Search - The Running Man on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Graphic Violence, Not For Children, Adult Language, Profanity Movie Release: 1987 DVD Release: 08/20/2002 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 41 mins Studio: Live/Artisan Members Wishing: 0 Genres: Action, Science Fiction, Chase Movie, Sci-Fi Action, Media Satire See Also: The Running Man [Special Edition]

Directed by former Starsky and Hutch TV star Paul Michael Glaser, this post-apocalyptic science fiction yarn satirized American entertainment, mocking pro wrestling, game shows, and law-and-order reality programming. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Ben Richards, a cop in the totalitarian America of 2019, framed for massacring rioting civilians during a famine. After escaping from jail, Richards tries to prove his innocence, but his efforts are thwarted at every turn by a regime in need of a scapegoat. Richards is captured along with an innocent civilian, Amber Mendez (Maria Conchita Alonso), and they are forced to participate in a violent game show called "The Running Man," hosted by the unctuous Damon Killian (Richard Dawson). The object of the game for Richards and Mendez: obtain freedom by staying alive against a gauntlet of skillful assassins like "Subzero" (Prof. Toru Tanaka) and "Captain Freedom" (Jesse Ventura), each armed with unique weapons like razor-sharp hockey sticks and chainsaws. With the help of some fellow "contestants," Richards is able to tap into government computers and prove his innocence. The Running Man was very loosely based on a short story by Stephen King, who wrote it under the name Richard Bachman. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Arnold Schwarzenegger - Ben "Butcher of Bakersfield" Richards
Maria Conchita Alonso - Amber Mendez
Richard Dawson - Damon Killian, Running Man Game-Show Host
Yaphet Kotto - Laughlin
Jim Brown - Fireball, Stalker

Paul Michael Glaser's The Running Man, a loose adaptation of a Stephen King story, comes to DVD with a standard full-frame transfer that fails to preserve the original theatrical aspect ratio. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround. There are no subtitles, but the soundtrack is closed-captioned. Supplemental materials include the theatrical trailer. The lack of a widescreen image hurts this Artisan release. Hopefully Schwarzenegger fans will one day be given a better DVD than this one. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide