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 In this episode, Jon, Don, and Editor Dan sit down to revisit The Running Man (1987), Arnold Schwarzenegger’s dystopian game-show-meets-gladiator spectacle that somehow predicted 2017 better than anyone expected. The trio breaks down Arnold’s peak-era one-liners, Richard Dawson’s shockingly good villain performance, and why late-80s action movies were legally required to be unhinged.

The conversation widens into the film’s political undertones, media manipulation, the blur between entertainment and propaganda, and how much of the movie’s “future” looks uncomfortably familiar today. Along the way, expect detours into Physical: 100, Drake Bell’s legal history, Johnny Depp memes, and the correct number of chainsaws required to deliver a truly cinematic death.

Topics in this episode:

• Why The Running Man is more relevant in 2025 than ever
• Arnold’s action-movie swagger and signature pun delivery
• Richard Dawson’s villain performance and game-show charm
• The movie’s wild stalkers: Subzero, Buzzsaw, Dynamo, and Fireball
• Eighties violence vs. modern standards
• Media manipulation, doctored footage, and dystopian “reality”
• The trio’s ideal version of Killian’s death (spoiler: spiralizers are involved)
• Final ratings: classic… or flaccid?

If you like absurd tangents, political satire baked into retro action films, and arguments about whether Arnold could beat Jim Brown in a real fight, this one’s for you.

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Contact:
Email: almostclassicmovies@gmail.com
Instagram: @almostclassicmovies

Co-Hosts:
Jon K.
Donald S.

Podcast Production:
Wayfare Recording Co.

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