Logan's Run is a 1976 science fiction film directed by Michael Anderson and starring Michael York, Jenny Agutter, Richard Jordan, Roscoe Lee Browne, Farrah Fawcett and Peter Ustinov. The screenplay by David Zelag Goodman was based on the novel of the same name by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. It depicts a dystopian future society in which population and the consumption of resources are managed and maintained in equilibrium by the simple expedient of killing everyone who reaches the age of thirty, preventing overpopulation. The story follows the actions of Logan 5, a "Sandman", as he runs from society's lethal demand.

The film was shot primarily in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex – including locations such as the Fort Worth Water Gardens and the Dallas Market Center^[3] – between June and September 1975. The film only uses the basic premise from the novel, that everyone must die at a specific age and Logan runs with Jessica as his companion while being chased by Francis. The motivations of the characters are quite different in the film. It was the first film to use Dolby Stereo on 70mm prints.^[4]

In 1977, a short-lived TV series was made, though only 14 episodes were produced. Since 1994, there have been several unsuccessful efforts to remake the film.

Plot[link]

In the year 2274, the remnants of human civilization live in a sealed domed city, a utopia run by a computer that takes care of all aspects of their life, including reproduction. The citizens live a mostly hedonistic lifestyle but have been told that in order to maintain the city, every resident must undergo the ritual of "Carrousel" at the age of 30, where they are vaporized with the promise of being "Renewed." To track this, the humans are implanted at birth with a Lifeclock crystal in the palm of their hand that changes colors as they approach their "Last Day."

Most residents accept this loose promise of rebirth, but some sense that it is simply execution for the sake of population control, and go into hiding to avoid Carrousel. These fugitives are known as Runners, and the city's computer assigns Sandmen (officially known as DS agents, de facto executioners), who pursue and terminate them.

Logan 5 is a Sandman, along with his friend Francis 7. After chasing and killing one Runner, Logan finds an ankh among his possessions. Later, he meets Jessica 6, a citizen who also wears an ankh pendant. Logan takes the Runner's possessions to the computer, where he is told the ankh is a symbol of a group of people helping the Runners to find "Sanctuary". The computer instructs Logan to find Sanctuary and destroy it, and accelerates the color change of his Lifeclock to flash red four years before it is due to do so. In order to escape Carrousel himself, Logan is now forced to become a Runner.

Logan regroups with Jessica and explains his situation. Together, they meet with the underground group that lead them to the periphery of the city. Logan finds the ankh symbol is able to open a door, allowing them to leave the city into a frozen cave, but the pair are tailed closely by Francis. In the cave, they meet Box, a robot designed to capture food for the city from the outside. However, Box has also captured Runners that have made it this far and keeps them frozen. Before he can freeze them too, Logan and Jessica escape the robot, causing the cave to collapse and destroy Box.

Once outside, Logan and Jessica notice that their Lifeclocks are now clear and no longer operational. Venturing further, they discover that vegetation has overrun much of the remains of human civilization, and explore the nearby area, once the National Mall in Washington D.C. Within the ruins of the United States Senate chamber, they discover an elderly man, a surprise to them both, neither having ever seen a person this old before. The old man explains what he knows has happened to humanity outside of the city; Logan and Jessica realize Sanctuary is a myth. However, Francis has followed them from the City and he and Logan fight. Logan gains the upper hand, and fatally wounds Francis. As Francis dies, he observes that Logan's Lifeclock is now clear, and believes Logan has Renewed.

Logan and Jessica convince the old man to return to the domed city with them. Leaving the man outside, the two enter and try to convince the residents Carrousel is a lie and no longer necessary. The two are captured by other Sandmen and taken to the computer. The computer interrogates Logan and asks if he completed his mission, but Logan insists "there is no Sanctuary." This answer is not accepted by the computer, even after scanning Logan's mind. It eventually sends the computer into overload, causing many of the city's systems to fail and releasing the seals to the outside. Logan and Jessica regroup with the old man as the citizens flee the ruined city, curious as to both the new surroundings and the old man.

Cast[link]

Dress worn by Farrah Fawcett-Majors as Holly 13, vest worn by Michael York as Logan 5 and tunic used by York's stunt double (Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, Seattle)

Music[link]

The score was composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith, with orchestrations by Arthur Morton. The score "adheres to two distinct sound palettes: strings, keyboards and abstract electronics only for cues inside the City, and full orchestra for Outside."^[5]

The first release of portions of the score was on MGM Records on LP, in 1976.^[6] The complete expanded and newly remixed score was issued on CD in January, 2002 by Film Score Monthly.^[6]

Casting[link]

Michael York, Jenny Agutter and William Devane were originally cast in the lead roles. Devane bowed out when Alfred Hitchcock requested him to replace actor Roy Thinnes in Family Plot. Richard Jordan stepped in for DeVane and was best known for his performance in Rooster Cogburn and the TV mini-series Captains and the Kings. York had previously appeared in Murder on the Orient Express and The Three Musketeers while Agutter was best known for Walkabout(1971) and The Railway Children (1970). ^[7]

