Monday
One of my favourite 80s movies, The Running Man, has just started on Britain's Channel Five. The storyline is as follows:
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 program in history. All art, music and communications are censored. 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.
The saviour is the superbly cast Arnold Schwarzenegger. Let's terminate some statists.
Thats one of my favourite films, even if it is Arnold cheesiness!
"Your one of the cops who locked up all my friends, burned my songs. People like you took this country, and turned it into a jail."
Posted by The Last Toryboy at January 8, 2007 09:34 PM
Phew! For a second there I thought 'The Running Man' header might be another story about the England cricket team.
The bit I enjoyed about that movie was the 'climbing for dollars' segment, where some luckless individual has to climb a greasy pole and pull dollar bills off it, all the while ensuring he doesn't slip down to where a number of rabid rottweilers are waiting for him. Reminds me of Gordon Brown and his desperate race for Number 10.
Posted by Julian Taylor at January 8, 2007 10:30 PM
Thanks for the header. I may go and see it on the telly.
Shame that Arnie was not quite as good as governor of California as some hoped.
Posted by Johnathan Pearce at January 8, 2007 11:09 PM
I thought Richard Dawson stole the movie. Just the right combination of intelligence and sleazyness makes him over the top and believable at the same time.
Posted by Eric at January 8, 2007 11:14 PM
"Your one of the cops who locked up all my friends, burned my songs. People like you took this country, and turned it into a jail."
You forgot to type Arnold's hilarious response:
"All I see is a bunch of low foreheads who want to change the world with dreams and talk. If you're not ready to act, give me a break and shut up."
All said in Arnold's classic style. Great stuff.
Posted by Alfred E. Neuman at January 9, 2007 02:11 AM
One of a few movies made in that era with 2 governors in them.
Posted by veryretired at January 9, 2007 03:18 AM
Shame the film bears no resemblance to the book upon which it was based. A much darker and more visceral tale than the flashy cheese of the film. I only learned last year that it was written by Stephen King (under the nom de plume of Richard Bachman). One of his better efforts.
Posted by mandrill at January 9, 2007 11:01 AM
Also the best (only?) movie comeback to Ahnult's signature "I'll be back!" line:
"Only in a rerun."
Posted by Simon Jester at January 9, 2007 12:23 PM
One of a few movies made in that era with 2 governors in them.
Predator also had Jesse the Body and Arnold in it.
Posted by Alfred E. Neuman at January 9, 2007 02:50 PM
