THE RUNNING MAN (1987) Last edited 5 May 1998 The Running Man - TITLES Based on the novel "The Running Man" by Richard Bachman Screenplay by Steven E. deDouza Directed by Paul Michael Glaser INTRODUCTION By 2017 the world economy has collapsed. Food, natural resources and oil are in short supply. A police state, divided into paramilitary zones, rules with an iron hand. Television is controlled by the state and a sadistic game show called "The Running Man" has become the most popular program in history. All art, music and communications are censored. No dissent is tolerated and yet a small resistance movement has managed to survive underground. When high-tech gladiators are not enough to suppress the people's yearning for freedom......more direct methods become necessary. HELICOPTER OVER CITY AT NIGHT Over Military-Radio Yankee-nine-niner. What are your co-ordinates? Ben Zero-two-zero, flight level one-five. We're above release point echo- bravo-one. Over Military-Radio Move in and check it out. Ben Roger. Moving in. Food riot in progress. Approximately fifteen-hundred civilians. No weapons evident. Over Military-Radio Proceed with plan alpha. Eliminate anything moving. Ben I said the crowd is unarmed! There are lots of women and children down there! All they want is food for-gods-sake! Over Military-Radio As you were Richards. Proceed with plan alpha. All rioters must be eliminated. Ben The hell with you I will not fire on helpless people! Abort mission. We return back to base. Over Military-Radio Lieutenant Saunders do you copy? Saunders Affirmative Over Military-Radio Take Command. Detain Richards and proceed as ordered MILITARY PERSONAL IN HELICOPTER ATTACK BEN Military Passengers What the fuck are you doing!?! Get him! God damn it! We're losing it, tipping over! Saunders I got it! I got control! They said detain him, don't drop him. Military Passenger Richards, your going to fry for this. Another Military Passenger And I'll see you in hell. BEN KNOCKED OUT BY BUTT OF GUN WILSHIRE DETENTION ZONE (18 months later) (outdoors) Guard #1 C'mon, keep digging. Guard(Charley) What's the hold up? Guard #1 This ones had it. A GUARD REMOVES DEAD PRISONER'S RESTRAINT COLLAR Guard (Charley) Watch the detonator. Guard #1 Get that garbage out of here. Move! Guard #1 Hey Charley, did you see the running man last night? Guard (Charley) I never miss it. Even won five hundred bucks. Guard #1 Lucky bastard Guard #3 Work crew coming through Guard #4 Prisoner transfer, from post. Guard (on telephone) Ok, hang on. Lenny? This is East perimeter. The fresh meat just got here. Shut down the deadline. Guard (Lenny) Affirmative. Shutting down now. Stand clear. Security System Access code pending. Verified. Perimeter deactivated. Sonic deadlock is down. Sonic deadlock is down. GUARDS INSTRUCT THE GROUP OF PRISONERS Guard #4 Ok ass-hole, move it. Guard #3 Move it. Lets go. Guard #4 Let's go! Guard #3 Get off the land or lose your head. (indoors) Guard (on telephone) East perimeter here. Your prisoners are all in compound. We're clear. Guard (Lenny - using a suitcase-computer) Affirmative. Activating deadline. [turns to Weiss] What are you looking at? Get out of here. Security System Sonic deadline is up. Sonic deadline is up. Prisoner restraint collars armed. Prisoner restraint collars armed. BEN AND LAUGHLAN START FIGHTING CHAOS ERUPTS AS PRISONERS ATTACK THE GUARDS WEISS GRABS SUITCASE-COMPUTER Ben (to a guard he lifts up by the groin) Give you a lift? Laughlan Get it open. Weiss I got it, I got it. Laughlan Repeat the code. Weiss I did. Six, five, three... shit! It's not working. Ben You're a hell of an actor Laughlan. Laughlan Who's acting? Ben Well you're still alive aren't you? Laughlan Use that code. Weiss Ok. Ben Weiss, what's the hold up? C'mon! Weiss The linking computer's denying the code. It must be the walls in here, it's blocking the signal. It's not happening. Ben Then we try it outside. Move! (outdoors) Another Prisoner Open the gate! Open the gate! Ben Go ahead! Do it! Shut off the deadline or we all lose our heads! Weiss Systems functioning. Must be an encryption lockout. Damn! Security System Perimeter deactivated. Perimeter deactivated. Prisoner restraint collars armed. Sonic deadlock is up. Sonic deadlock is up. Chico All right! All right! Another Prisoner Not yet...Chico! Chico! Amigo! Ben Come back! The deadline's still up. Weiss He's not going to make it. That collar's gunna blow. Ben Chico! BOOM! CHICO'S RESTRAINT COLLAR BLOWS HIS HEAD OFF Security System ...Sonic deadlock is up. Prisoner restraint collars armed. Perimeter deactivated. Perimeter deactivated. Perimeter deactivated. Perimeter deactivated. PRISONERS RUN FREE LOS ANGELOS JUNKYARD HUGE TV Female Announcer Remember, zone passes are required at all times. Display passes properly. All inter-zone day workers with zone passes are reminded that curfews begin at midnight. Anyone without a valid zone card after midnight will be permanently detained. Cadre kids, don't forget October is bonus recruitment