Release[link]

Prior to release the film was previewed and included a number of sequences that were cut or shortened prior to the general release of the film. This included a longer sequence in the ice cave where Box asked Logan and Jessica to pose for his ice sculpture. This sequence was cut partially due to extensive nudity so that the film could receive a PG rating and partially due to the length of the scene. There were also several other sequences cut from the film including a sequence where Francis hunts down a runner by himself at the beginning of the film and other sequences that were trimmed. These sequences survive in the shooting script for the film but the footage itself appears lost. ^[8]

Reception[link]

Roger Ebert gave the film a three star rating, calling the film a "vast, silly extravaganza", with a plot that's a "cross between Arthur C. Clarke's The City and the Stars and elements of Planet of the Apes," but "that delivers a certain amount of fun."^[1]

The New York Times was less positive:^[9]

Just why and for what particular purpose Logan makes his run is anything but clear after you've sat through nearly two hours of this stuff. Logan's Run is less interested in logic than in gadgets and spectacle, but these are sometimes jazzily effective and even poetic. Had more attention been paid to the screenplay, the movie might have been a stunner.

Awards and honors[link]

The film won one Academy Award and was nominated for two more.^[10] In addition, the film won a Saturn Award and was nominated for a Nebula Award.

• Academy Awards (1976)

Won: Academy Award for Special Achievement for visual effects

Nominated: Best Cinematography

Nominated: Best Art Direction (Dale Hennesy, Robert De Vestel)

• Saturn Awards (1976)

Won: Best Science Fiction Film

• Nebula Awards (1976)

Nominated: Best Script

Comic book[link]

• Marvel Comics published a short-lived comic book series in 1976, which adapted the movie's story and briefly continued beyond it until the book was cancelled at issue #7.
• Logan's Run was continued in comic book form by Bluewater Productions and Devil's Due Digital in 2010.

References[link]

Notes

External links[link]

• Logan's Run at the Internet Movie Database
• Logan's Run at AllRovi
• Logan´s run at Rottentomatoes
• The World of Logan's Run
• Various releases on LP and cd of the music from the film
• Logan's Run digital comic books from Devil's Due Digital.

Logan's Run is a novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. Published in 1967, it depicts a dystopic ageist future society in which both population and the consumption of resources are maintained in equilibrium by requiring the death of everyone reaching a particular age. The story follows the actions of Logan, a Sandman charged with enforcing the rule, as he tracks down and kills citizens who "run" from society's lethal demand—only to end up "running" himself.

Plot summary[link]

The introduction to the book states:

"The seeds of the Little War were planted in a restless summer during the mid-1960s, with sit-ins and student demonstrations as youth tested its strength. By the early 1970s over 75 percent of the people living on Earth were under 21 years of age. The population continued to climb—and with it the youth percentage.

In the 1980s the figure was 79.7 percent.

In the 1990s, 82.4 percent.

In the year 2000—critical mass."

In the world of 2116, a person's maximum age is strictly legislated: twenty one years, to the day. When people reach this Lastday they report to a Sleepshop in which they are willingly executed. A person's age is revealed by their palm flower crystal embedded in the palm of their right hand that changes color every seven years, then turns black at 21.

Runners are those who refuse to report to a Sleepshop and attempt to avoid their fate by escaping to Sanctuary. Logan 3 is a Deep Sleep Operative (also called Sandman) whose job is to terminate Runners using a special weapon called the Gun, an unusual revolver which can fire a number of different projectiles. Runners are most terrified of one called the Homer which homes in on body heat and deliberately ignites every pain nerve in the body. Sandmen practice Omnite, a fictional hybrid martial arts style. On his own Lastday, Logan becomes a Runner himself in an attempt to infiltrate an apparent underground railroad for runners seeking Sanctuary—a place where they can live freely in defiance of society's dictates. For most of the book Logan is an antihero; however, his character develops a sympathy towards Runners and he becomes more of a traditional hero figure.

Jessica 6, a contact Logan made after he chased her Runner brother Doyle 10 into Cathedral where he was killed by the vicious preteen "Cubs", helps him, despite her initial distrust of him. Francis, another Sandman and a friend of Logan, catches up with Logan and Jessica after they have managed to make it to the final staging area before Sanctuary. He reveals that he is actually the legendary Ballard, who has been helping arrange their escape. The 42-year-old Ballard is working from within the system; he believes that the computer that controls the global infrastructure, buried beneath Crazy Horse Mountain, is beginning to malfunction, and that the society will die with it.

Sanctuary turns out to be Argos, an abandoned space colony near Mars. Logan and Jessica escape to the colony on a rocket that departs from a former space program launch site in Florida. Ballard remains to help others escape.

