Introduction:
The film I have chosen is ‘The Running Man’. Set in the year 2017, the world’s economy has collapsed; the whole of the United States is sealed off, at its borders and turned into a militarized police state. The one thing the Americans have to enjoy is reality television. The Running Man is the best reality TV show in history. Low-life criminals are sent with no choice into an arena of death to fight for there lives.
Ben Richards is a cop who was blamed for the massacre which wasn't his fault, therefore left on the run from the police. Damon Killian who is the host of the Running man hunts down Richard to be the star of the show. When caught, Richards is to play for the ultimate prize, his life.
Production:
The idea of the film came from the novel by Stephen King which was first published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman in 1982. It was first published as a paperback original. It was collected in 1985 in the hardcover omnibus The Bachman Books. The screenplay was written by Steven E. de Souza. The Running man was directed by Paul Michael Glaser who was also involved in Starsky & Hutch series.Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Ben Richards along with Maria Conchita Alonso, Yaphet Kotto (who also stared in Live and Let Die) and Marvin J. McIntyre as the evil game show host Damon Killian.
The studio that made‘The Running Man’ was Paramount Pictures. Paramount Pictures is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still headquartered in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles. Paramount is consistently ranked as one of the top grossing movie studios.The budget of the film was $27,000,000. The film was made in the United States, California.
Distribution:
The Running used all different types of promotion all around the world. It had film posters, trailers at the cinemas and television appearances from the stars. The film was premiered in the United States on the 13th November 1897 and it was first premiered in England on the 21st October 1988. The films gross intake was $38,122,105 in the USA.
Before you see the main title of the film the star ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger’ name jump on the page and hits you. The use of the bigger and bolder font for ‘Arnys’ name is a really clever technique as the audience may not of ever herd of the film but the most probably know the star ‘Schwarzenegger’. The font use for the name of the film is very retro. This symbolizes that it is a Si-fi film. The clothing also give the idea that it is a Si-fi movie as the metallic styled armor that ‘Arny’ is wearing. The weapons and vehicles used tell the audience that this film is not going to be a romantic comedy, its going to be a hard core action movie. Also the colours used are very dark apart from ‘Arny’ as his face is brightly lit up. From the images used it show it is aimed for a older teenager to adult audience.
The idea of the film came from the novel by Stephen King which was first published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman in 1982. It was first published as a paperback original. It was collected in 1985 in the hardcover omnibus The Bachman Books. The screenplay was written by Steven E. de Souza. The Running man was directed by Paul Michael Glaser who was also involved in Starsky & Hutch series.Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Ben Richards along with Maria Conchita Alonso, Yaphet Kotto (who also stared in Live and Let Die) and Marvin J. McIntyre as the evil game show host Damon Killian.
The studio that made‘The Running Man’ was Paramount Pictures. Paramount Pictures is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still headquartered in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles. Paramount is consistently ranked as one of the top grossing movie studios.The budget of the film was $27,000,000. The film was made in the United States, California.
Distribution:
The Running used all different types of promotion all around the world. It had film posters, trailers at the cinemas and television appearances from the stars. The film was premiered in the United States on the 13th November 1897 and it was first premiered in England on the 21st October 1988. The films gross intake was $38,122,105 in the USA.
Before you see the main title of the film the star ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger’ name jump on the page and hits you. The use of the bigger and bolder font for ‘Arnys’ name is a really clever technique as the audience may not of ever herd of the film but the most probably know the star ‘Schwarzenegger’. The font use for the name of the film is very retro. This symbolizes that it is a Si-fi film. The clothing also give the idea that it is a Si-fi movie as the metallic styled armor that ‘Arny’ is wearing. The weapons and vehicles used tell the audience that this film is not going to be a romantic comedy, its going to be a hard core action movie. Also the colours used are very dark apart from ‘Arny’ as his face is brightly lit up. From the images used it show it is aimed for a older teenager to adult audience.
The only merchandise that I could find was the posters displayed around the country but the film also had leaflets in the lobbies of cinemas to advertise the film. The original book had a make over as the cover had the star of the film on it ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger’. This is a good selling point for the book and the film.
Exhibition:
The intake for the UK could not be found but the USA intake was $38,122,105. The cinema that showed the film included the ODEON, Cineworld and the Showcase.
Review of ‘The Running Man’ by Pete Croatto:
Game/reality shows have already entered the realm of the grotesque with people eating cow stomachs on Fear Factor, getting verbally castrated by Simon Cowell and company on American Idol, and tolerating Donald Trump’s presence on The Apprentice. Seeing people actually hunted down by killers seems like the next logical step.