month, earn a double bonus for reporting a family member. ICS your entertainment and information network remind you seeing is believing. Damon What's the number one television show in the whole, wide world? Studio Audience The Running Man! Damon Yes! Phil Yes, it's The Running Man. Four hundred square blocks of game-zone... Stevie You guys wanna buy a hot stereo? Laughlan Stevie. Stevie Laughlan. Glad you guys made it. HUGE TV Phil ...network stalkers giving criminals, traitors, and enemies of the state, exactly what they deserve. I'll be tuned to eleven on ICS channel one. Produced in co-operation of the zone core department of justice, all rights reserved. The Running Man, America's favourite game show. Female Announcer A child, your child, happy, loving, caring... INSIDE CARAVAN WITHIN LOS ANGELOS JUNKYARD MIC WORKS ON REMOVING LAUGHLAN'S RESTRAINT COLLAR Laughlan Do you believe this shit? Twenty-four hours a day. Mic Seven days a week. Ben Don't listen to it. Laughlan I worry about the kids. The network shuts down schools. The kids are either in hiding or getting basic training, brain-washed by the TV. Weiss We can jam the network once we find the up-link to the satellite, then we'll broadcast the truth. Ben The truth, hasn't been very popular lately. Mic Can't find the code or the up-link. Don't know where the network hid something that big, but they managed. Er Stevie, would you mind? Goodbye my lovely. BOOM! RESTRAINT COLLAR THROWN IN AS SAFE WHERE IT BLOWS UP BEN SITS IN CHAIR TO HAVE HIS COLLAR REMOVED Mic Your one of the cops who locked up all my friends, burned my songs. People like you took this country, and turned it into a jail. Laughlan We don't want his death on our hands. Mic He's a cop. He's the Butcher of Bakersfield. Weiss C'mon Mic. Now you can see through that crap. It's network propaganda. Laughlan We don't know that. Weiss We know we wouldn't be here if he hadn't helped us. Laughlan We also know he's not one of us. Mic Perhaps now he's seen too much. Ben I've seen to much? All I've seen is a bunch of low foreheads who think they can change the world with dreams and talk. It's too late for that. If you're not ready to act give me a break and shut up. Mic Nothing worth losing your head over though, aye? Ben You got it. ROAD LEAVING LOS ANGELOS JUNKYARD UTILITY VEHICLE ARRIVES Laughlan Well, there's your ride. It's all set.Ben Whoa, nothing like first class.Mexican Guy Senorita, senorita. You want to come in? Yeah. Hey, you too? Ben I guess this is it. Now you, Weiss, stay out of the national database. And you, Laughlan, stop trying to teach the constitution to the street punks. See you at the ten year prison re-union. Weiss You can still join us if you want to. Ben No thank you. My brother's going to get me out of the city. Plus I'm not into politics, I'm into survival. Laughlan Nowadays friendship's the same thing. Ben Laughlan, save it for the written test. Good luck. Laughlan Yeah, to all of us. BEN LEAVES ON THE BACK OF UTILITY VEHICLE OUTSIDE ICS BUILDING DAMON ARRIVES IN A RED LIMO AND WAVES TO CROWD ICS BUILDING ENTRANCE WALKING TO ELEVATOR Damon Brenda have you got this weeks ratings or do I have to guess. Brenda They're the same as last week and those were the same all last month. I guess we've just peeked, but it's not like withdrawal. Damon Not with you, beautiful sweet-heart. Woooooh! Cleaner Oh, I'm sorry Mister... Damon That's okay, what's your name. Cleaner Stan. Damon Stan, you're doing good work, your works beautiful. Don't worry. Cleaner Thank you. Damon Ok? Cleaner Thank you. IN ELEVATOR Damon Brenda if that ass-hole is mopping the floor tomorrow you will be mopping it for the rest of the week. [to Sven] Let's go! AMBER'S APARTMENT BEN UNLOCKS DOOR TO APARTMENT Door Lock Security code acceptedBEN ENTERS APARTMENTBen Edward?BACKSTAGE AT ICSBrenda Damon, were you down in wardrobe yet? They've got your new jackets. They're fantastic! Damon Who chose the colours? Hey. How are my people today? One ISC Employee Fine sir. Damon Haha, you're looking good. Love that unif...Tony! Tony! What have you got for me? Tony Damon, thank god. The justice department's been calling every ten minutes. Damon Just give them an evasive answer. Tell them to go fuck themselves. You got my coffee? I wanna know what we got all right? Tony All right, let's see. AMBER'S APARTMENT AMBER ENTERS Amber Lights. (softly) Oh God. Kitchen, toast and coffee. ICS, channel one. AMBER BEGINS DOING SIT-UPS INFRONT OF HER TV AMBER'S TV:Captain Freedom Are you ready for pain? Are you ready for suffering? If the answer is yes, then you're ready for Captain Freedom's Work-out. Phil Yes it's America's own, Captain Freedom. Ten time national champion. The greatest stalker to ever play the game. All right now all you runners, ready, get set, go! TV News announcer We interrupt Captain Freedom's Work-out to bring you this urgent news bulletin. Female News Reporter The city police are engaged in a door-to-door search for a Benjamin A. Richards. Known as the Butcher