THE RUNNING MAN [1987 / 2020] [Blu-ray] [Exclusive Collector’s Edition SteelBook] [UK Release] Arnold Schwarzenegger is The Running Man! A Game Where Nobody Survives!
In the year 2019 an innocent man accused of a crime and has a choice – Hard Time or Prime Time. He must pay or play “The Running Man” – the highest rated Television Show in history.
It's a game between life and death but tonight the game is going to be different – Arnold Schwarzenegger is “The Running Man.” He's playing for a prize – the prize is his life. From now the rules are going to change... forever!
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1988 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA: Win: Best Supporting Actor for Richard Dawson. Nominated: Best Science Fiction Film. Nominated: Best Costumes for Robert Blackman. 1988 Kids' Choice Awards, USA: Nominated: Blimp Award for Favorite Movie Actor for Arnold Schwarzenegger (actor).
FILM FACT No.2: In a 2015 interview about the film, Paul Michael Glaser says that he was originally approached to direct the film but declined because he felt that the pre-production period was insufficient. Director Andrew Davis was hired instead but fired after two weeks because the production was by that time behind schedule by one week. Arnold Schwarzenegger has stated this was a "terrible decision," as Paul Michael Glaser "shot the film like it was a television show, losing all the deeper themes," and believes this hurt the film. On the film's 30th anniversary in 2017, ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ was cited by a BBC journalist as having made accurate predictions about life in 2017, including an economic collapse, and offering an enduring critique of "American television culture."
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Conchita Alonso, Yaphet Kotto, Jim Brown, Jesse Ventura, Erland van Lidth, Marvin J. McIntyre, Gus Rethwisch, Professor Toru Tanaka, Mick Fleetwood, Dweezil Zappa, Richard Dawson, Karen Leigh Hopkins, Sven-Ole Thorsen, Edward Bunker, Bryan Kestner, Anthony Penya, Kurt Fuller, Kenneth Lerner, Dey Young, Rodger Bumpass (voice), Dona Hardy, Lynne Marie Stewart, Bill Margolin, Anthony Brubaker, Joel Kramer, Billy D. Lucas, George P. Wilbur, Thomas Rosales Jr., Sondra Holt, Daniel Celario, Mario Celario, Sidney Chankin, Kim Pawlik, Roger Kern, Barbara Lux, Franco Columbu, Lin Shaye, Boyd R. Kestner, Wayne Grace, Charlie Phillips, Greg Lewis, John William James, Jon Cutler, Kerry Brennan, Paula Brown, Megan Gallivan, Suzie Hardy, Debby Harris, Melissa Hurley, Marlene Lange, Morgan Lawley, Cindy Millican, Andrea Moen, Mary Ann Hermansen, Karen Owens, Sharon Owens, Pamela Rossi, Mia Togo, Sheree Ali (uncredited), Maureen Flaherty (uncredited), Sandy Holt (uncredited), Jeff Jensen (uncredited), Jon McBride (uncredited) and Mel Scott-Thomas (uncredited)
Director: Paul Michael Glaser
Producers: George Linder, Keith Barish, Rob Cohen and Tim Zinnemann
Screenplay: Stephen King (novel) and Steven E. de Souza (screenplay)
Composer: Harold Faltermeyer and Vassal Benford (uncredited)
Cinematography: Thomas Del Ruth, A.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Anamorphic)
Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English SDH
Running Time: 100 minutes
Region: Region B/2
Number of discs: 1
Studio: TriStar Pictures / Paramount Pictures / Fabulous Films
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ [1987] By 2017 the world economy has collapsed. Food, natural resources and oil are in short supply. A police state, divided into Paramilitary Zones, rules with an iron hand. Television is controlled by the state and a sadistic game show called “The Running Man” has become the most popular TV programme in history.
All art, music and communications are controlled. No dissent is tolerated and yet a small resistance movement has managed to survive underground. When high-tech Gladiators are not enough to suppress the people’s yearning for freedom . . . more direct methods become necessary.