Sequels and spin-offs[link]

Nolan wrote two sequels, Logan's World and Logan's Search, published after the film's release. There is also a novelette, Logan's Return, that has been published as an e-book. Two other novels, Logan's Journey (written with Paul McComas) and Logan Falls (written with Jason V. Brock), have been written, but not published.^[1]

Logan's World deals with events following Logan's returning to Earth, amidst the survivors and ruins of the system he escaped in the first novel, while Logan's Search deals with Logan going to an alternate reality (with the assistance of aliens) to once again stop the government system he escaped in the first novel, albeit with some minor changes.

George Clayton Johnson is represented by WBMT Literary, Film and Television. WBMT Agency Director Whitt Brantley confirmed on December 19, 2011, that a direct sequel to the original novel was nearing completion.^[2] The sequel is officially entitled Jessica's Run: A New Sequel to Logan's Run.

Adaptations[link]

Film[link]

The novel was adapted in 1976 as a film, directed by Michael Anderson and starring Michael York as Logan 5 (not 3), Jenny Agutter as Jessica 6, and Richard Jordan as Francis 7. The film only uses the basic premise from the novel (everyone must die at a specific age, Logan runs with Jessica as his companion while being chased by Francis). However, the world is post apocalyptic and people now live inside a huge domed city and are unaware of the world outside, believing it to be a barren, poisonous environment. The motivations of the characters are also quite different in the film. The age of death is 30, and instead of reporting to a Sleepshop, citizens must take part in a ritual called "Carrousel" in which they are vaporized with the promise of being "renewed". Logan is a 26-year-old Sandman, sent by the computer to find and destroy Sanctuary. The computer alters his palm flower (here called a "life clock") to show him as approaching Lastday, and he becomes a runner and escapes from the city. Sanctuary turns out not to exist (or at least is never actually found), and the only other person that Logan and Jessica encounter outside the city is an old man (Peter Ustinov) who lives with a large number of cats in the Senate Chamber of the largely intact ruins of Washington, DC. Logan kills Francis, who is simply a Sandman in the movie and not a rebel leader, and leads the old man back to just outside the domed city, returning to try to lead a revolt against the culling. No one believes or listens to him or Jessica, and instead he is captured by Sandmen. In his interrogation by the computer, his honest information that there is no Sanctuary causes the computer to malfunction and self-destruct. As the young population leave the confines of the burning and exploding Domed City, they meet the Old Man outside - the first time they have seen anybody of that age.

Remake[link]

In the mid-1990s, Warner Bros. began development of a remake of the movie.^[3] In April 2000, director Skip Woods entered negotiations with the studio and producer Joel Silver to write and direct the remake.^[4] The director planned to make it closer to the novel than the original film, restoring previously-removed elements including Crazy Horse Mountain and sky gypsies.^[3]

In March 2004, director Bryan Singer was brought in to develop and direct Logan's Run. Singer had begun working with production designer Gy Dyas from his previous film X2. Screenwriters Ethan Gross and Paul Todisco were hired to write the script with the director, with the film being slated for a 2005 release.^[5] In October, the director said he had begun previsualization of Logan's Run, which would be completed by the time he finished production of his project at the time, Superman Returns.^[6] The following December, screenwriter Dan Harris said that he and the director had turned in a first draft for Logan's Run. Harris said that further development of the project would take place in Sydney after production for Superman Returns, for which he also collaborated, was finalized. The screenwriter said that the remake would contain more action than the original film, describing the premise to be "a remake of the concept of the movie plus the book".^[7]

In February 2005, screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie was hired to rewrite the script, with filming to take place in Australia.^[8] In February 2006, Logan's Run was scheduled to begin production in September/October 2006 in Vancouver.^[9] The following May, Singer's availability to direct Logan's Run was questioned due to scheduling conflicts with filming the sequel to Superman Returns.^[10] By May, Singer confirmed that he would not direct Logan's Run, seeking a vacation from the scheduled demands of his job.^[11] Directors Robert Schwentke and James McTeigue were approached for the project, but neither ultimately signed on.^[12]

In August 2006, production offices for Logan's Run were taken over by the production for the 2008 film Speed Racer.^[13] In April 2007, producer Joel Silver reiterated his plan to remake the original film.^[14] The following July, Silver said that since Singer's departure, no new director had come aboard the project.^[15] In August 2007, the project was reinvigorated with Joseph Kosinski hired as the new director and a new script being written by screenwriter Timothy J. Sexton. Kosinski had made a presentation to Warner Bros. including graphic art and animated previsualization that illustrated his plan for the film, whose low budget appealed to the studio. Kosinski has since moved on to make Tron: Legacy.

In May and June 2010, commercial filmmaker and Ridley Scott protege Carl Erik Rinsch was hired to direct and screenwriter Alex Garland was brought on board to write the script.^[16] Rinsch ultimately pulled out of the project due to scheduling conflicts.

