The Running Man The Rewatchables
The Running Man

What’s Aged the Best?

The future-setting graphic, invented reality shows, first ten minutes, Richard Bachman name, old-age Mick Fleetwood, Captain Freedom, net tasers, dystopian Los Angeles, and Faltermeyer’s score (some qualified)

In the discussion (16)
Approx. transcript time · 00:43:04Read transcript
  • The opening graphic that declares society collapsed by 2017 immediately sells the premise. — Bill Simmons
  • Climbing for Dollars feels like a plausible modern streaming competition show despite its blunt name. — Bill Simmons
  • The unexplained Hate Boat is praised as a reality-show concept that could work now. — Bill Simmons
  • Captain Freedom is compared to a steroidal modern sideline reporter. — Bill Simmons
  • The first ten minutes move efficiently from the future graphic through the helicopter, prison, Chico, and Dawson. — Kyle Brandt
  • Stephen King publishing as Richard Bachman is praised as a pen-name power move. — Kyle Brandt
  • Mick Fleetwood’s future-age makeup is said to resemble how he looks decades later. — Bill Simmons
  • Dynamo’s vehicle is compared to a contemporary Tesla truck. — Bill Simmons
  • Arnold’s conspicuously fake early beard exemplifies an enjoyable 1980s action-movie convention. — Kyle Brandt
  • The conveniently fitted World’s Gym shirt and construction hat make Richards’s escape outfit funny. — Kyle Brandt
  • The net tasers used on the airport tarmac are praised as useful futuristic weapons. — Kyle Brandt
  • The film’s run-down future Los Angeles looks uncomfortably close to present-day Los Angeles. — Bill Simmons
  • Harold Faltermeyer’s score gives the movie weight; its similarity to cop two prompts speculation that musical ideas were reused. — Bill Simmons
  • The podcast says the actor it names as “Erlin Van Liff” was a real baritone, performed Dynamo’s singing, and died in the film’s release year. — Bill Simmons
  • American Gladiators is said to have drawn direct inspiration from The Running Man. — Bill Simmons
  • Possible Hate Boat formats include people who already hate each other, loving couples breaking apart, and separated couples forced to get along with their children at sea. — Bill Simmons
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