of Bakersfield, Richards, a former police officer, was the helicopter pilot who went berserk eighteen months ago firing without warning on a crowd of innocent civilians. If you see this man do not approach him, contact your local law enforcement agency. He is considered armed and dangerous. We will now return... BEN PUTS A HAND OVER AMBER'S MOUTHBen Don't make a sound, you understand? Who are you? A friend of my brothers? AMBER SLAPS BEN'S HAND AWAY Amber What are you talking about? Ben This is his apartment.Amber I moved in last month. They said the last tenant was taken away for...Ben ...yes...Amber ...for re-education. AMBER IS CHASED AROUND HER APARTMENT Amber Help! Are you the man!?! He's entered and is in my house! And Butcher of Bakersfield is in my bathroom! Captain Freedom (on Amber's TV) That's the ticket, no pain, no gain. AMBER IS CAUGHT BY BEN Amber Let go of me! Let go! Let go! Ben Listen to me because I'm only going to say this once. This is all a lie, I was framed, I'm completely innocent. Amber Yeah sure. Ben Now be quiet and stay still. I'm out of here in five minutes. AMBER'S TELEPHONE RINGS Answering machine Hi, this is Amber. I'm not home right now, I'm out somewhere having a wonderful time with glamorous people at fabulous places. So, when you hear the tone contain your jealousy and leave a message. (beep) AMBER IS CHASED AROUND APARTMENT AGAIN BACKSTAGE AT ICS A COMPUTER SCROLLS THROUGH PROFILES OF CRIMINALS Computer Baby-face March. Damon Are you kidding me? Next. Tony How's this one? Case one-fourteen. School teacher. Killed his wife and mother-in-law at a faculty dinner with a steak knife. Damon See I like that quality. He's the sort that the neighbours say 'such a nice man and never too busy to say 'hello''. But look at him he weighs a hundred and twenty pounds, he wouldn't last thirty seconds. Who else? Brenda What about those bank robbers? The ones that made that suicide pact. Damon Did they commit suicide? Brenda Obviously not Damon. Damon Then they're unreliable. Tony I got a friend at a talent agency, maybe they've got an axe-murderer or something... DAMON'S ATTENTION DRAWN TO A TV IN THE NEXT ROOM Damon Hello Gorgeous. Tony ...somebody with stamina. Damon Tony. Tony. Pipe that feed in here now! Take a look at this. This is footage of yesterday's prison break. Hey. Look! Look at that mother move. Is he beautiful? Who is he? Tony Are you kidding? That's Ben Richards. Damon The cop from the massacre. Sensational. Perfect contestant. I want 'im! Brenda You can't have him. Damon Why not? Brenda Damon, you know our contract, we never get military prisoners. Tony Who's a military prisoner? He's still at large. Damon Yeah, well they'll get him for me. Cadre's can't have it both ways. They want ratings, I can get ten points for his biceps alone. Hello? This is Killian. Get me the justice department, entertainment division. No hold that. Operator, get me the president's agent. AMBER'S APARTMENT AMBER IS TIED TO BENCH Ben What is this? Amber It's my synthesiser set-up. I'm a musician. Well I'm really...I'm really...a singer. I...I...I write music for the network. Have you heard the theme song 'You give me joy, you give me strife'? Well I wrote that. Ben You must be very proud of yourself. Amber It's really nothing. BEN SEARCHES THROUGH A CARDBOARD BOX IN A CUPBOARD Ben Look at this. They're all on a censored list. And look what we have here. This looks like black-market clothing. And you wrote the network jingle. Amber Come on. Everybody does it. Ben Money. That's what I need, money. Amber That money's not going to do you any good. You won't be able to do squat. You don't have a travel pass. Ben You do. (Ben un-clips travel pass from one of Amber's shirts) Now I do. BEN PRESSES KEYS ON AMBER'S COMPUTER Ben Let's see. Now where should we go. Maybe some place warm. I need to work on my tan anyway. You see you get so pale in prison. Here you are. Good. Now, I'm going to untie you, and your going to get dressed, and your going to come with me. Amber Oh yeah? Well why should I? Ben Because I'm going to say 'please'. BEN LIFTS AMBER AND BENCH UP OFF FLOOR WITH ONE ARM Amber Well why didn't you say so? AIRPORT (indoors) Female Announcer (over PA) All flights from Toora, Toteral and Medelinburgh are on schedule. Flights Anacon to Chile are delayed several hours. All Nidus flights are cancelled until further notice. Passengers are reminded to have your travel pass ready before boarding... Amber You'll never pull this off you know. You're unarmed, out-numbered. Face it, you're screwed. So why don't you forget about all this and turn yourself in? Ben You know, you have a very negative attitude. And remember, I can break your neck like a chicken's. Travel Pass Guard Travel pass. Ben What a beautiful day today. I can practically taste the Pina Colada's already. Right, sweet-heart? Travel Pass Guard Miss. Ben Oh you didn't put it in your purse again did you? Last vacation she put my credit cards in there and we couldn't find them for a week. Oh