As of August 2011, Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn was attached to direct the remake of Logan's Run with actor Ryan Gosling attached to star.^[17] Refn and Gosling had recently worked together on the 2011 thriller Drive.

Television[link]

A television series spin-off from the film, starring Gregory Harrison as Logan 5 and Heather Menzies as Jessica 6, lasted one season of 14 episodes, from September 16, 1977, through January 16, 1978, on U.S. television (CBS-TV). D. C. Fontana served as story editor and employed several other writers from Star Trek as well as the original novel's authors. The series was produced by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts.

Other adaptations[link]

• Marvel Comics published a short-lived comic book series, which adapted the movie's story and briefly continued beyond it until the book was cancelled at issue #7.
• A comic strip continuation of the television series, written by Angus P. Allan, was printed in the British TV comic Look-In.
• From June 1990 to March 1992, Malibu Comics published mini-series comics adaptations of Logan's Run and Logan's World, six issues each, with art by Barry Blair.^[18]
• In 2000, Emperor Norton Records published Logan's Sanctuary, an album of electronica music conceived as the soundtrack to an imagined Logan's Run sequel, written and performed by Roger Joseph Manning Jr. and Brian Reitzell, and featuring contributions from Jason Falkner.
• City of Domes, an alternative reality game (ARG), was created by the web development group at VirtuQuest.com. The game was a recreation of the Logan's Run city, some 30 years after Logan 6's adventures.^[19]
• From 2010, Bluewater Productions has published the comic book series Logan's Run: Last Day.^[20]

See also[link]

Novels portal

• Euthanasia / Aschimothusia
• Human population control
• Birth credit
• Eugenics
• Dystopia / Utopia
• List of predictions
• The Giver
• The Island (2005 film)
• In Time (film)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Chronology Central's Logan's Run page—contains a chronological listing of all Logan's Run related fiction.
• The World of Logan's Run
• City of Domes—Alternative Reality Game by virtuquest.com
• Universe of Logan's Run—French Website (in English) on Logan's Run Universe.
• Logans Run Action Figures at the Megomuseum, exploring the aborted line of toys planned by Mego Corporation
• Review of Christopher McQuarrie's script for the remake
• Logan's Run episode reviews on the Sci Fi Freak Site

1976 film

Logan's Run at AllRovi

Logan's Run at the Internet Movie Database

1977 television series

Logan's Run at AllRovi

Logan's Run at the Internet Movie Database

Logan's Run at TV.com

2014 film

Logan's Run at AllRovi

Logan's Run at the Internet Movie Database

Ryan Gosling
Gosling at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival
Born	Ryan Thomas Gosling (1980-11-12) November 12, 1980 (age 31) London, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Actor, musician, restaurant owner
Years active	1993–present

Ryan Thomas Gosling (born November 12, 1980) is a Canadian actor and musician. He began his career as a child star on the Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club (1993–95) and went on to appear in other family entertainment programs including Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1995), Goosebumps (1996), Breaker High (1997–98) and Young Hercules (1998–99). His first serious role was as a Jewish neo-Nazi in The Believer (2001), and he then built a reputation for playing misfits in independent films such as Murder by Numbers (2002), The Slaughter Rule (2002), The United States of Leland (2003) and Stay (2005).

Gosling came to the attention of a wider audience in 2004 with a leading role in the romantic drama The Notebook, for which he won four Teen Choice Awards and an MTV Movie Award. His performance as a drug-addicted teacher in Half Nelson (2006) was nominated for an Academy Award and his performance as a socially inept loner in Lars and the Real Girl (2007) was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. In 2007, he starred in the courtroom thriller Fracture.

After a three-year acting hiatus, Gosling starred in both Blue Valentine and All Good Things in 2010. The former performance as a frazzled husband earned him a second Golden Globe nomination. 2011 proved to be a landmark year for the actor as he appeared in three mainstream films – the romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love, the thriller Drive and the political drama The Ides of March – and received two Golden Globe nominations. He is due to appear in five upcoming films: the period crime feature Gangster Squad, the generational drama The Place Beyond the Pines, the revenge drama Only God Forgives, an as-yet-untitled Terrence Malick film, and a remake of the sci-fi film Logan's Run.

Gosling's band, Dead Man's Bones, released their self-titled debut album and toured North America in 2009. He is a co-owner of Tagine, a Moroccan restaurant in Beverly Hills, California. He is a supporter of PETA, Invisible Children and the Enough Project and has travelled to Chad, Uganda and eastern Congo to raise awareness about conflicts in the region.

