Interesting - the movie is set in 2017 - the world economy has collapsed, television is controlled by the State, and no dissent is tolerated. Move that timetable up by eight years and you pretty much have the current state of the country. The clue to how prescient this movie was is that there's absolutely no mention of global warming. Obviously, the writers and film makers were only dealing with reality.
So you have "The Running Man", depicting a dystopian society that has taken celebrity status to the zenith of empty headed and pointless mass approbation. It's fitting I guess, that if an Administration seeks to isolate a particular network attempting to practice real journalism, then television entertainment would be put under the aegis of the Justice Department. Ben Richards' partners are shown being sent off to Hawaii (Guantanomo detainees to Bermuda anyone?); and say, didn't that scene where Richards and Amber Mendez make it through the security line remind you of the Salahi's getting into a state dinner? I couldn't have mentioned these things only a few months ago, but here we are. Pretty soon, local libraries may find they have to move this picture from the general viewing category over into the documentary section.
One thing is certain, "The Running Man" has one of the most eclectic casts in the history of film - where else would you see Arnold and Richard Dawson in the same flick? Yaphet Kotto, Maria Conchita Alonso, Jim Brown? Who would have guessed back in 1987 that the picture would turn out two future state governors - geez Jesse, was that a wig? And one of my favorites, Professor Toru Tanaka, looking even meaner than in his heyday as World Tag Team Champion with Mr. Fuji. Couldn't they have brought Fuji along for the ride? Which leads me to another question - why aren't there more pro wrestlers in government today?
For a futuristic apocalyptic film, this one is just too hopelessly Eighties to be anything but camp, but that's not meant to be a put down. For entertainment value, the picture is priceless, and as I mentioned earlier, the more time goes by, the more realistic it becomes. If you want to catch the first and last glimpses of where we may be headed as a society, "The Running Man" is must see. And if you wait long enough, you might be able to catch it on the Discovery Channel.
So you have "The Running Man", depicting a dystopian society that has taken celebrity status to the zenith of empty headed and pointless mass approbation. It's fitting I guess, that if an Administration seeks to isolate a particular network attempting to practice real journalism, then television entertainment would be put under the aegis of the Justice Department. Ben Richards' partners are shown being sent off to Hawaii (Guantanomo detainees to Bermuda anyone?); and say, didn't that scene where Richards and Amber Mendez make it through the security line remind you of the Salahi's getting into a state dinner? I couldn't have mentioned these things only a few months ago, but here we are. Pretty soon, local libraries may find they have to move this picture from the general viewing category over into the documentary section.
One thing is certain, "The Running Man" has one of the most eclectic casts in the history of film - where else would you see Arnold and Richard Dawson in the same flick? Yaphet Kotto, Maria Conchita Alonso, Jim Brown? Who would have guessed back in 1987 that the picture would turn out two future state governors - geez Jesse, was that a wig? And one of my favorites, Professor Toru Tanaka, looking even meaner than in his heyday as World Tag Team Champion with Mr. Fuji. Couldn't they have brought Fuji along for the ride? Which leads me to another question - why aren't there more pro wrestlers in government today?
For a futuristic apocalyptic film, this one is just too hopelessly Eighties to be anything but camp, but that's not meant to be a put down. For entertainment value, the picture is priceless, and as I mentioned earlier, the more time goes by, the more realistic it becomes. If you want to catch the first and last glimpses of where we may be headed as a society, "The Running Man" is must see. And if you wait long enough, you might be able to catch it on the Discovery Channel.