In fact, the sci-fi action film ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ is directed by the famous TV actor Paul Michael Glaser who appeared in the TV Series “Starsky and Hutch” and is a very tongue in cheek at what the future of television was going to look like and we all thought this was so far fetch, but obviously Paul Michael Glaser could see especially the way certain tacky American television programmes would look like in the future and he we spot on, especially with the likes of Jerry Springer comes to mind.
Following the eponymous novel by Stephen King, the plot tells the story of innocent soldier Ben Richards [Arnold Schwarzenegger] who is wrongly convicted for a massacre because he refuses to slaughter innocent civilians and is sent to a work camp, before leading an escape in 2019. Naturally Ben Richards is caught, only to be spotted by TV producer and hosted by Damon Killian [Richard Dawson] and who is forced to participate in a highly popular reality show on TV, called “The Running Man.” In this “TV Reality” show, convicted criminals are given the opportunity to fight for their freedom. In order to achieve that, they must face different “stalkers” men who hunt them all over the city with various deadly weapons. One must admit that the director has put successful efforts in his desire to recreate the futuristic, catastrophic and totalitarian society, developed by Stephen King his novel.
The beautiful Maria Conchita Alonso in the role of Amber Mendez, the two celebrated ex-wrestlers Jesse Ventura as Captain Freedom and Professor Toru Tanaka as Subzero as well as Jim Brown, probably the most glorious NFL player ever in the role of Fireball, are among the most famous names in the cast.
‘THE RUNNING MAN’ has as its basis the familiar science fiction trope of an authoritarian future where an increasingly restless population is kept pacified by a gladiatorial TV “game” show in which criminals are given a life-or-death opportunity to win their freedom. To do so, they must become a “The Running Man” and evade the “Stalkers” that hunt them through a pre-determined course.
In theory, if they evade the “Stalkers” and get to the endpoint, they win the game. In reality, this rarely happens. People watch the show to see the criminals get eliminated. The show’s host and producer, Damon Killian [Richard Dawson], has a close relationship with the Attorney General and is able to get the “players” most likely to boost ratings. One of those is the recently recaptured Ben Richards “The Butcher of Bakersfield” [Arnold Schwarzenegger].
We first meet Ben Richards when, as the pilot of a government helicopter, and he is ordered to open fire on a group of unarmed rioters. When he refuses, he is relieved of command, taken into custody, and framed for the massacre that occurs when the co-pilot follows orders. After being jailed, he and two other prisoners, William Laughlin [Yaphet Kotto] and Harold Weiss [Marvin J. McIntrye], escape.
While on the run, Ben Richards becomes entangled with a young woman, Amber Mendez [Maria Conchita Alonso], who turns him in. After researching his case, however, she discovers evidence that proves his innocence. Amber Mendez is caught by Damon Killian’s thugs and entered into the games along with Ben Richards and his two compatriots, William Laughlin n and Harold Weiss.
A good portion of the film focuses on the efforts of the quartet to avoid or defeat the “Stalkers,” and they are Subzero [Professor Toru Tanaka], Buzzsaw [Gus Rethwisch], Dynamo [Erland Van Lidth], Fireball [Jim Brown], and Captain Freedom [Jesse Ventura]. For Ben Richards, the “end game” isn’t escape; it’s joining with the head of the resistance Mic [Mick Fleetwood], proving his own innocence, and revealing the depth of Damon Killian’s corruption and depravity.
‘THE RUNNING MAN’ was specifically designed first and foremost as an Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle. The actor claims he was drawn to the material because of its “deeper themes,” although he ultimately expressed disappointment with the final product. Whatever its shortcomings, the film was eerily prescient in some of its prognostications, including recognizing the widening economic gap between the rich and poor and latching onto the growing obsession of the population with “Reality TV” and of course something that hardly existed in 1987.
