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A Box (Roscoe Lee Browne) robot from Michael Anderson's Logan's Run. While escaping the city, Logan 5 (Michael York) and Jessica 6 (Jenny Agutter) encountered Box, a robot originally built to freeze and preserve marine life for the city's food supply - who later turned his process on escaping citizens.
The groundbreaking science-fiction film earned Academy Award® nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography. Special effects artist Glen Robinson received a Special Achievement Academy Award® for Visual Effects for his work on both Logan's Run and John Guillermin's King Kong, released the same year. Acclaimed for its lavish dystopian sets, intricate miniatures, and innovative matte paintings, the film remains a landmark of 1970s science fiction design.
Box - whose sleek, futuristic form represented one of the production's most striking creations - was originally intended to appear in multiple sequences, though several were ultimately cut from the final release. While it is unknown whether more than one Box costume was constructed, this example is believed to be the only one still in existence today.
This robot originates from the personal collection of Richard Kahn, who served as vice president of marketing at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) during production. Kahn rescued Box after filming and prominently displayed the robot in the front hall of his home for nearly 50 years.
The robot features a cast foam latex head piece wrapped in its original chrome mylar tape, a torso section with ribbed rubber arms, and a lower body assembly constructed on a wood and metal frame affixed with mirrored paneling - all original to production. On the head, the mylar tape has lost its silver reflectivity in areas where it contacted the foam latex, while double-layered sections that did not touch the foam have retained their original metallic finish. Following production, the mirrored paneling on the body experienced surface breakdown, revealing blue patterning consistent with areas where contact cement was applied for adhesion.
The lower body includes a removable front panel that allowed an actor or operator to access the interior while performing inside the unit. Inside are original pedals, a mechanical steering mechanism, and nonfunctional wiring once used to power motors and other special effects, which have since been removed. The drive wheels are mounted to the bottom of the unit. Included with the lot are a spare arm piece, gauntlet, drive train, bundle of wire, 12 loose screws, and six metal plates from production.
In recent years, the robot underwent sympathetic restoration to reattach original mirrored panels. The gloves were glued in place around the gauntlets for stability and cannot be separated without risk of damage. A later layer of mylar tape applied during a previous restoration was also removed, exposing the original surface of Box's head. The costume exhibits expected signs of age, including grime, exposed contact cement, and darkening to the rubber arms. Further restoration work could be undertaken by a future owner if desired. Dimensions: (displayed) 91.5 cm x 66.25 cm x 208.5 cm (36" x 26" x 82")
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Contains electronics; see electronics notice in the Terms and Conditions.
Estimate: £8,000 - 16,000 US
View all lots from LOGAN'S RUN (1976)