dear. [to Travel Pass Guard] Could you hold on to this please? Impatient Lady (behind them in cue) You wanna move it up there? We've got a plane to catch. Travel Pass Guard Go on. Go on. Ben Can't live with them, and you can't live without them. (in shuttle bus) Amber I'm warning you I get sick. Air sick, car sick, I'm going to throw-up all over you. Ben Go ahead, it won't show on this shirt. (indoors) Amber Help! He's Ben Richards! He tried to kidnap me! Help! SIRENS SOUND Over Military-Radio Positive ID. Benjamin A. Richards. Area one fugitive. Repeat. All units... (outdoors) GUARDS CHASE BEN ACROSS RUNWAY IN A VANGuard #1 All right. We're on him. Close it in.Guard #2 Go, go, go. Move!THEY CATCH BEN IN A NETGuard #1 (to Ben) You move and your dead! BACKSTAGE AT ISC BEN IS LOCKED IN CELL Damon Hi cutie-pie. You know one of us is in deep trouble. Do you know who I am? Ben Sure, I've seen you before. You're the ass-hole on TV. Damon That's funny, I was going to say the same thing about you. I saw the video of your prison break. Sensational. Ben, I think we might be able to help each other out. I've got brains and you've got talent. No, you've got more than that, you've got talent, you've got charisma, and you've got balls. That's why I pulled a few strings to get you here. And that's why I'd like you to volunteer to appear on tomorrow's broadcast of The Running Man. Ben Fuck you. Damon Hahaha. You're a brilliant conversationalist Ben. A trifle limited but brilliant. Take a look. ON A TV INSIDE CELL Weiss How long are they going to keep us here? Laughlan They've got Richards too. Weiss I hope not. Lord knows what they'd do to him. Damon Isn't that your old school teacher buddy there, huh? And there's that other one who helped you in the prison break. Ben Weiss, Laughlan. What are you going to do with them! Damon Well, that's really up to you, Ben. You see, I created The Running Man, but I don't make the rules. I've got a contract with the government, they send me the convicts and I put them on the show. Well you've seen it right? You know at least you've got a chance, but your buddies, Ben, they're the B-list. So if you don't do the Running Man tomorrow, Weiss and Laughlan are gunna go on in your place. What do you say? PREPARATION ROOM BEN IS RESTRAINED AND BEING GIVEN INJECTIONS Med Tech #1 We'll see how far this clown runs when where done with him. Starting Barium I.V. That's a go. Med Tech #2 (sitting at a computer) Reading all systems down the line. Your bird is singing loud and clear. Med Tech #1 All systems check out. Med Tech #3 Mandibular restraints. Inter-vanadic injection. Ben Aaahhh fck. Med Tech #3 Deltoid Thyam injection. Procedure completed Med Tech #2 That takes care of him. (short chuckle) THROWN BACK INTO CELL Ben Sons-of-a-bitches. Med Tech #1 He's wrapped. Knock him out 'til show time. AMBER'S APARTMENT AMBER'S TV Damon These guys, they never stop competing, you get thirsty just watching them. Now in my line of work I can't afford that felled up feeling...that's why I drink Cadre Cola. It hits the spot. Female News Reporter The capture of renegade police officer and mass murder Ben Richards, was filmed yesterday by runway security cameras. Richards' hostage Amber Mendez was unharmed. Some airport personal were not so lucky, like the Ticket Agent and Security Guard which Richards shot at point blank range when he arrived at the airport. Amber (to herself) But that's not true. AMBER'S TV Female News Reporter They were taken to CADRE memorial hospital where they remain in a guarded condition. And now back to Climbing For Dollars. TV Woof! Woof! Woof! Aaaahhhh! On screen 'Climbing For Dollars will be right back...' BACKSTAGE AT ISC CELL IS OPENED Agent Mister Richards. I'm your court-appointed theatrical agent. It's time. THE RUNNING MAN STAGE MUSIC AND DANCING BACKSTAGE AT ISC Tony Digital effects number one (click). Roll process mod (click). ISC Woman Big crowd tonight. ISC Man Better there than in the streets. OUTSIDE ISC BUILDING A CROWD OF FANS CHEER Buzzsaw Who's the number one stalker? Excited Fan Buzzsaw. Slice those ones for me, man. EXCITED FAN HIT IN FACE BY BUZZSAW Excited Fan He touched me! Did you guys see that? Buzzsaw touched me! BACKSTAGE AT ISC Damon (to make-up guy) Don't touch the hair! CORRIDOR IN ISC BUILDING Amy (at cola can machine) Look, do you have any more change? I ran out. Six dollars, jeez this place. You're lucky to be alive. I mean that guy just killed, what, sixty, eighty, a hundred people? Amber Not according to him he hasn't. Amy Well that's what they all say. BEN IS ESCORTED PAST AMBER AND AMY Agent (reading legal contract) ...and whereas the victim can contest this, where in the network and victim have in past been in combatants. Ad hoc defacto, the parties here in have agreed to disagree, this is now mutually consented to be diseur and therefore both parties have obligations to each other. Respective rights and obligations, 'A' the victim has no rights, 'B'... Amy Boy, you're lucky he didn't kill you