Upon its 1987 release, ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ was greeted by a very lukewarm critical reception and a moderately-positive audience appreciation. Given TV's increasingly desperate search for new programme formats, this futuristic blockbuster about a “TV Reality” game show where a pumped-up audience bays for the blood of convicts on a lethal combat course isn't so far-fetched. Arnold Schwarzenegger, busy consolidating his position as the number one action star of the 1980s, plays the former police helicopter pilot who is forced into the game of death when he rebels against his totalitarian superiors.
It's a long way from the original Stephen King (aka Richard Bachman) novel, but Arnold Schwarzenegger gets to do what he does best – destroying baddies with a sarcastic quip and director Paul Michael Glaser and fondly remembered for his role in the TV Series “Starsky and Hutch” handles the action sequences with some panache. Maria Conchita Alonso plays Arnold Schwarzenegger's reluctant partner, while Richard Dawson steals the acting honours as the slime ball game-show host, who eventually gets his well-deserved comeuppance. Despite some of the really nasty negative comments from different sources about the film at the time, I on the other hand still love this film very much.
THE RUNNING MAN MUSIC TRACK LIST
RUNNING AWAY WITH YOU (Restless Heart) (Music and Lyrics by Harold Faltermeyer and John Parr) [Performed by John Parr]
THE DEATH MARCH (Written by Jackie Jackson and Glen Barbee) [Performed by Jackie Jackson and Glen Barbee]
PAULA’S THEME (Written by Jackie Jackson and Glen Barbee) [Performed by Jackie Jackson and Glen Barbee]
THEME FROM GILLIGAN’S ISLAND (Written by Sherwood Schwartz and George Wyle)
THE RIDE OF THE VALKYRIES (from THE VALKYRIES) (Music by Richard Wagner)
Vedro Mentr'io Sospiro (The Count's Aria) (From "The Marriage Of Figaro") (Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) [Performed by Erland van Lidth]
* * * * *
Blu-ray Image Quality – Fabulous Films presents this film ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ with a stunning 1080p image and is also enhanced with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ is a massive improvement over previous inferior Blu-ray releases and to me this is the ultimate Blu-ray release. Clarity is vastly improved over the inferior Lionsgate Blu-ray release and the colours this time are much more accurate. Fine detail is totally fantastic on this release, especially when it comes to close-ups of the actors. Some critics of American Blu-ray releases say that it looks a trifle dark at times, though this Blu-ray release looks considerably brighter than the inferior Lionsgate Blu-ray version. Throughout the film, contrast is generally solid and very stable, and really brings out the quality of the Technicolor process and overall the film retains a very natural layer of grain. So overall Fabulous Films gets a solid five star rating form me. Please Note: Playback Region B/2: This will not play on most Blu-ray players sold in North America, Central America, South America, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Learn more about Blu-ray region specifications.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Fabulous Films brings us one solid and brilliant 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio experience. Directional effects are very pronounced and surprisingly very effective and the clarity of the actors voices, especially Arnold Schwarzenegger, with his tongue in cheek puns are well enhanced, so making watching this film a great joy. Harold Faltermeyer's amazing synth music film score is reproduced with really good audio fidelity. The bass aspect of the film has been obviously been beefed up to great effect, and weapons the rebels use is very well enhanced and is very realistic and with the massive explosion viewed in this film, have very realistic explosive sounds that really give your speakers a good workout. At the same time, much of the low end sounds has also been boosted really well. Considering the age of the film and the original sound you heard at the cinema, the audio quality of this Blu-ray release has been vastly improved and definitely gets a five star rating for a film I really love.
