The Running Man – It’s Showtime

The Running Man, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, resembles the Richard Bachman (Stephen King) novel it was based on in name only. Naturally, since its lead is the "Austrian Oak," it is a testosterone-fueled action movie with a light sprinkling of dystopian allegories.

That said, it crushes both of those elements. Certainly, The Running Man's dire warnings may feel satirical, but viewed through a contemporary lens, they are wildly prescient. Deep fake technology, live executions being fed to the masses in the form of a game show, and an America run by corporate greed are not just plausible, we're living through most of it.

In the 1980s, when the country was high on Reaganomics, The Running Man's themes sadly failed to resonate with audiences. On a budget of nearly $30 million, it grossed just north of $38 million. That, unlike Cadre Cola, does not hit the spot.

Now, sit back, get energized with a Hazing Arizona from Walter Station Brewery, and let's start running! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Bling Blake, Capt. Cash, and Chumpzilla love this saw. It's a part of us, and now we're gonna make it a part of you!

This Week’s Segments:

• Introduction/Plot Breakdown – The year is 2019. The finest men in America don't run for President. They run for their lives! (0:00)
• Lingering Questions – We need one kill. Which Stalker do we pick for the job? (35:03)
• The "Captain Freedom's Workout" Trivia Challenge – I challenge the field to trivia about the movie. (55:18)
• Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We continue Dystopian Flops with some B-grade Gun-Fu in Equilibrium! (1:05:24)

And, as always, hit us up on Threads, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids from this week’s episode!

You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on all your favorite pod catchers!