too. Or rape you, then kill you. Or kill you, then rape you. I mean, a guy like that, what would stop him? Amber Yeah, what would. Look Amy, I..I have to pass on that drink I just remembered that I have some paperwork to do. So I'll catch you tomorrow. STAGE Phil ..and now the producer of The Running Man, and everyone's favourite showman, Damon Killian. Damon Yeah! Thank you. Your beautiful. I love you. Yes! Your beautiful. Thank you. Hahaha. Shhh...it's show time! STAGE LIGHTS UP Damon Now tell me, what's the number one television show in the whole, wide world? Studio Audience The Running Man! Damon And who loves you and who do you love? Studio Audience Damon! Damon One more time! Studio Audience Damon! Damon Yes! APPLAUSE Damon Phil, my announcer. Heard the warm up today, and honestly Phil, I don't think I've ever heard you funnier. I'm just kidding guys your great at your job, to bad it isn't music! BACKSTAGE Agent ...for cassettes, video tapes, bubble-chip, or all other methods of recording known or unknown. Sign here. Here, here. Here use my back victim. Ahh! BEN STABS AGENT'S BACK WITH THE PEN Ben Don't forget to send me a copy. Agent Ahhhh! STAGE Damon ...the love of my life, my number one fan, Mrs McArdle. How are you doin'? Mrs McArdle Just fine. Damon I want a kiss now, a big kiss, but remember, no tongues. Mrs McArdle Bless you. Damon Sit down little darlin'. We have one hell of a show for you tonight. Phil, please, if you will, introduce tonight's guest runner. And watch that screen. Phil Our star runner tonight needs no introduction he is Ben Richards the brutal slayer of sixty men, women and children in the Bakersfield massacre. STUDIO TV SCREEN Ben (in helicopter over city at night) Food riot in progress. Approximately fifteen-hundred civilians. Moving in. Over Military-Radio Yankee-nine-niner, the crowd in unarmed. Repeat unarmed. Abort attack. Acknowledge, Yankee-nine-niner. Ben The hell with you! Over Military-Radio Lieutenant Saunders, take command, detain Richards and return to base. PERSONAL FIGHT Over Military-Radio Acknowledge, Yankee-nine-niner. Acknowledge. Return to base. Those are innocent unarmed people down there! Cease fire! Cease fire! HELICOPTER BEGINS SHOOTING INTO CROWD OF PEOPLE Damon Well, we all know the aftermath. Grieving parents, orphaned children, a nation shocked to it's very core. Here he is. Ready to pay the price for our home audience, in person, the Butcher of Bakersfield! BEN ESCORTED ON STAGE Studio Audience Booo! BEN CLOTHES TORN OFF TO REVEAL A 'RUNNERS' OUTFIT Studio Audience Yey! Damon Now Ben Richards could have gone to prison and paid the penalty but instead he volunteered for The Running Man...and have a chance at our fabulous prises like a trial by jury, suspended sentence, maybe even a full pardon like our previous winners, Wittman, Price and Hadad. You remember them, Wittman, Price and Hadad, there they are, and at this very moment they're basking in the beautiful Maui sun, their debt to society paid in full. Speaking of prises, you don't have to be a menace to society to be a winner, you folks in the audience, you'll get a chance too. Phil tell our friends what they can win today. Phil Damon, how about a years supply of Orgofura procreation pills, both adult and kiddie sizes, and the latest edition of The Running Man home game. Damon Ben, I know you're just dying to get into that game-zone and show us that same determination you showed up in Bakersfield, well first I've got a little surprise for you. BEN IS CLAMPED INTO A VACCUUM SLED Studio Audience Hahahaha. Damon Haha. We all know you're a big, tough guy, Ben, but that doesn't mean that your a loner, and it takes a big man to admit that he needs his friends. We didn't want to break up a winning team Ben, so here they are ready to go for broke right by your side. Ladies and gentlemen, Ben's buddies, Harold Weiss and William Laughlan! Ben Son-of-a-bitch. Damon You know how this works. The game-zone is divided into four hundred square blocks, left over from the big quake of ninety-seven, and I don't think any of us will ever forget that one. Studio Audience Hahahaha. Damon Once inside the zone the runners have three hours, they've got to go through all four game quads, three hours or less, and they're going to need every second because you know who's on their tail. Studio Audience The stalkers! Damon Who!?! Studio Audience The stalkers! Damon And you know what happens then. Studio Audience Anything goes! Damon What!?! Studio Audience Anything goes! Damon Right! Without further ado, it's time to start running! APPLAUSE Damon On your marks...get set... Ben Killian, I'll be back. Damon Only in a re-run. Go! Go! Laughlan You son-of-a-bitch! Damon Go! Yes! THREE CONTESTANTS ARE SUCKED INTO VACUUM SLED TUBES BACKSTAGE AT ISC ISC Woman All systems go. ISC Man Vacuum sleds passing check point one. DOWNSTAIRS AT ISC AMBER IS SEARCHING THROUGH DRAWS OF VIDEO CARTRIDGES AND FINDS "BAKERSFIELD MASSACRE" Amber (reading) Edited for television...