Logan’s Run came out in 1976. I remember watching it on television a few years later and found the ideas intriguing. Even some of the imagery of people sacrificing themselves in “the carousel” has stayed with me all these years. I hadn’t seen the movie since.

The Island came out in 2005 and is one of my guilty pleasures. Sometimes I like Michael Bay’s style over substance approach and I found the idea of cloning to add enough gravitas to make this movie one of my favorites.

Recently, Turner Classic Movies aired Logan’s Run. It was the first time I’d seen it in 40 years and I was amazed at how similar it was to The Island. I don’t remember anyone openly stating the The Island was a modern retelling of Logan’s Run, but the storylines are nearly identical.

Here’s the proof:

Plot – Life in Utopia

Logan’s Run: The remnants of human civilization live in a controlled, secluded environment where residents, at the age of 30, join the carousel to be killed/renewed as a new person.

The Island: The remnants of human civilization live in a controlled, secluded environment where the residents, through a lottery, get to go to the island to live happily ever after.

Protagonists: Both names start with an L and a J

Logan’s Run: Logan 5 (Michael York) and Jessica 6 (Jenny Agutter)

The Island: Lincoln Six Echo (Ewan McGregor) and Jordan Two Delta (Scarlett Johansson)

Utopian Control

Logan’s Run: The utopian society is controlled by a super computer and managed by Sandmen, dressed in black and gray, who control society and run down “Runners” who don’t want to join the carousel.

The Island: The utopian society is controlled by Dr. Merrick, a scientist, and the people are managed by guards, dressed in black and gray, who keep residents from going into secure areas or from engaging in unapproved social activity.

The Twist

Logan’s Run: The supercomputer tells Logan 5 that no one is renewed and people are killed. The computer then eliminates his remaining years and forces him to be a Runner so he can find the truth about a place called Sanctuary, where Runners apparently go if they survive. Logan and Jenny are on the run, looking to escape the Utopian society while being hunted by Sandmen.

The Island: Lincoln sneaks into a secure area to find out those who escape are not sent to the island, but are killed and organs harvested. Lincoln and Jordan are on the run to escape the Utopian society while being hunted by guards.

The Outside World

Logan’s Run: Logan and Jenny find that all the previous Runners were frozen to be kept as food by a robot and, after escaping, find Washington, DC in overgrown ruins. They find an old man living in one of the old buildings and he explains what life is like on the outside. Logan and Jenny are still hunted by Sandmen.

The Island: Lincoln and Jordan track down a worker at the facility who tells him they are clones and explains how life works on the outside. While Lincoln and Jordan try to track down their sponsors (the people from whom they were cloned) they are hunted by guards.

Bring the Real World to Utopia

Logan’s Run: Outside of their closed society Logan finds that their clocks controlled by the computer no longer work and he and Jenny want to bring the old man back home so he can show people that life is different on the outside and not to be feared.

The Island: Lincoln and Jordan think if they can show their sponsors that they exist as real people it will bring an end to killing the clones, making it safe and freeing those back home. However, Lincoln’s sponsor wants to save his organs, not his life. Lincoln defeats his sponsor and takes over his life and returns back home to free the rest of the clones.

The Destruction of Utopia = Harder Life, but Real Freedom

Logan’s Run: Logan and Jenny return home and are captured. Logan is interrogated by the supercomputer about Sanctuary. Logan tells it the truth. It can’t compute and destroys itself. The utopian society buildings start to collapse and the inhabitants go outside for the first time, meeting the old man. Logan and Jenny are free.

The Island: Lincoln returns to the cloning facility with Jordan to free the others, but Lincoln is captured by Dr. Merrick. They fight to the death and, in the process, Lincoln destroys the computer running the facility. The buildings start to collapse and the inhabitants go outside for the first time. Lincoln and Jordan are free.

Both movies are enjoyable and well done, considering the year in which they were made.

It just goes to show you that there aren’t any new stories left to tell, only existing stories to tell well.