Early life[link]

Ryan Thomas Gosling was born in London, Ontario.^[1] He is the son of Thomas Gosling, a traveling salesman for a paper mill,^[2] and Donna, a secretary who qualified as a high school teacher in 2011.^[3] Because of his father's work, they "moved around a lot"^[2] and Gosling lived in both Cornwall, Ontario,^[4] and Burlington, Ontario.^[5] His parents were Mormons,^[6] and Gosling has said that the religion influenced every aspect of their lives.^[7] His parents divorced when he was a child and he and his older sister Mandi lived with their mother,^[8] an experience Gosling has credited with programming him "to think like a girl".^[9]

Gosling was educated at Gladstone Public School,^[10] Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School and Lester B. Pearson High School.^[11] He "hated" being a child,^[7][12] was bullied in elementary school^[13] and had no friends until he was "14 or 15".^[14][15] In Grade 1, having been heavily influenced by the film First Blood, he took steak knives to school and threw them at other children during recess. This incident led to a suspension.^[12] He was unable to read^[16] and was diagnosed with ADHD, prescribed Ritalin, and placed in a class for special needs students.^[17] Consequently, his mother quit her job and homeschooled him for a year.^[17] Gosling has said that homeschooling gave him "a sense of autonomy that I've never really lost".^[7]

Gosling performed from an early age. He and his sister sang together at weddings; he performed with Elvis Perry, his uncle's Elvis Presley tribute act,^[18] and was involved with a local ballet company.^[19] Performing boosted his self-confidence as it was the only thing he received praise for.^[15] He developed an idiosyncratic accent because, as a child, he thought having a Canadian accent didn't sound "tough". He began to model his accent on that of Marlon Brando.^[20] He dropped out of high school at the age of seventeen to focus on his acting career.^[21]

Acting career[link]

Child star (1993–1999)[link]

In 1993, at the age of twelve, Gosling attended an open audition in Montreal for a revival of Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club.^[22] He was given a two-year contract as a mouseketeer and moved to Orlando, Florida.^[21] He appeared on-screen infrequently because other children were considered more talented.^[23] Nonetheless, he has described the job as the greatest two years of his life.^[21] Fellow cast members included Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera and Gosling has credited the experience with instilling in them "this great sense of focus."^[24] He became particularly close friends with Timberlake and they lived together for six months during the second year of the show. Timberlake's mother became Gosling's legal guardian after his mother returned to Canada for work reasons.^[25] Gosling has said that, while they are no longer in touch, they are still supportive of each other.^[24]

Following the show's cancellation in 1995, Gosling returned to Canada and continued to appear in family entertainment television series including Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1995),^[26] Goosebumps (1996)^[27] and Breaker High (1997–98).^[28] At the age of eighteen, he moved to New Zealand to film the Fox Kids adventure series Young Hercules (1998–99).^[29] While he initially enjoyed working on the series, he began to long for an opportunity to play a variety of characters and decided not to accept any more television work.^[21]

Move to independent film (2000–2003)[link]

At the age of nineteen, Gosling decided to move into "serious film". He was dropped by his agent and initially found it difficult to secure work because of the "stigma" attached to children's television.^[30] After a supporting role in the football drama Remember the Titans, Gosling secured a lead role as a young Jewish neo-Nazi in 2001's The Believer. Director Henry Bean has said he cast Gosling because his Mormon upbringing helped him understand the isolation of Judaism.^[31] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times praised an "electrifying and terrifyingly convincing" performance^[32] while Todd McCarthy of Variety felt his "dynamite performance" could "scarcely have been better".^[33] The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival^[34] and Gosling has described it as "the film that kind of gift-wrapped for me the career that I have now."^[18] Because of the controversial nature of the film, it was difficult to secure financial backing for a full theatrical release^[35] and the film was instead broadcast on Showtime.^[35] The film was a commercial failure, grossing just $416,925 worldwide from a production budget of $1.5 million.^[36]

In 2002's Murder by Numbers,^[37] Gosling and Michael Pitt portrayed a pair of high school seniors who believe they can commit the perfect murder. Sandra Bullock starred as a detective tasked with investigating the crime. Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly described him as "a phenomenal talent even in junk like this"^[38] while Todd McCarthy of Variety felt that the "strong and "charismatic" young actors were "let down by the screenplay".^[39] The film was a minor commercial success, grossing $56 million worldwide from a production budget of $50 million.^[40] His second screen appearance of 2002 was in The Slaughter Rule which explores the relationship between a high school football player and his troubled coach in rural Montana. Gosling has said that the opportunity to work with David Morse made him "a better actor".^[41] Stephen Holden of The New York Times described Gosling as "major star material" with a "rawness and an intensity that recall the young Matt Dillon"^[42] while Manohla Dargis of the Los Angeles Times was won over by his "raw talent".^[43] The film was released in just three US theaters and grossed $13,411.^[44]

In 2003, Gosling starred in The United States of Leland as a teenager imprisoned for the murder of a disabled boy. He was drawn to the role because it was unusual to find a character that was "emotionally disconnected for the whole film."^[45] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times felt that the "gifted actor does everything that can be done with Leland, but the character comes from a writer's conceits, not from life."^[46] A.O. Scott of The New York Times noted that he "struggles to rescue Leland from the clutches of cliché"^[47] while David Rooney of Variety felt that his "one-note, blankly disturbed act has none of the magnetic edge of his breakthrough work in The Believer".^[48] The film grossed $343,847 in the United States and was not released overseas.^[49]

