The Running Man (film): Difference between revisions

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* [[The Butcher]]: Ben Richards, "The Butcher of Bakersfield". Played with, in that Richards himself is innocent of the crime, framed by his corrupt superiors when he objected to massacring hordes of innocent people.

* [[Carnival of Killers]]

* [[The Cast Showoff]]: When Dynamo (Erland van Lidth) sings the aria from Act III of ''[[~~The Marriage of Figaro (Theatre)|~~The Marriage of Figaro]]'', he's actually singing in that scene. Presumably after he got cast, someone found out he could sing opera and decided they ''had'' to throw that in somewhere.

* [[The Cast Showoff]]: When Dynamo (Erland van Lidth) sings the aria from Act III of ''[[The Marriage of Figaro]]'', he's actually singing in that scene. Presumably after he got cast, someone found out he could sing opera and decided they ''had'' to throw that in somewhere.

* [[Chainsaw Good]]: Buzzsaw.

* [[Condemned Contestant]]

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* [[Fashion Dissonance]]: The Running Man's "It's Showtime!" dancers, who are a riot of spandex and big hair, firmly placing them in the 80's fashion era.

** [[Eighties Hair]]

* [[Future Imperfect]]: A TV equivalent; it's implied that a lot of TV shows have been forgotten thanks to the totalitarian government's control of the entertainment networks, and on two occasions an older character makes a reference to an old TV show (''[[~~Gilligans~~ Island]]'' and ''[[Star Trek]]'') that falls flat.

* [[Future Imperfect]]: A TV equivalent; it's implied that a lot of TV shows have been forgotten thanks to the totalitarian government's control of the entertainment networks, and on two occasions an older character makes a reference to an old TV show (''[[Gilligan's Island]]'' and ''[[Star Trek]]'') that falls flat.

* [[Gaia's Lament]]: Earth's resources are severely drained.

* [[Game Show Host]]: Killian. [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] to a certain degree by being played by [[Family Feud|Richard Dawson]], who has been characterized at times as a bit of an egotist behind the scenes.

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* [[Heroic Sacrifice]]: Laughlin shoves Richards out of the way and is mortally wounded by Buzzsaw's attack.

** Also, Richards agrees to be a contestant {{spoiler|because they threaten to use his friends as contestants instead... which of course they do anyways.}}

* [[Hoist By His Own Petard]]: Each Stalker is killed with his own weapon. Killian himself is doomed by being launched into the Zone, as he had done to so many before.

* [[Hoist by His Own Petard]]: Each Stalker is killed with his own weapon. Killian himself is doomed by being launched into the Zone, as he had done to so many before.

* [[Home Game]]: Given to members of the ''Running Man'' studio audience. How it's supposed to work is anybody's guess.

* [[Hunting the Most Dangerous Game]]

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* [[Not Worth Killing]]: "No, [[Pet the Dog|I won't kill a helpless human being...]][[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|not even sadistic scum...]][[Crowning Moment of Awesome|like you."]]

* [[Oppressive States of America]]

* [[Our Graphics Will Suck in ~~The~~ Future]]: Apparently, wireframe computer graphics are state-of-the-art in 2019.

* [[Our Graphics Will Suck in the Future]]: Apparently, wireframe computer graphics are state-of-the-art in 2019.

* [[The Pen Is Mightier]]

* [[Public Execution]]: Criminals are executed by being hunted to their deaths on TV, with a promise of freedom if they survive.

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** Could be an ''inversion'' of [[Fridge Horror]], as it's unlikely that those three were innocent like Richards, who was an exception to the show's "no political prisoners" arrangement with the justice system. At least if they're [[Released to Elsewhere]], they've ''not'' been set loose to resume whatever crimes got them the death penalty in the first place.

* [[Ridiculous Future Inflation]]: A can of pop costs $6, and the vending machines [[Technology Marches On|don't accept bills]].

* [[Run for ~~The~~ Border]]: [[Playing ~~With~~ a Trope|Played with]] when Richards tries to flee to Hawaii, instead of trying to escape the country entirely.

* [[Run for the Border]]: [[Playing with a Trope|Played with]] when Richards tries to flee to Hawaii, instead of trying to escape the country entirely.

** Hawaii may be a different country in this setting. It may be a [[Shout-Out]] to Heinlein's ''If This Goes On...'' where someone PRETENDS to by trying to escape to Hawaii (which is a separate country) as part of a plan to make his pursuers think he's dead.

* [[Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right]]: Richards, when he refuses to fire on the unarmed crowd.

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* [[Victoria's Secret Compartment]]: Another possible hiding place for that footage. (See [[Ass Shove]].) In Amber's words, when asked about it:

* [[We Will Not Use Photoshop in ~~The~~ Future]]: The government uses edited footage to frame Richards. Later, the producers {{spoiler|edit footage of Richards being killed in an attempt to salvage his victory over the Stalkers.}}

* [[We Will Not Use Photoshop in the Future]]: The government uses edited footage to frame Richards. Later, the producers {{spoiler|edit footage of Richards being killed in an attempt to salvage his victory over the Stalkers.}}

* [[What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?]]: ''Dynamo''

* [[What Happened to ~~The~~ Mouse?]]: Captain Freedom.

* [[What Happened to the Mouse?]]: Captain Freedom.

** He [[Screw This, I'm Outta Here|quit]] partway through the film because he became bitter about what the game had become. Granted, it's very anticlimactic, but serves as possible [[Foreshadowing]] for Sven doing the same thing later at a key moment.

* [[Who's Laughing Now?]]: Awesomely thrown back in Dynamo's face by Amber, of all people.