(reading next cartridge) Raw footage. SHE GETS CAUGHT SNOOPING AROUND GAME-ZONE THREE RUNNERS REACH END OF VACUUM SLED TUBES Hooded man (to runners) C'mon get up! STAGE Damon Edith Wiggins, come on down! Edith Eeeeek! Damon Wooh their Edith, you look like you may have done a little stalking yourself. Now, we need you to give the name of the stalker who we send out to hunt down those three desperate criminals. Give me ten seconds please. Mexican Guy (at huge TV in junkyard) Place your bets...that's it no more bets. Edith I don't know they're all so good. Damon Quickly. Edith Well, my husband and my little boy, they have their favourites, but I like my men big and cuddly. Damon Yeah? Who is it? Edith Subzero! Damon Yeah all right. Let's hear it for Subzero! SUBZERO ENTERS STAGE Phil And now out first stalker of the evening, a CADRE trophy champion with over thirty life-time kills. Let's welcome the incredible ice-man who slices his opponents limb from limb into quivering, bloody sushi, professor Subzero! Hooded Man (at end of vacuum sled tubes) Move. Move it. Come on. STUDIO TV SCREEN Captain Freedom Haha Damon, here in the locker-room there's a lot of excitement here, a lot of adrenalin. The stalkers know there's four hundred square blocks of game-zone out there and anything can happen in the next three hours. I remember once when I was in the... Damon Ah sorry Cap, I've just been informed that the runners have entered the first quad. Let's go there now, live! GAME-ZONE THE THREE RUNNERS ARE CHASED BY MEN ON BIKES Ben Faster. Keep going. RUNNERS COME TO A HUGE ROOM WITH AN ICE FLOOR Mexican Guy (at huge TV in junkyard) C'mon give me your money. Give it to me. C'mon. Weiss Cold. Laughlan What is this? DOOR SLAMS SHUT LOCKING THEM IN Ben Guess they want us to stay. SUBZERO ON ICE-SKATES KNOCKS THE THREE RUNNERS OVER Damon (on stage) Subzero does it again. A triple hit! Ben Let's get out of here. C'mon! Weiss, c'mon! SUBZERO TRAPS WEISS IN ICE-HOCKEY-GOAL/CAGE Subzero Howzat! Damon (on stage giving prizes to Edith) Oh look at this, an ICS home video. Yeah. And The Running Man home version, right here. Weiss Look, get me out of here you guys! Ben Hang on Weiss, I'm coming. Old Male (in studio audience) C'mon big boy! Female (watching TV in a bar) Yeah! Weiss Richards? Look, get me out of here you guys! Wil, look out! Male with moustache (in the bar) Kill that son-of-a-bitch! Small Crowd (in the bar) C'mon! Yeah, Yeah! BEN PULLS BARBED WIRE ACROSS SUBZERO'S PATH AND SUBZERO IS STRANGLED BY IT Studio Audience Ohhh. Ben (into TV camera) Hey Killian! Here is Subzero...now plain zero. STAGE SILENCE Damon Ladies and gentlemen this is just horrible. Words cannot express what we are all feeling at this very moment. A great champion has fallen. We'll be back right after these important messages. GAME-ZONE THREE RUNNER'S OPEN DOOR WHICH SLAMMED SHUT BEFORE Ben Pull! Weiss What the hell is that? Ben It's gas. Lets get out of here. C'mon. Weiss I'm sure glad we took care of Subzero. Ben Yeah, he was a real pain in the neck. BACKSTAGE AT ISC Damon (on telephone) Huh?...I know...I know a stalker died. Well it had to happen sooner or later. Yeah, well it is a contact sport, right? You see you guys are justice, you can't have it both ways. You want ratings, you want people in their in front of the TV set rather than pickin' lines. Well you aren't going to get that with re-runs of Gilligan's Island...Gilligan's Island...Daa-Da-Da-Da...Yeah, yeah, the one with the boat! DAMON SLAMS DOWN RECEIVER STAGE Studio Audience Fireball! Fireball! Fireball! Get 'im Buzzsaw! Leon I don't know. I think maybe Dynamo, but Buzzsaw was last years champion. I can't decide! Damon Then don't decide, Leon. Hard decisions call hard solutions. And here are two hard-asses ready to step in and take charge. You asked for 'em Leon, you got 'em, here they are Buzzsaw and Dynamo! Phil tell us all about this champion tag team. Phil Let's give a down home welcome to Buzzsaw, Eddie Vacowski, last seasons leading stalker. Buzzsaw's Hammer and Gauge chainsaws are made of Trylon-coated Duro-steel and can cut muscle, bone, sinew, or even solid steel! BACKSTAGE AT ISC Damon Well? Brenda Ratings just jumped eight points right across the board. Damon Eight? Brenda Make that nine points. Damon I love Ben Richards. Brenda You want another surprise? Damon What? Brenda You know that girl who was with Richards at the airport? Damon The one with the cute ass? Brenda Well this is cuter. They just caught her downstairs she was pulling the Bakersfield video. Damon Sensational. STAGE Phil:...Dynamo! DYNAMO SINGS IN OPERA VOICE AND THROWS ELECTRICITY LIGHTING UP HIS "Clap if you love DYNAMO" NEON SIGN THEN AUDIENCE CHEER WILDLY Damon Thank you, You're beautiful. Well, it's been an exciting show so far right? We've had shocks, we've had surprises, so we though why not one more surprise. Will you please help me welcome our mystery contestant, Miss Amber Mendez! APPLAUSE AS AMBER STRUGGLES TO FREE HERSELF Damon Amber. Amber. Now I understand