* * * * *
Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Audio Commentary with Producer Tim Zinnemann and Director Paul Michael Glaser: First up to introduce themselves is Director Paul Michael Glaser, who informs us that he directed ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ and next to introduce themselves is Producer Tim Zinnemann. Paul Michael Glaser feels Tim Zinnemann has a better recollection towards the film ‘THE RUNNING MAN,’ because Tim Zinnemann and Rob Cohen came on board long before Paul Michael Glaser was asked to direct the film, because originally Andy Davis (American film director) initially directed the film, but only lasted two weeks, because of some serious problems, and they had to let him go. Again in that two week slot a lot of problems happened and so when they asked Paul Michael Glaser to take over as the director, he had only two days to sort out all the problems that had occurred. They inform us that they did not have a lot of money, especially to do a lot of CGI visual effects, so they brought in Matte Artist Syd Dutton who did a really wonderful job of producing some really excellent special effects on a very tight budget. They also brought in Production Designer Jack Callus, who did a brilliant job in finding certain locations to film on a very small budget. They also praise the Author Stephen King for his vision of future television and especially the “Game Show” format. They complain at the time of the recording how the American News Media presents the news in a crass entertainment format fodder and they highlight CNN and mention it is now a mouth piece for the Pentagon and broadcasting their propaganda like in the film ‘THE RUNNING MAN.’ When we see the three runner contestants at the start of the game entitled Wilshire Detention Zone, we are informed that it was filmed in an abandoned still mill in Kaiser Steel Mill, Fontana, California, that was very toxic and would have cost a massive fortune to clean up all of the toxic chemicals, and they also inform us that they spent eight weeks filming time in that old abandoned steel mill. Paul Michael Glaser comments at the time of the audio commentary, that eventually in America in the future there are going to see more Game Shows where the contestants will be subjecting themselves to violence and especially where their lives are threatened. They comment about the composer Harold Faltermeyer and they were keen to have his style of composed music because he tended to so techno pop sounds and felt it would suit the film really well, and of course had been successful in adding this type of composed music to other films like ‘Beverly Hills Cop.’ They mention that fewer Corporations are going more power and influencing in a big way and affecting every ones lives around the Globe, in ways we still do not understand. When the film opened in 1987, for two weeks it did extremely well, but then peeked and they felt people were hoping to see a typical Arnold Schwarzenegger film, but of course the film was a totally different vehicle for Arnold Schwarzenegger, because he tended to quote tongue in cheek humour, which turned off American Arnold Schwarzenegger fans big time. They say the film cost $30,000,000, but it made $80,000,000 so of course they got their money back. As we get near to the end of the film, Paul Michael Glaser comments that people wants the film to end with Arnold as a winner, because he is the star of the film. Tim Zinnemann comments that he was one of the producers of the film, and he hopes we enjoyed the experience of the film and especially watching it with both of us, and especially with both of them not seeing the film after 17 years, and Paul Michael Glaser says he enjoyed directing the film and especially watching it also after a 17 year gap. So all in all, this was a very enjoyable and fascinating audio commentary and gets a five star rating from me.
Audio Commentary with Executive Producer Rob Cohen: Here Rob Cohen introduces us to himself, who has informed that he has directed several action films previously, but here he is a producer for the film ‘THE RUNNING MAN.’ Back in 1985 Rob Cohen had seen the Japanese Game Show “Ultra Quiz” that ultimately humiliates the contestants, to the point of making them cry, which at the time looked over the top, but today people take these types of Game Shows as normal. At the same time Rob Cohen had read this novella by Richard Bachman, which is set in a dystopian United States during the year 2025, in which the nation's economy is in ruins and world violence is rising, where the story follows protagonist Ben Richards as he participates in the game show “The Running Man” in which contestants, allowed to go anywhere in the world, are chased by "Hunters" employed to kill them, and eventually found out that the author was none other Stephen King. When Rob Cohen we about to start the