Running Man

HUGE

Director/actor Paul Michael Gaser of "Starsky and Hutch" fame offers some insightful truths on this two disc special edition of The Running Man. In relatively short order he explains why television has affected and infected us with the sounds and images we have grown to love/hate, how we as a dedicated audience have been exploited by the medium. It's an excellent prelude to the film that got me thinking about today's reality shows such as Survivor and Fear Factor which could be (God forbid) precursors to sadistic game shows like The Running Man. This reminds us of another danger.

For those who remember ( I'm showing my age which I don't mind) the cult TV series "The Man from Uncle" I'm sure you recall their arch nemesis, THRUSH. Some years ago a friend and I tried to recollect the meaning of the acronym. when I looked on the web I found that it stood for Technical Hierarchy for the Removal of Undesirables and the Subjugation of Humanity. "Isn't that what our government does?", I asked myself. Because that's exactly what's happening in this film. a totalitarian society that censors all creative expression and removes anyone who embraces dissent in order to subjugate them to the will of the state.

Lockdown on Mainstreet, a special segment on 911, actually touches upon this subject more thoroughly through dialogues with Lee Tien from the Electronic Fronter Foundation; Ann Beeson, Associate Legal Director for the ACLU; James Laffery, Executive Director of the National Lawyers Guild et.al. It's quit thought provoking to hear these individuals discuss how or civil liberties have changed since that fateful Tuesday morning in New York.

Alng with the usual audio commentaries from Glaser and producer Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious) a second documentary entitled "Game Theory" gives an inside look at today's reality shows and their impact on society. This of course, is closely relevant to the main feature asking the foreboding question, "Is reality TV leading to The Running Man?" One former female contestant of Survivor renders her personal, fascinating account of what really goes on in the process of being chosen for the show. As a side dish, a segment called "Meet the Stalkers" gives you inside info on Professor Sub-Zero, Buzz Saw, Dynamo, Fireball and retired stalker, captain Freedom.

I suppose Artisan could have waited a full twenty years before releasing this excellent edition. The Running Man opened 18 years ago and I've always considered it one of Arnold's best films. With the current issues facing this country now, it could not have arrived at a better time.