The Running Man

Artisan has already released this prescient 1987 thriller based on the pseudonymous novel by Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman) twice before on DVD, but the third time's the charm as this two-disc “special edition” appears to be the definitive version. Talk about Survivor: the year is 2019, and television's number one show is The Running Man, in which convicts must elude deadly stalkers to win their freedom. Arnold Schwarzenegger is in fine form as Ben Richards, framed in a government conspiracy to cover up a mass slaughter, and forced to take part in this most dangerous game. Richard Dawson steals the show as the game show host who keeps his audience thirsting for blood. Presenting newly remastered widescreen and full screen versions on separate discs, the set's extras include earnest documentaries about privacy post-9/11 and the reality TV phenomenon (which this film anticipated), as well as two commentaries--one by producer Tim Zinnemann and director Paul Michael Glaser, the other (covering much of the same ground) by executive producer Rob Cohen. One of the Governator's better films, this is recommended. (D. Liebenson)[Blu-ray Review—Feb. 26, 2013—Olive, 101 min., R, $24.95—Making its second appearance on Blu-ray, 1987's The Running Man sports a nice transfer and a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack. Extras include audio commentary by director Paul Michael Glaser. Bottom line: one of the better adaptations of a Stephen King novel (writing as Richard Bachman), this entertaining film lampoons reality TV before there was reality TV.]