film, he brought in screenwriter Steven E. de Souza who had written for films like ‘Commando’ and ‘Die Hard,’ and was also keen to bring on board Arnold Schwarzenegger as the leading man in the film. With the original director, he wanted the film set in a shopping mall in Canada and because Rob Cohen thought this idea was crap, kicked this idiot to the curb. Rob Cohen felt it should follow the storyline in the novel, where in the future television ruled people’s lives, in fact acting out like a Government, where it was in total control of everything, and the only thing people could watch is “The Running Man” game show, where criminals had to survive the nasty “Hunters” who in turn were out to eliminate the criminals, but if they win they get their freedom, but in reality this never happened and people were lied to. So Rob Cohen went to the Cannes Film Festival with Arnold Schwarzenegger to promote the film, as the $18,000,000 money was secured to make the film, and finally got the deal to distribute the film in America at first. But after three potential Directors were eliminated, Rob Cohen felt the film would not ever get to be made because of lots of problems, but through the grapevine, Paul Michael Glaser was suggested for the job as the Director and Rob Cohen was very interested, as he had viewed an episode of the TV series “Miami Vice” that had been directed my Paul Michael Glaser and was very impressed, and so finally got the green light to make the film, and from then on things had started to happen and especially in a good way and everyone was getting on so well, and felt like a team and also working like clockwork, and Rob Cohen was really happy about this situation. On top of all that, Rob Cohen commented that he was very influenced by the film ‘Blade Runner’ [1982] and really liked the English style lighting. As we get further into the film, Rob Cohen goes into lots of talk about the background of all the problems he was involved with and how he lost a lot of sleep in trying to get the film started, and he also talks about how future television might evolve in the future with technology and Game Shows. At the time of the recording of this audio commentary George Bush Jr. was President of the United States and Rob Cohen felt that the Bush Administration has withheld a lots of truth behind the 9/11 attack in New York and lots of other disinformation of other lies, like we see in the film. Rob Cohen goes into great praise about Arnold Schwarzenegger and felt he played his character perfectly and was very keen to portray that character in the film, but on top of all that, Rob Cohen says that Arnold was a really great guy to work with and was very enthusiastic about the film. Rob Cohen also comments on how the public really liked this film and even today it still has a lot of loyal fans and you can count me in, as I love this film. But at the time when the film came out, a lot of critics were very critical of the film, saying it was too violent and had lost the plot, but Rob Cohen feels that viewing the film today, the violence is not that extreme, in fact he feels the violence in the film is very mild, compared what violence is seen in films today. As we get near to the end of the film, Rob Cohen reflects on the film as a whole, and in saying that Arnold Schwarzenegger at the end of the film is of course cleared of his crime, has a sort of romantic clinch with the leading actress and Killian the TV Host gets his comeuppance. As the credits roll up the screen, Rob Cohen felt his film was ahead of the curve in 1987, and its time was about to happen, which we did not realise at the time, and feels the TV show “Gladiator” especially in America ripped us off and also feels that all the “Reality TV Shows” especially in America are totally nauseating and very insulting. But in the end, Rob Cohen feels very justified by the film and feels very honoured in being very involved with the whole process, even at the time initially it was a total nightmare with all the initial problems that were inherent, even before the filmmaking got off the ground. As we get the the very end of the credits, Rob Cohen says, “Well, we have made it alive, into the zone and out, and this has been your Game Show Host Rob Cohen, and thank you for listening, and I hope you enjoyed the journey? We’ll all in all this was quite an interesting audio commentary, as Rob Cohen was so very interesting with all his anecdotes about the film in general and informing us of the process of trying to get the film started and the troubles that happen on the journey to finally get the film started and informing us of all the troubles that happened even before the film was started and eventually in the end the journey was well worth the effort, and especially finally seeing his film on the big screen. So all in all, this audio commentary gets a five star rating from me.
