Film Snail

6.5

The Running Man

R·1987·101m

Action

Science Fiction

Thriller

Crime

Action

Science Fiction

Thriller

Crime

Summary

By 2017, the global economy has collapsed and U.S. society has become a totalitarian police state, censoring all cultural activity. The government pacifies the populace by broadcasting a number of game shows in which convicted criminals fight for their lives, including the gladiator-style The Running Man, hosted by the ruthless Damon Killian, where “runners” attempt to evade “stalkers” and certain death for a chance to be pardoned and set free.

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Ben Richards

Richard Dawson

Damon Killian

María Conchita Alonso

Amber Mendez

Yaphet Kotto

William Laughlin

Jim Brown

Fireball

Jesse Ventura

Captain Freedom

Erland van Lidth

Dynamo

Marvin J. McIntyre

Harold Weiss

Gus Rethwisch

Buzzsaw

Professor Toru Tanaka

Subzero

Mick Fleetwood

Mic

Dweezil Zappa

Stevie

Karen Leigh Hopkins

Brenda

Sven-Ole Thorsen

Sven

Edward Bunker

Lenny

Bryan Kestner

Med Tech

Anthony Pena

Valdez

Kurt Fuller

Tony

Ken Lerner

Agent

Dey Young

Amy

Rodger Bumpass

Phil Hilton

Dona Hardy

Mrs. McArdle

Lynne Marie Stewart

Edith Wiggins

Bill Margolin

Leon

Tony Brubaker

Soldier #1

Joel Kramer

Soldier #2

Billy D. Lucas

Soldier #3

George P. Wilbur

Lieutenant Saunders

Thomas Rosales Jr.

Chico

Sondra Holt

Suzie Checkpoint

Daniel Celario

Barrio Foreman #1

Mario Celario

Barrio Foreman #2

Sidney Chankin

Custodian

Kim Pawlik

Newscaster

Roger Kern

Travel Pass Guard

Barbara Lux

Elderly Lady

Franco Columbu

911 Security Officer #2

Lin Shaye

Propaganda Officer

Boyd Kestner

Yuppie Yeller

Wayne Grace

911 Security Officer #1

Charlie Phillips

Teenage Punk

Greg Lewis

Manager Locker Room

John William James

Barrio Betto

Jon Cutler

Underground Tech

Kerry Wall

Dancer

Paula Brown

Dancer

Megan Gallivan

Dancer

Suzie Hardy

Dancer

Debby Harris

Dancer

Melissa Hurley

Dancer

Marlene Lange

Dancer

Morgan Lawley

Dancer

Cindy Millican

Dancer

Andrea Moen

Dancer

Mary Ann Hermansen

Dancer

Karen Owens

Dancer

Sharon Owens

Dancer

Pamela Rossi

Dancer

Mia Togo

Dancer

Sheree Ali

Sports Patron (uncredited)

Kadrolsha Ona Carole

Woman in Airport (uncredited)

Maureen Flaherty

Game Show Hostess (uncredited)

Sandy Holt

Woman in Airport (uncredited)

Jeff Jensen

(uncredited)

Jon McBride

Locker Room Viewer (uncredited)

Mel Scott-Thomas

(uncredited)

Crew

Director

Paul Michael Glaser

Novel

Stephen King

Screenplay

Steven E. de Souza

Reviews

John Chard

August 7, 2016

I'm not into politics. I'm into survival.

The Running Man is directed by Paul Michael Glaser and adapted from the Stephen King (as Richard Bachman) story by Steven E. de Souza. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Conchita Alonso, Richard Dawson, Yaphet Kotto, Jim Brown, Jesse Ventura, Erland van Lidth, Marvin J. McIntyre, Gus Rethwisch, Professor Toru Tanaka and Mick Fleetwood. Music is by Harold Faltermeyer and cinematography by Thomas Del Ruth.

It may be packed with cheese and is as nutty as a squirrel's sandwich, but this is one astutely entertaining futuristic slice of sci-fi pie. Schwarzenegger becomes a reluctant contestant in the most popular TV show of the time, The Running Man. It's a sadistic show where convicts are thrust into a zonal world and have to avoid an array of stalking killers. Cue lots of outrageous violence, equally outrageous costumes, and of course with Arnold in the lead there's plenty of dialogue zingers. The caustic observation of how television programmes have evolved is potently portentous, and it's all played out to an industrial 80s score from Faltermeyer.

It helps if you know what you are going to get from it, since it's a typical Schwarzenegger movie from the fruity chaotic popcorn era in the 80s. So with that in mind, for A.S. fans this is one to gorge on with glee - for others it may not have the charm offensive required to strike a chord. 7/10