Edgar Wright’s recently released The Running Man, based on Stephen King’s 1982 novel of the same name, has become one of the most talked-about movies of the year. Revolving around a desperate father wrongly accused by a corrupt system who becomes the target of a nationwide, televised manhunt, it’s a dark, gritty dystopian action thriller that explores inequality, class exploitation, and populist fascism.
It is not the first adaptation of King’s novel, however. In 1987, The Running Man, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, was released and was an altogether different kind of beast. Forgoing much of the grittiness of the source material, it chose to inject its satirical premise with plenty of humor, campy aesthetics, and over-the-top violence. Pumped and primed for self-parody, it received mixed reviews at the time of its release but has since established a strong cult fanbase.
Today, we’re looking back at the 10 greatest quotes from the original Running Man.
9
“I hope you leave enough room for my fist, because I’m going to ram it into your stomach and break your goddamn spine!”
TriStar Pictures
After being framed and made to compete in the deadly Running Man gameshow, it soon becomes clear just how physically adept Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Ben Richards character is. Overcoming every obstacle thrown his way, fans of the show are lapping up his on-screen heroics. Never one to miss a potential money-making opportunity, Damon Killian, the show’s greedy producer, offers Richards a lucrative contract to become a permanent fixture on the show.
Richards is a man driven by morality and a desire to expose the truth. Killian, on the other hand, is greedy, corrupt, and only interested in control, power, and ratings. The above quote makes it clear, in no uncertain terms, that Richards cannot be bought and nothing will silence him. With nothing but contempt for Killian and his immoral gameshow, Richards is hellbent on putting an end to his reign of terror.
8
“I’m gonna uplink your a**, and you’ll be underground!”
Tri-Star Pictures
After discovering the government’s secret satellite uplink point, fellow contestants and resistance members Weiss and Laughlin loudly proclaim their excitement by chanting “Uplink, Underground! Uplink, Underground!” – referring to the uplink point and the underground resistance movement.
Richards is not impressed by the celebration. They’re still in the game – the area is dangerous, and stalkers could be lurking around any corner. Irritated by the reckless noise, he angrily tells them where they can stick it – delivering another classic Arnie play on words in the process.
7
“Go ahead. Won’t show on this shirt.”
TriStar/courtesy Everett Collection
The movie starts with Captain Ben Richards being arrested after refusing orders to open fire on an unarmed food riot in Bakersfield, California. He is sentenced to hard labor but manages to escape prison after 18 months. As a fugitive, he finds his way back to his old apartment only to discover it is now occupied by a TV network technician named Amber Mendez.
Richards takes Amber hostage, forcing her to drive him to an airport and aid him in evading authorities. Believing he is guilty of the massacre in Bakersfield, she bluntly informs him that she gets travel sickness and will throw up on him. Unfazed by the threat, Richards jokes about how it will make no difference to the garish Hawaiian shirt he is currently wearing.
6
“I don’t do requests.”
Tri-Star Pictures
Having beaten the odds and broken free of the game, Richards captures Killian and straps him into a rocket sled. It’s here, before blasting Killian to his death, that the above exchange takes place.
The moment is funny and typical of the movie, with Richards delivering a darkly comic, razor-sharp one-liner right as the hero turns the tables, perfectly capturing the film’s blend of violence, satire, and Arnie-style action quips.
5
“Killian, here is Subzero! Now, Plain Zero!”
Tri-Star Pictures
The infamous Running Man gameshow which Richards finds himself a part of sees the unlikely hero having to face off against several “stalkers” – deadly assassins who hunt down the contestants for the audience’s entertainment. They’re given ridiculous gimmicks which come with unique names, costumes and weapons. Dressed in hockey armor and mask and wielding a bladed hockey stick, Subzero is among the most memorable.
After Richards manages to defeat a stalker, he generally feels the need to deliver a corny one-liner, adding to the film’s underlying comedy. By far the worst of these is when he defeats Subzero and refers to him as just ‘plain zero’. It is sheer cheesiness, but it’s this groan-worthy quality that makes it a classic moment of ‘so bad it’s good.’
4
“He was a real pain in the neck!”
Tri-Star Pictures
From chainsaw bisections to skull crushing, The Running Man is full of fun, brutal, and inventive kills. One such kill is when Richards manages to overpower the aforementioned Subzero and strangle him with barbed wire.
When talking about the death afterwards, he quips that he was a “pain in the neck” in typical Arnie deadpan fashion, keeping in line with the movie’s light-hearted tone, which Edgar Wright has chosen to move away from in his recent remake.
3
“What a hothead.”
Tri-Star Pictures
After Richards rigs an explosive to the villainous Fireball’s fuel line, he lights a flare, asking, “How about a light?” as he taunts the stalker, who screams and explodes. “What a Hothead,” he nonchalantly responds to the character’s dramatic demise.
Yet another classic, “dad-joke” one-liner that sets the tone of the movie. The Running Man combines elements of sharp satire and ‘80s action with silly slapstick and cheesy one-liners, and it’s thanks to this unique blend and these cringe-inducing puns that it was able to garner such a strong cult following.
2
“He had to split.”
Tri-Star Pictures
As previously mentioned, Richards can’t resist a sarcastic quip or playful pun after eliminating an enemy. When facing the chainsaw-wielding Buzzsaw, Richards manages to overpower his foe and slice him in half with his own chainsaw. When asked what happened, naturally, he responds with a joke about him having to “split.”
These kinds of one-liners aren’t unique to The Running Man. They became synonymous with ‘80s and ‘90s action movies, with Arnold Schwarzenegger leading the pack. Despite their abundance in the era, it’s arguable that no other movie delivers quite as many top-tier, ‘so bad they’re good’ one-liners as The Running Man.
1
“I’ll be back!”
Tri-Star Pictures
Anyone who knows anything about Schwarzenegger, ‘80s action movies, or cinema in general, will no doubt be familiar with the iconic phrase “I’ll Be Back”. First uttered by Schwarzenegger in 1984’s The Terminator, it has since become the actor’s unofficial catchphrase, being used in not just every Terminator movie to date, but in a slew of others he has appeared in, including Commando, Total Recall, Twins, and The Expendables 2.
Not only does The Running Man provide fan service by giving Schwarzenegger his beloved catchphrase, it also delivers the greatest comeback. Right before he is blasted into the vicious games, Richards delivers the iconic line to Killian, who responds, “Only in a re-run” – a clever and funny response implying that Richards is destined for death and the only way he’ll ever be seen again is during re-runs of the televised Running Man game.
You can view the original article HERE.
