cult film freak: ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER 'THE RUNNING MAN' RICHARD DAWSON

Richard Dawson & Arnold Schwarzenegger in THE RUNNING MAN 1987 Score: ****

There was a stretch between the first two TERMINATOR films when Arnold Schwarzenegger could do no wrong... and even his wrongs were right as this bizarre story. from a novella by Stephen King, is set in the future where a lethal game show, hosted by Richard Dawson’s Damon Killian, amazes crowds in a murky future where there’s only rich or poor...

Schwarzenegger’s good cop Ben Richards, having been framed for multiple murders he didn’t commit, breaks out of prison, seeks clues to prove his innocence, and not long after meeting his eventual love interest Maria Conchita Alonso, he's sson captured and – along with two men he escaped with (including Yaphet Kotto) – is forced to take part in the RUNNING MAN: a game show pitting contestants in death matches with random adversaries, called “Stalkers,” within various underground mazes...

Richard Dawson in THE RUNNING MAN

The action is practically non-stop but never gets tiresome. Like the bloodthirsty cheering audience within the studio, you’ll anticipate the next obstacle for Richards and eventually his girlfriend...

Arnold’s steely confidence shines through – he’s cool and tough and even states his famous “I’ll be back” line to an energetic Dawson, a bad guy you'll love to hate, stealing every scene and doing what he did on FAMILY FEUD...

Arnold Schwarzenegger in THE RUNNING MAN

Only he’s a sadistic prick and doesn’t kiss contestants: And once the show's over and a group of ragtag revolutionaries set things right, it doesn’t really matter. THE RUNNIGN MAN is all about that wicked show, later a similar plotline of THE HUNGER GAMES...

Directed by Paul Michael Glaser, this might not be the deepest or scariest King adaptation, but it’s possibly the most fun: And for cult film fans, the formidable “Stalkers” include Jim Brown, Jesse Ventura, and Erland van Lidth... all dying in creative ways like a grungy body count exploitation horror... with a slick, futuristic shine.