that your single Amber and that you live on the West side. And not surprisingly she has flaunted the law and traditional morality all of her life. Amber Go ahead, tell some lies about me now. Damon We don't lie. Phil, tell us all about her. GAME-ZONE Ben It's clear. C'mon. Laughlan Weiss, what is it? Weiss The camera relay, it's pointing into the zone, not up. Ben Who gives a damn? Hey, where are you going? STAGE Phil ..later she cheated on college exams, had sexual relationships with two, sometimes three different men in a year, and then she met mad dog Ben Richards. Her confederate, her lover. Amber That was a lie. Damon Dear, dear. Let's re-unite these little love-birds. Go! AMBER IS SUCKED DOWN VACUUM SLED TUBE GAME-ZONE Weiss It's got to be here somewhere. Ben You want to tell me what the hell is going on? Weiss All the relays are the same they point into the middle of the game- zone. Now sooner or later they're going to connect. Which means the up- link to the network satellite is in there. Laughlan No wonder Mic's people couldn't find it. No one ever comes out here. Weiss If we can find the up-link we can crack the code. Laughlan If we get it to Mic the hologram will jam the network Ben Jam the network? Jam it up your ass! Forget this crazy up-link business! Your going to get us all killed! We've got to move on! Let's go, move! Move! Christ. BEN FOLLOWS LAUGHLAN AND WEISS BACKSTAGE AT ISC ISC Man (to Buzzsaw and Dynamo) Stalkers we have a bead, twenty degrees north mark seven, twelve degrees east mark two. Fireball (out of costume) Let's win one for the Zero! GAME-ZONE Ben Up-links, underground. Up-links, underground. If you don't shut up I'm going to up-link your ass, you'll be underground. Watch out! The lights! Laughlan Let's get out of here. Ben Shh, some one's coming. BEN GRABS AMBER AND RAISES HIS FIST Amber Hey! Hey! Richards wait! It's Amber! Ben What the hell you doing here!?! Amber Well, you don't have to belt the crap out of me! You think I'm glad to be here!?! Laughlan Who the hell's this? Ben She's the one who turned me in at the airport. Guess this is her reward. Amber Yeah go ahead, make jokes. It's your fault I'm here. They think I'm helping you out. They even think I'm your girlfriend. Ben Well I can straighten that out. See that camera up here? I can strangle you for the home audience. WEISS RUNS OFF WITHOUT THE OTHERS Weiss Another relay. Laughlan Where? Weiss They're out here. Ben Weiss! Amber What's he talking about? Ben Weiss! Over here! Over here! BUZZSAW COMES AT THE RUNNERS ON HIS MOTORBIKE AND THEN DYNAMO IN HIS CAR Laughlan You son-of-a-bitch! Ben Wait! Back off! Laughlan! Let's go! AMBER FOLLOWS WEISS TOWARDS THE RELAY Amber Hey man what are you doing? Hey! Weiss The resistance has been trying to jam the network for five years. This could be our chance. Amber Let's go. Weiss No. This is more important. It's the up-link to the network satellite. Amber But he's going to find us. Weiss, come on. Weiss. BEN AND LAUGHLAN CRAWL INTO A DAMAGED BUILDING Ben Over there. Weird Echoed Voice (from the stage above?) Who loves you and who do you love? Let me here it! Ahhhhhh. Who loves you and who do you love? Let me here it! One more time! BUZZSAW RIDES WITH HIS CHAINSAW TOWARDS BEN LAUGHLAN PUSHES BEN CLEAR BUT GETS CUT HIMSELF Ben Laughlan! Hang on I've got you. BUZZSAW LASSOES AND THEN DRAGS BEN ALONG BEHIND HIS MOTORBIKE Damon (on stage giving Leon prizes) ...there you go Leon. And the Running Man home game. BUZZSAW IS CATAPULTED OFF HIS MOTORBIKE BY BEN Mexican Guy (at huge TV at junkyard) Don't worry. It's a game. You'll make more money. Amber Let's get out of here, Weiss. He's gunna find us. Weiss Jackpot. Amber What are you doing? Weiss? What's this, Weiss? Weiss It's the up-link interface. Look out. Great, hexagonal decode system, not impossible, it's just going to take a little time. Your name is Amber right? WEISS TYPES ON THE UP-LINK INTERFACE AND STARTS DECODING Amber Yeah. Weiss Ok Amber, I'm going to need you to remember these numbers. We've gotta get them to Mic and the resistance. Amber All right, all right, I will. But then let's go. BEN AND BUZZSAW WRESTLE WITH CHAINSAW Buzzsaw I love this saw. This saw's a part of me. And I'm going to make it part of you! Ben That's all right, keep it. BEN SHOVES CHAINSAW UP THROUGH BUZZSAW'S GROIN Buzzsaw Ahhhh WEISS READS NUMBERS FROM THE UP-LINK INTERFACE'S DISPLAY Weiss Eighteen, twenty four. C'mon. Amber Eighteen, twenty four. Weiss Sixty one, B. Say them. Say them! Amber Eighteen, twenty four, sixty one, B. Can we go now? Weiss Not yet. Amber Not yet? What do you mean, not yet? Weiss Seven, seventeen, seventeen, four. Amber Seventeen, seven, four. Weiss Seventeen, seventeen, four. Dynamo Come to me my love. WEISS IS ELECTROCUTED BY DYNAMO'S ELECTRICAL LAUNCHER Amber Noooo! Aaaaaaah. No, no. Let me go! Richards! Ben Hey light-head! Hey Christmas tree! Amber Richards? Ohhhh. DYNAMO RENDERS AMBER UNCONSCIENCE WITH ELECTRICITY AND CHASES BEN IN HIS CAR Dynamo Yaaaah! Ben Oh