Tech Film Noir - A Technology and Film Podcast
Jul 9, 2026 · 55 min · 11 segments
This episode on **Tech Film Noir**, we watched **The Running Man (1987)**, the Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi action classic that imagined a future where reality television, media manipulation…
Lianne PotterHostJeff WatkinsHost
Everyone all seems to know that it was actually written by Stephen King under his pen name, Richard Backman.
I'm sure Simon will go into this because he's been doing extra credit, ladies and gentlemen, listeners.
He's been doing his research, he's been doing his homework, so he'll tell us how much it's going to be different from the book.
We're in sort of economic collapse, resource scarcity, and the United States has become a totalitarian police state.
And to keep the masses from rioting, there's a popular TV show called The Running Man.
and basically incarcerated criminals have to earn their freedom by surviving as runners against some stalkers which nice loads of colorful characters adolf schwarzenegger plays ben richards which is one of my favorite names that he has only kind of bested by john matrix in commander which is the best name ever for a character not just arnold's and yeah ben richards he has been deep baked and cancelled from seemingly uh murdering lots of innocent people so he gets put into prison he escapes prison uh but then he's quickly put back into the running man game where they think he's going to be very bankable and here is a trailer for us to catch up on that
In the year 2017, an innocent man accused of a crime has a choice.
Hard time or prime time? Sensational.
Perfect contestant.
I want him.
He must pay or play the running man.
On your mark.
I'll be back.
Go! It's a game between life and death.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is...
The Running Man.
He's playing for a prize.
The prize is his life.
The Running Man.
Everyone all seems to know that it was actually written by Stephen King under his pen name, Richard Backman.
I'm sure Simon will go into this because he's been doing extra credit, ladies and gentlemen, listeners.
He's been doing his research, he's been doing his homework, so he'll tell us how much it's going to be different from the book.
We're in sort of economic collapse, resource scarcity, and the United States has become a totalitarian police state.
And to keep the masses from rioting, there's a popular TV show called The Running Man.
and basically incarcerated criminals have to earn their freedom by surviving as runners against some stalkers which nice loads of colorful characters adolf schwarzenegger plays ben richards which is one of my favorite names that he has only kind of bested by john matrix in commander which is the best name ever for a character not just arnold's and yeah ben richards he has been deep baked and cancelled from seemingly uh murdering lots of innocent people so he gets put into prison he escapes prison uh but then he's quickly put back into the running man game where they think he's going to be very bankable and here is a trailer for us to catch up on that
In the year 2017, an innocent man accused of a crime has a choice.
Hard time or prime time? Sensational.
Perfect contestant.
I want him.
He must pay or play the running man.
On your mark.
I'll be back.
Go! It's a game between life and death.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is...
The Running Man.
He's playing for a prize.
The prize is his life.
The Running Man.
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