[edit] The Notebook and Half Nelson (2004–2009)

Gosling came to the attention of a mainstream audience in 2004 after starring opposite fellow Canadian Rachel McAdams in the romantic drama The Notebook.^[50] Gosling sought to imbue his character with "quiet strength" and was inspired by the performance of Sam Shepard in Days of Heaven.^[51] Filming took place in Charleston, South Carolina in late 2002 and early 2003.^[52] Although Gosling and McAdams became romantically involved in 2005, they had a combative relationship on set.^[53] "We inspired the worst in each other," Gosling has said. "It was a strange experience, making a love story and not getting along with your co-star in any way."^[54] At one point, Gosling asked director Nick Cassavetes to "bring somebody else in for my off-camera shot" because he felt McAdams was uncooperative.^[53] The New York Times praised the "spontaneous and combustible" performances of the two leads and noted that, "against your better judgment, you root for the pair to beat the odds against them."^[55] Desson Thomson of The Washington Post praised Gosling's "beguiling unaffectedness" and noted that "it's hard not to like these two or begrudge them a great love together".^[56] The film grossed over $115 million worldwide and, with adjustments for inflation, it remains the most commercially successful film of Gosling's career as of 2012.^[57] Gosling won four Teen Choice Awards^[58] and an MTV Movie Award.^[59] Entertainment Weekly has said that the movie contains the All-Time Best Movie Kiss^[60] while the Los Angeles Times has included a scene from the film in a list of the 50 Classic Movie Kisses.^[61] The Notebook has appeared on many Most Romantic Movies lists.^{[62][63][64][65]}

Gosling at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival

In 2005, Gosling appeared as a disturbed young art student in Stay, a psychological thriller co-starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor. In an uncomplimentary review of the film, Manohla Dargis of The New York Times said that Gosling "like his fans, deserves better."^[66] Todd McCarthy of Variety felt that the "capable" McGregor and Gosling "deliver nothing new from what they've shown before".^[67] The film grossed $8 million worldwide.^[68] Gosling was unfazed by the negative reaction: "I had a kid come up to me on the street, 10 years old, and he says, ‘Are you that guy from Stay? What the f--- was that movie about?’ I think that's great. I'm just as proud if someone says, ‘Hey, you made me sick in that movie,’ as if they say I made them cry.”^[69]

Gosling next starred in 2006's Half Nelson as a drug-addicted junior high school teacher who forms a bond with a young student. To prepare for the role, Gosling moved to New York for one month before shooting began. He lived in a small apartment in Brooklyn and spent time shadowing an eighth grade teacher.^[70] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times described "a mesmerizing performance ... that shows the kind of deep understanding of character few actors manage."^[71] Ruthe Stein of the San Francisco Chronicle drew comparisons with Marlon Brando and declared that "nobody who cares about great acting will want to miss his performance".^[72] Roger Ebert felt the performance "proves he's one of the finest actors working in contemporary movies."^[73] He was nominated for an Academy Award.^[16] The film grossed $4 million at the worldwide box office.^[74]

Gosling played an introvert who falls in love with a sex doll in the gently comedic 2007 film Lars and the Real Girl. He drew inspiration from James Stewart's performance in Harvey.^[75] Roger Ebert felt "a film about a life-sized love doll" had been turned into "a life-affirming statement of hope" because of "a performance by Ryan Gosling that says things that cannot be said".^[76] Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post described his performance as "a small miracle ... because he changes and grows so imperceptibly before our eyes."^[77] However, Manohla Dargis of The New York Times felt "the performance is a rare miscalculation in a mostly brilliant career."^[78] He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.^[79] The film was a box office failure, failing to recoup its $12 million production budget.^[80]

Gosling starred opposite Anthony Hopkins in the 2007 courtroom thriller Fracture. He originally turned down the role, but changed his mind when Hopkins signed on.^[81] He spent time shadowing lawyers and observing courtroom proceedings in preparation for the role.^[82] Claudia Puig of USA Today declared that "watching a veteran like Hopkins verbally joust with one of the best young actors in Hollywood is worth the price of admission".^[83] Manohla Dargis of The New York Times felt it was a treat to watch "the spectacle of that crafty scene stealer Anthony Hopkins mixing it up with that equally cunning screen nibbler Ryan Gosling ... Each actor is playing a pulp type rather than a fully formed individual, but both fill in the blanks with an alchemical mix of professional and personal charisma."^[84] The film grossed over $91 million worldwide.^[85]