And we have movie for a template!That movie is The Running Man, the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger action vehicle that resembles a lot of the Governator’s best work: He kills people by the dozens, says some funny puns in that fist-thick Austrian accent and tags along with a hot exotic beauty. If that formula works for you, read on.The material in Running Man is pretty heady compared to Commando and Red Heat. Based on Stephen King’s novel, the movie is set in 2017 after the world has gone to hell. The government controls everything with an iron fist, including the television. The most popular game show is The Running Man, produced in conjunction with the Department of Justice, where a gang of colorful, murderous hunters pursues criminals across 400 city blocks.Despite the show’s immense popularity, creator and host Damon Killian (a well-cast Richard Dawson) wants more. The media mogul sees his chance when framed ex-cop/mass murderer Ben Richards (Schwarzenegger, not even trying to disguise his accent) escapes from prison. “I can get 10 points for his biceps alone!” Killian exclaims while seeing escape footage.Richards is caught and sent into the hellish obstacle course, but not without some company—his fellow escapees (Yaphet Kotto and Marvin J. McIntyre) who are looking to jam the government’s satellite feed and thus help an underground movement; and the aforementioned exotic beauty (Maria Conchita Alonso, well before she hosted a talk show on Spanish television and with shoulder pads that deserve special billing).The movie’s fun is its sadistic nature, with Killian pulling all of the strings and Richards pulling back even harder. But director Paul Michael Glaser and screenwriter Steven E. deSouza (Die Hard) unfortunately rehash the “television is manipulative” territory that was covered so much better in Network and later in The Truman Show, at the expense of some much needed character development. The message also doesn’t resonate so well among all of the stabbings, shootings, explosions, and people on fire.There are other problems: de Souza loads up Arnold with so many puns and one-liners ("He was Sub Zero, now he's plain zero!") that you’d think he’s rehearsing for amateur night at The Comedy Store and not a stone-faced survivor. And though some of the bizarre casting works (football legend Jim Brown and opera singer Erland van Lidth appear as killers), some of it is just, um, bizarre. Mick Fleetwood and Dweezil Zappa as the leaders of the underground forces? They’re great musicians, but not the most convincing actors.For a Sunday afternoon rental, you can do much worse. Aside from its botched intellectual leanings and rushed ending, The Running Man keeps you entertained. We can only hope network execs that are watching don’t get any funny ideas.The Running Man DVD is padded out onto two discs, namely a widescreen and full screen version with slightly different special features. Two commentary tracks don't offer much insight (though that executive producer track is a real rarity), and a 20-minute featurette on the reality show craze is hit-and-miss (including comments from former Survivor Sarah Jones, of all people).
By Desson Howe Washington Post Staff Writer November 20, 1987:
Is it enough to stuff Arnold Schwarzenegger into a zip-up monkey suit, surrounding him with light-show effects, smoke and pounding music, and have futuristic bruisers chase him with chainsaws, stilletto hockey sticks and laser weapons?
No. You want to know if "The Running Man" is a good-time macho show, right? Stay at home and watch professional wrestling. Or "Miami Vice" (same director -- Paul Michael Glaser). Sure there's blood spattering and bullets riddling and Big Boys Banging Biceps. But through the dry-ice haze, "Running Man" is surprisingly boring. The filmmakers want to create a futuristic backdrop (Los Angeles, 2019) with serious sci-fi statements about TV as opiate of the masses and the evils of government propaganda. Ptui! on this exposition. Schwarzenegger, as ex-cop Ben Richards, hardly has time to bust heads -- what with all this jabbering and all that jousting with Amber (Maria Conchita Alonso, also in a monkey suit). And in those moments when he's about to splice a cranium or blow a thug sky-high and a sardonic, world-weary wisecrack is called for, screenwriter Steven E. de Souza's word processor wimps out.
The plot sounds better than it is: Ben Richards is framed for murder and goes to jail. He busts out with a buddy (Yaphet Kotto) and a coupla others. But they get caught. Meanwhile, Damon Killian (Richard Dawson) hosts this TV show -- "The Running Man" -- where convicts get a chance at freedom if they beat a gang of psycho-killers. Ratings are low because the convicts get chopped into Hamburger Helper too easily. Damon needs better gladiators, so he cuts a deal with Richards et al. They have to evade the following freaks of Hollywood nature: Dynamo, a Germanic human circuit board who zaps people to death; Subzero, a Japanese fella with a mean slice 'n' dice hockey stick; Buzzsaw, who, in one of the film's more complex and quieter moments, attempts to turn Schwarzenegger into Wiener schnitzel; Captain Freedom, who just uses his human bulk; and the Stalker Fireball (Jim Brown), who cooks with napalm.
But you know what? They're all pans-oids. Arnold hardly gets dirty. There's better tussling and suspense in "Bambi Meets Godzilla."
I agree with both these reviews as the both give positive points on the film. By the looks of it, the two reviewers really enjoyed the film. The DVD at the moment is at the price of about £2.88 but it has just been released on Blu-ray for the price of £12.00. The film was originally released on VHS (video) at the price of about £10-12.00.
The intake for the UK could not be found but the USA intake was $38,122,105. The cinema that showed the film included the ODEON, Cineworld and the Showcase.
Review of ‘The Running Man’ by Pete Croatto:
Game/reality shows have already entered the realm of the grotesque with people eating cow stomachs on Fear Factor, getting verbally castrated by Simon Cowell and company on American Idol, and tolerating Donald Trump’s presence on The Apprentice. Seeing people actually hunted down by killers seems like the next logical step.
