The Running Man
Short description
The Running Man is set in a United States where economic collapse has given way to a totalitarian government that suppresses dissent and keeps the public entertained with violent television. The most popular of these broadcasts is The Running Man, a gladiator-style contest in which convicted criminals are sent into a deadly arena to be hunted by professional killers known as stalkers. A pardon and freedom are held out as the prize for anyone who survives.
Ben Richards, a police officer who refused an order to fire on unarmed civilians, is arrested and pushed into the program by its ruthless host, Damon Killian. With other contestants, among them William Laughlin and the fighter Fireball, Richards tries to outlast the stalkers and turn the hunt back on the people running it.
Paul Michael Glaser directed the film, his first feature, followed later by The Cutting Edge, The Air Up There and Kazaam. Steven E. de Souza wrote the screenplay. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Richards, with Richard Dawson as Killian, María Conchita Alonso as Amber Mendez, Yaphet Kotto, Jim Brown and Jesse Ventura. Made for about 27 million dollars, it returned roughly 38 million worldwide. On IMDb it holds 6.6/10 from 190,000 votes and on TMDB 6.5/10 from 2,977 votes, while its critics' rating stands at 5.5/10 from 125 reviews, so audiences have been somewhat kinder to it than reviewers.
What's left behind the scenes
- The film is based on a work by Stephen King.
- The dance numbers for the girls in the show were choreographed by famous pop singer and dancer Paula Abdul.
- In this film, as in many others, Arnold Schwarzenegger also delivers his signature line: “I’ll be back!”
- Among the candidates for the lead role were Dolph Lundgren, Christopher Reeve, and Patrick Swayze.
- Stephen King was reportedly dissatisfied with the production and the lead actor.
- The code to deactivate the collars is 653-9X.
- Stephen King forbade the use of his name in the advertising and on the film's cover.
- In the credits, Stephen King is listed under the pseudonym 'Richard Bachman,' under which he also wrote the work of the same name.
- Film enthusiasts even noted a minor inaccuracy made by the filmmakers: a helicopter flying over Bakersfield displays coordinates of 45 degrees north latitude and 19 degrees east longitude, while the actual location has coordinates of 35.3 and 119 respectively.
- Filming took place from September to December 1986.
- Paula Abdul choreographed the dance numbers for the showgirls.
- Writer Robert Sheckley sued the filmmakers for plagiarism.
- The show featured in the film was based on the Japanese television show Trans American Ultra Quiz from the early 1980s, in which contestants were subjected to various forms of torture. The prize went to the one who could endure the pain and humiliation the longest.
- When Rob Cohen purchased the rights to film Richard Bachman’s novel “The Running Man” (1982), he had no idea that the pseudonym concealed Stephen King.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