Gosling was due to begin filming The Lovely Bones in 2007. However, he left the production two days before filming began because of "creative differences" and was replaced by Mark Wahlberg.^[86] Gosling had been cast as the father of the murdered teenage girl and initially felt he was too young for the role. The director Peter Jackson and the producer Fran Walsh persuaded him that he could be aged with hair and make-up changes.^[87] Before shooting began, Gosling gained 60 pounds in weight and grew a beard in order to appear older.^[87] Walsh then "began to feel he was not right. It was our blindness, the desire to make it work no matter what."^[87] Gosling later said, ""We didn't talk very much during the preproduction process, which was the problem ... I just showed up on set, and I had gotten it wrong. Then I was fat and unemployed."^[87] He has said the experience was "an important realisation for me: not to let your ego get involved. It's OK to be too young for a role."^[88]

Widespread recognition (2010–2011)[link]

Following a three year absence from the big screen, Gosling starred in five movies in 2010 and 2011. "I’ve never had more energy,” Gosling has said. “I’m more excited to make films than I used to be. I used to kind of dread it. It was so emotional and taxing. But I’ve found a way to have fun while doing it. And I think that translates into the films.”^[30] He has also spoken of feeling depressed when not working.^[15]

In 2010, he co-starred with Michelle Williams in Derek Cianfrance's directorial debut, Blue Valentine. The low-budget marital drama was mainly improvised and Gosling has said "you had to remind yourself you were making a film".^[89] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle felt he "brings a preternatural understanding of people to his performance"^[90] while A.O. Scott of The New York Times found him "convincing as the run-down, desperate, older Dean, and maybe a bit less so as the younger version".^[91][91] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly noted that he "plays Dean as a snarky working-class hipster, but when his anger is unleashed, the performance turns powerful."^[92] However, Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe felt the performance was an example of "hipsterism misdirected".^[93] He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. ^[94] The film was a box office success, grossing over $12 million worldwide from a production budget of $1 million.^[95]

Gosling at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.

Gosling's second on-screen appearance of 2010 was in All Good Things, a mystery film based on a true story. He played the role of New York real-estate heir Robert Durst, who was investigated for the disappearance of his wife (played by Kirsten Dunst).^[96] Gosling found the filming process to be a "dark experience".^[97] When asked if he was proud of the film, he replied, "I'm proud of what Kirsten does in the movie."^[97] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone felt he "gets so deep into character you can feel his nerve endings."^[98] Mick La Salle of the San Francisco Chronicle found the "chameleonic Gosling is completely convincing as this empty shell of a man".^[99] Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times felt that the film belonged to Dunst, but noted that Gosling "is good too".^[100] The film grossed $644,535 worldwide.^[101] Also in 2010, Gosling narrated and produced ReGeneration, a documentary that explores the cynicism in today’s youth towards social and political causes.^[102][103]

2011 saw Gosling expand his horizons by appearing in three diverse, high-profile roles. He appeared in his first comedic role in Crazy, Stupid, Love opposite Steve Carell and Emma Stone.^[104] Gosling took cocktail-making classes at a Los Angeles bar in preparation for his role as a smooth-talking ladies' man.^[105] Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post said his "seductive command presence suggests we may have found our next George Clooney".^[106] Peter Travers declared him "a comic knockout"^[107] while Claudia Puig of USA Today felt he reveals a "surprising" "knack for comedy."^[108] He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.^[109] The film was a box office success, grossing over $142 million worldwide.^[110] With adjustments for inflation, it is the second most successful of Gosling's career.^[111]

Gosling's first action role was in Drive, based on a novel by James Sallis.^[112] Gosling portrayed a Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a getaway driver and he has described the film as a "violent John Hughes movie": "I always thought if Pretty in Pink had head-smashing it would be perfect".^[113] Roger Ebert compared Gosling to Steve McQueen and stated that he "embodies presence and sincerity ... he has shown a gift for finding arresting, powerful characters [and] can achieve just about anything.^[114] Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal pondered "the ongoing mystery of how he manages to have so much impact with so little apparent effort. It's irresistible to liken his economical style to that of Marlon Brando."^[115] The film was a box office success, grossing $70 million worldwide from a production budget of $15 million.^[116]

In his final appearance of 2011, Gosling was directed by George Clooney in the political drama The Ides of March, in which he played an ambitious press secretary.^[117] Gosling partly decided to do the film to become more politically aware: "I'm Canadian and so American politics aren't really in my wheelhouse."^[118] Joe Morganstern of the Wall Street Journal said that Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman "are eminently well equipped to play variations on their characters' main themes. Yet neither actor has great material to conjure with in the script."^[119] In an generally tepid review, Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times asserted that it was "certainly involving to see the charismatic Gosling verbally spar with superb character actors like Hoffman and [Paul] Giamatti."^[120] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle felt there was "one aspect to the character that Gosling can't quite nail down, that might simply be outside his sphere, which is idealism."^[121] He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama.^[109] The film grossed $66 million worldwide.^[122]

Upcoming projects (2012)[link]