And we have movie for a template!That movie is The Running Man, the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger action vehicle that resembles a lot of the Governator’s best work: He kills people by the dozens, says some funny puns in that fist-thick Austrian accent and tags along with a hot exotic beauty. If that formula works for you, read on.The material in Running Man is pretty heady compared to Commando and Red Heat. Based on Stephen King’s novel, the movie is set in 2017 after the world has gone to hell. The government controls everything with an iron fist, including the television. The most popular game show is The Running Man, produced in conjunction with the Department of Justice, where a gang of colorful, murderous hunters pursues criminals across 400 city blocks.Despite the show’s immense popularity, creator and host Damon Killian (a well-cast Richard Dawson) wants more. The media mogul sees his chance when framed ex-cop/mass murderer Ben Richards (Schwarzenegger, not even trying to disguise his accent) escapes from prison. “I can get 10 points for his biceps alone!” Killian exclaims while seeing escape footage.Richards is caught and sent into the hellish obstacle course, but not without some company—his fellow escapees (Yaphet Kotto and Marvin J. McIntyre) who are looking to jam the government’s satellite feed and thus help an underground movement; and the aforementioned exotic beauty (Maria Conchita Alonso, well before she hosted a talk show on Spanish television and with shoulder pads that deserve special billing).The movie’s fun is its sadistic nature, with Killian pulling all of the strings and Richards pulling back even harder. But director Paul Michael Glaser and screenwriter Steven E. deSouza (Die Hard) unfortunately rehash the “television is manipulative” territory that was covered so much better in Network and later in The Truman Show, at the expense of some much needed character development. The message also doesn’t resonate so well among all of the stabbings, shootings, explosions, and people on fire.There are other problems: de Souza loads up Arnold with so many puns and one-liners ("He was Sub Zero, now he's plain zero!") that you’d think he’s rehearsing for amateur night at The Comedy Store and not a stone-faced survivor. And though some of the bizarre casting works (football legend Jim Brown and opera singer Erland van Lidth appear as killers), some of it is just, um, bizarre. Mick Fleetwood and Dweezil Zappa as the leaders of the underground forces? They’re great musicians, but not the most convincing actors.For a Sunday afternoon rental, you can do much worse. Aside from its botched intellectual leanings and rushed ending, The Running Man keeps you entertained. We can only hope network execs that are watching don’t get any funny ideas.The Running Man DVD is padded out onto two discs, namely a widescreen and full screen version with slightly different special features. Two commentary tracks don't offer much insight (though that executive producer track is a real rarity), and a 20-minute featurette on the reality show craze is hit-and-miss (including comments from former Survivor Sarah Jones, of all people).
By Desson Howe Washington Post Staff Writer November 20, 1987:
Is it enough to stuff Arnold Schwarzenegger into a zip-up monkey suit, surrounding him with light-show effects, smoke and pounding music, and have futuristic bruisers chase him with chainsaws, stilletto hockey sticks and laser weapons?
No. You want to know if "The Running Man" is a good-time macho show, right? Stay at home and watch professional wrestling. Or "Miami Vice" (same director -- Paul Michael Glaser). Sure there's blood spattering and bullets riddling and Big Boys Banging Biceps. But through the dry-ice haze, "Running Man" is surprisingly boring. The filmmakers want to create a futuristic backdrop (Los Angeles, 2019) with serious sci-fi statements about TV as opiate of the masses and the evils of government propaganda. Ptui! on this exposition. Schwarzenegger, as ex-cop Ben Richards, hardly has time to bust heads -- what with all this jabbering and all that jousting with Amber (Maria Conchita Alonso, also in a monkey suit). And in those moments when he's about to splice a cranium or blow a thug sky-high and a sardonic, world-weary wisecrack is called for, screenwriter Steven E. de Souza's word processor wimps out.
The plot sounds better than it is: Ben Richards is framed for murder and goes to jail. He busts out with a buddy (Yaphet Kotto) and a coupla others. But they get caught. Meanwhile, Damon Killian (Richard Dawson) hosts this TV show -- "The Running Man" -- where convicts get a chance at freedom if they beat a gang of psycho-killers. Ratings are low because the convicts get chopped into Hamburger Helper too easily. Damon needs better gladiators, so he cuts a deal with Richards et al. They have to evade the following freaks of Hollywood nature: Dynamo, a Germanic human circuit board who zaps people to death; Subzero, a Japanese fella with a mean slice 'n' dice hockey stick; Buzzsaw, who, in one of the film's more complex and quieter moments, attempts to turn Schwarzenegger into Wiener schnitzel; Captain Freedom, who just uses his human bulk; and the Stalker Fireball (Jim Brown), who cooks with napalm.
But you know what? They're all pans-oids. Arnold hardly gets dirty. There's better tussling and suspense in "Bambi Meets Godzilla."
I agree with both these reviews as the both give positive points on the film. By the looks of it, the two reviewers really enjoyed the film. The DVD at the moment is at the price of about £2.88 but it has just been released on Blu-ray for the price of £12.00. The film was originally released on VHS (video) at the price of about £10-12.00.
