 Great Sleep ("The Carousel") - Futuristic
ritual on the sci-fi series LOGAN'S RUN/CBS/1977-78. In the year 2319, the
descendants of an atomic holocaust live in a huge self-contained environment
called the City of Domes.
One of their traditions is called the Ceremony of the Great Sleep, in which
all persons who reach the age of 30 are required to enter "The Carousel," a
chamber wherein participants are slowly floated into the air and then exploded.
The citizenry (who shout "Renew! Renew!") believe they are being reborn, but in actuality, they are being
killed as a means of population control to sustain the city.
Those refusing to enter "The Carousel" (known as "Runners") are pursued by
Sandmen, the city's internal police force. The Runners search for the legendary
location called "Sanctuary" whose inhabitants are free to live past the age of
30 years.
Each citizen has a "life clock" implanted into the palm of their hand. As
they near the age of 30, the clock glows red to alert the wearer it will
soon be time for "Carousel."
The TV series was based on the theatrical film Logan's Run (1976)
starring Michael York.
"The life clocks are a lie. Carousel is a lie. There is no
renewal!"
"Sometime in the 23rd century...the survivors of war,
overpopulation and pollution are living in a great domed
city, sealed away from the forgotten world outside.
Here in an ecologically balanced world, mankind lives only
for pleasure, freed by the servo-mechanisms which provide
everything. There's just one catch. Life must end at thirty
unless reborn in the fiery ritual of carousel. "
(Introduction to the movie Logan's Run)
External Links
Back to Top |