Special Feature: Lockdown on Main Street: Civil Liberties Post 9/11 [2003] [1080p] [1.78:1] [24:37] In the George Bush Presidency era, we hear from people talking about the USA PATRIOT Act and the disappearance of Americans civil liberties after the devastating 9/11 event. The implication being, of course, that America really is turning into the Fascist state depicted in the film ‘THE RUNNING MAN,’ which is not even mentioned anywhere in this special feature and ultra-moaning right wing Republicans think this is a Left Wing Democratic conspiracy propaganda. The main aspect of this documentary is about the USA PATRIOT Act (commonly known as the "Patriot Act") which is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on the 26th October, 2001, especially in response to the September 11 attacks and the 2001 anthrax attacks, and Congress swiftly passed legislation to strengthen national security and is the primary focus of this amazing and fascinating documentary, but the various interviews with civil liberties experts also evaluate the creation of internment camps for illegal immigrants, the erosion of privacy, and the use of technology to keep a watchful eye on the American public. I can appreciate the subject matter, but to some people it seemed an odd inclusion with this 1980's action film ‘THE RUNNING MAN,’ but I felt it was very relevant especially how civil liberties are eroded with the people in the film and people are subjugated, which seems to be happening in America and I found this documentary totally fascinating, so check it out, as you will not be disappointed. Contributors include: Erwin Chemerinsky (Professor of Law and Political Science at the University of Southern California), US Representative Harold Velde (House of Un-American Activities Committee) (archive footage), James Lafferty (Executive Director of National Lawyers Guild, Los Angeles), Senator Joseph McCarthy (archival image), Nancy Chang (Senior Litigation Attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights), J. Edgar Hoover (Director of Federal Bureau of Investigation 1924 to 1972) (archival image), Ann Beeson (Associate Legal Director of American Civil Liberties Union) and Lee Tien (Senior Staff Attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation). This was an Artisan Home Entertainment Presentation.
Special Feature: Game Theory: An Examination of Reality TV [2003] [1080p] [1.78:1] [20:15] Here we get people actually talking about the film ‘THE RUNNING MAN.’ Critics, experts, and former contestants describe the evolution of “Reality TV” and its patent lack of realism, but they also discuss how well ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ foresaw the genre of “Reality TV.” Not only was ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ far ahead of its time, and it exposes the "Bread and Circus" style of manipulation that has taken place by the powers that be for ages and continues to take place today. Some will miss the point of this documentary completely, especially Americans, but that is only because the truth is too painful to except the reality of the facts, and especially of preconceived notions and misguided theorists with die hard right wing Republicans. We also get lots of clips from the film ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ and to highlight the genre of the “Game Show” formats we now see today. At the end of this special feature, someone comments that they hope sometime in the far off future we do not get to see this type of “The Running Man” game show format. Contributors include: Paul Michael Glaser (Director), Toby Miller (Professor of Cinema Studies, New York University), Bob Boden (Senior Vice President of Programming Game Show Network), Daniel Minahan (Director of “Series 7”), Matt Kunitz (Executive Producer of “Fear factor”), Sarah Miriah Jones (Former “Survivor” Contestant) and Edward Miller (Professor of Media Theory and Cultural Studies at The College of Staten Island, CUNY). This was an Artisan Home Entertainment Presentation.
Theatrical Trailer [1987] [1080i] [1.37:1] [1:05] Here we are presented with an ancient pan and scan Original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ and it makes the film look fairly exciting, if a bit cheesy, but certainly gives you a good flavour of what the film is all about.
PLUS: With this Exclusive Collector’s Edition SteelBook, you have an amazing colourful embossed SteelBook front and the designs on the back and inside of the SteelBook are truly amazing.
BONUS: With this Exclusive Collector’s Edition SteelBook it also contains a Running Man pin badge and 9 different design Art cards, so a must for fans of this film and totally unique, as you can only get these amazing art cards with this exclusive SteelBook release.
Finally, although the film ‘THE RUNNING MAN’ looks today slightly dated and very camp, but despite this, it is still a very entertaining film, and definitely warrants a 5 star rating from me. It never drags and I did chuckle at Arnold Schwarzenegger’s little ways as he knocked off each bad guy in Arnie’s imitable way. And like I said, some of the ideas presented here have eerily come to fruition despite how ludicrous they might have seemed way back in 1987 and I wonder how many more of them will become reality in my lifetime. Now to you game show fans out there… this is some scary shit! Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
