novel from which very little was used for this film. In an effort not to spoil the story for anyone who hasn't read the book, seen the original or the inevitable (and I believe in-progress) remake, I'll mention no more about the plot.

The production designer, or at least the location scout, was really, really good for this film. Shopping malls, water parks and hotel lobbies were all incorporated with matte paintings and model work and made for a fairly sophisticated vision of the future, circa 1976. I can now finally understand pop culture references deeper than the passing mention to this film in Free Enterprise, and can even recognize the artistry used in the Family Guy homage in one episode or another.

To be honest, I'm intrigued at what a modern filmmaking team will do with this. Some of it was rather a bit ahead of its time, with lo-fi PDAs and all, but whoever ends up doing it will no doubt need to amp up the effects (and the action) to fit today's cinematic sensibilities. Hell, they might even try to film the book, instead of writing scenes around a bunch of (albeit quite neat) sets and locations. One bonus to remaking a movie with subject matter like this? Anybody still alive from the original is far too old (or frighteningly well preserved) for the obligatory cameo. For that matter, Michael York looked too old for the role even then.