Gangster Squad, a 1940s crime drama, is set for release in 2012.^[123] Gosling will portray Sgt. Jerry Wooters, an LAPD officer who attempts to outsmart mob boss Mickey Cohen. The director is Zombieland's Ruben Fleischer and Gosling has said, "it’s very, very different tonally [from his other films]."^[124] Gosling has also completed work on the generational drama The Place Beyond the Pines, directed by Blue Valentine 's Derek Cianfrance,^[125] and has described it as "the best experience I have ever had making a film."^[19] The film is set for release in 2012.^[126] Gosling will portray Luke, a motorcycle stunt rider who robs banks in order to provide for his family.^[127]

Gosling has completed shooting Only God Forgives in Bangkok, Thailand.^[128] It is his second collaboration with Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn. He undertook Muay Thai training in preparation for the role.^[124] The story revolves around Gosling's mother, played by Kristin Scott Thomas, who orders her son to avenge his brother's death. Gosling has described the script as “the strangest thing I’ve ever read.”^[124]

In September 2012, Gosling will begin shooting an as-yet-untitled Terrence Malick film.^[129] The film will costar Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara and Haley Bennett.^[130] When asked to provide details of the film or his role, Gosling replied, "I can't comment. A chatty cathy that one."^[131] Gosling had previously signed up to work with Malick in 2004 on the bio-pic Che.^[132] However, Malick left the project to direct The New World and Gosling later dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.^[133] Gosling is also scheduled to appear in a remake of the sci-fi film Logan's Run, again to be directed by Winding Refn.^[134] He has yet to see the original film.^[131]

Music career[link]

Gosling at a 2009 Dead Man's Bones concert

In 2007, Gosling made a solo recording called "Put Me in the Car" available for download on the internet.^[135] Also that year, Gosling and his friend Zach Shields formed indie rock band Dead Man's Bones. The two first met in 2005 when Gosling was dating Rachel McAdams and Shields was dating her sister, Kayleen.^[136] They initially conceived of the project as a monster-themed musical but settled on forming a band when they realized putting on a stage production would be too expensive.^[136] They recorded their self-titled debut with the Silverlake Conservatory's Children's Choir and learned to play all the instruments themselves.^[136] Gosling contributed vocals, piano, guitar, bass guitar and cello to the record.^[137]

The album was released through ANTI- Records on October 6, 2009.^[138] Pitchfork was won over by the "unique, catchy and lovably weird record"^[139] while Prefix Magazine felt the album was "rarely kitschy and never inappropriate."^[140] However, Spin Magazine felt the album "doesn't reverse the rule that actors make dubious pop musicians"^[141] and Entertainment Weekly criticized its "cloying, gothic preciousness".^[142]

In September 2009, Gosling and Shields had a three-night residency at LA's Bob Baker Marionette Theater where they performed alongside dancing neon skeletons and glowing ghosts.^[143][137] They then conducted a thirteen-date tour of North America in October 2009, using a local children's choir at every show.^[144][145] Instead of an opening act, a talent show was held each night.^[146] In September 2010, they performed at Los Angeles' FYF Festival.

In 2011, the actor spoke of his intentions to record a second Dead Man's Bones album. No children's choir will feature on the follow-up album because "it's not very rock 'n' roll."^[147]

Personal life[link]

Gosling lives in New York City.^[148] He co-owns Tagine, a Moroccan restaurant in Beverly Hills, California.^[149] He bought the restaurant on an impulse and said he spent "all my money" on it.^[150] He spent a year doing the renovation work himself and now oversees the restaurant's menus.^[150][151]

Gosling dated American actress Sandra Bullock for a year from 2002 to 2003.^[152] He had a two-year relationship with Canadian actress Rachel McAdams from mid-2005 to mid-2007.^[153][154] They briefly reunited in the summer of 2008.^{[155][156][157]} Following their split, he described McAdams as "one of the great loves of my life".^[158] He dated Kat Dennings in late 2009, Blake Lively in late 2010 and Olivia Wilde in early 2011.^{[159][160][161][162]} Gosling began dating American actress and model Eva Mendes in September 2011.^[163]

Fox News and the New York Post have reported that Gosling was arrested by LAPD officers on 17 March 2005. Gosling pleaded "no contest" to a misdemeanor charge of "exhibiting speed", despite being originally charged with "driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs" and "driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or greater." He was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay $849 in fines.^[164][165]

Gosling is supportive of various social causes. He has worked with PETA on a campaign to encourage KFC and McDonalds to use improved methods of chicken slaughter in their factories.^[166][167] Gosling volunteered in Biloxi, Mississippi in 2005, as part of the clean-up effort following Hurricane Katrina.^[168] He is a supporter of Invisible Children Inc, a group that raises awareness about the LRA in Central Africa.^[169] In 2005, Gosling travelled to Darfur refugee camps in Chad.^[170][16] He was a speaker at Campus Progress's National Conference in 2008 where he discussed Darfur.^[171] As part of his work with the Enough Project, he visited Uganda in 2007^[172] and eastern Congo in 2010.^[173]

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]