Storyboard sketches of the Carousel sequence. |
 In early versions of the screenplay the 'sleep' sequences were retained from the novel. In this sequence a person on lastday would report to a sleep shop where they would be 'put to sleep'. Since the movie was being kicked around for so long this element actually found its way into another movie Soylent Green. Not wanting to repeat themselves it was decided to invent a new spectacle. The idea of this sequence was that some of the people riding the carousel would touch the crystal at the top and be reborn as new citizens. Thus there was a 'chance' at life after 30. However most of the people on Carousel did not renew, but were vaporized. Actually all of them were killed as it was just a plot device to give doomed citizens a feeling of control.
Also during this sequence is one of the 'mistakes' in the movie. If you watch as the participants enter the arena they are not wearing gloves, but shortly after they remove their robes they are suddenly wearing gloves.
As Logan and Francis are sitting in carousel the spectacle is interrupted so we do not get to see if any of them actually get high enough to touch the crystal.
In 1980 and again in 1991 I had the chance to catch up with professional Stunt Woman Paula Crist, who was one of the people blown up on Carousel several times, and interview her about her work on this sequence for Sandman Sentinel #11's unreleased videotape.  |
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 Courtsey of Eric Popejoy |
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 I wonder if in the future Halmark has a section on "You're Renewed" cards? |
 Logan's celebration of Carousel is cut short when his tracker beeps and he leaves to hunt down another of those pesky runners. |
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people on the wires. Note the trigger switch in the right hand. |
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Later, primitive CGI was filmed off a TV. |
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