shit! Dynamo (singing in opera voice) La, la, la, la... Ben Follow me light-bulb. Dynamo Ahh, got ya! STUDIO AUDIENCE APPLAUSE DYNAMO'S CAR FLIPS ON IT'S SIDE Dynamo Oh god! Oh god! Somebody help me! Oh cut, cut, go to commercial! Jesus Christ! I have no power! Cut! Go to commercial! Female Studio Audience Member Kill 'im! Ben No. I won't kill a helpless human being, not even a sadistic scum like you. Studio Audience I my god! Boooo! C'mon! Do it! Amber What happened to Buzzsaw? Ben Oh, he had to split. Studio Audience Boo! Damon (on stage) Hey what an incredible battle! Buzzsaw gone, Dynamo down, but the stalk isn't over 'til the fat lady sings, and the very last criminal... PA system (backstage at ISC) Fireball report to wardrobe at once. Fireball, you are wanted in wardrobe. Damon (on stage) ...and our half time show. Ben Laughlan, breaks over. C'mon, let's get going. Laughlan I'm going somewhere but not with you. Buzzsaw took care of my travelling arrangements. LAUGHLAN SHOWS LARGE GASH ACROSS HIS TORSO Ben Oh my god. Laughlan Weiss? Amber He's dead. But he gave me the code, the satellite up-link code. Laughlan The underground has a broadcast centre in quadrant four. Take her, take her and the code, to Mic. Don't let us die for nothing. Listen we're counting on ya, don't let us down, I don't want to be the only ass-hole in heaven, Ben. Ben He saved my life. It should be me down there. TV SCREEN IN GAME-ZONE Damon (from backstage) I got it? Ben. Ben, I gotta hand it to you pal. Haha. You got the whole network in an up roar. Why, they're shipping bi-carb to the justice department in crates. So that's why this little call is just between you and I. It's not going out on the air. Listen very carefully Ben, how would you like a three year contract, guaranteed, a CADRE credit line and a beach-front condo? Sound impossible? That's the standard deal for a network stalker. And I know real talent when I see it Ben, and I'd just hate to see you get cancelled tonight when you could go the distance. Say the word Ben, and you could be the one doing the stalking. What do you think? Ben (holding and speaking into TV camera) You cold blooded bastard! I'll tell you what I think of it! I live to see you eat that contract, but I hope you leave enough room for my fist because I'm going to ram it into your stomach and break your god-damn spine! BEN SLAMS TV CAMERA ON THE GROUND BACKSTAGE AT ISC TELEPHONE RINGS Brenda Damon, it's for you. Damon Wh...who? Brenda It's the attorney general. Damon Get out. Everybody out. C'mon! Move! Yes? STAGE Studio Audience (chanting) ...Fireball! Fireball! Fireball! Fireball! Fireball!... Phil And there he goes! Fireball's on his way. And Dynamo's down but not out. Back to you Damon. Damon Hey! All right Agnus. Listen now, big chance for you now. Win a whole lotta prizes. Ya know we've still got two crack stalkers out there. Dynamo and Fireball. Who do you think will make the next kill? Mrs McArdle Oh boy, that's a tough one. Damon Come on give it a try. You can do it. Who do you think? Mrs McArdle Okay...I think...the next kill will be made by...Ben Richards. Damon Hold it, hold it. Agnus, Richards is a runner, you've got to pick a stalker. Mrs McArdle I can pick anyone a choose, and I choose, Ben Richards. That boy's one mean motherfucker. HUGE TV SCREEN AT JUNK YARD Gambler Two hundred dollars on Richards. Come on two hundred on Richards. Two hundred dollars on Richards. Come on man you gotta do it. Two hundred dollars on Richards. Mexican Guy Let's do it? Okay, you want it, you got it. Gambler Hey man, what have you got? Mexican Guy Place your bets. Place your bets, c'mon. COLUMN DRAWN ON BLACKBOARD FOR 'RICHARDS' WITH ODDS '100-1' GAME-ZONE Ben Network broadcast centre, my ass. I don't know what Laughlan was talking about there's nothing out here. Amber My and my big mouth. We should have taken the trip to Hawaii. Ben I had the shirt for it, but you fucked it up. BEN AND AMBER SPOT FIREBALL FLYING HIGH IN THE AIR WITH HIS JETPACK Amber Jesus Christ! Ben Guess again. Come on, keep up. Amber I'm running too fast, my feet can't keep up. Damon (on stage) There we go. The number one rusher. He smells blood and nothing on Earth is gunna stop him. Ben This way. Amber Why here? No I want to go that way. I think that... Ben You're going to get us killed. FIREBALLS FIRES HIS FLAME-THROWER AT THE RUNNERS Amber Ahhh! Stop it! Ahhh! Richards! Let me go! Ben Amber! Get out of here. BEN THROWS BARRELS AT FIREBALL AND THEN TIPS AN OPEN ONE FULL OF LIQUID WHICH FIREBALL'S FLAME-THROWER IGNITES BUT FIREBALL WALKS OUT STRAIGHT THROUGH THE FLAMES Ben (picking up a flare as he retreats) Amber? Amber Richards? Richards? Richards? AMBER COMES ACROSS THREE DECAYING CORPSES AND READS THEIR DOG-TAGS Amber Ahhhhhhhh! Wittman...Price... Fireball ...Hadad. Amber The Running Man, last seasons winners. Fireball No, last seasons losers. BEN PULLS OFF THE TUBE THAT ATTACHES FIREBALL'S FLAME-THROWER TO HIS FUEL TANK Fireball Ahh my gas light! My gas light! BEN LIGHTS THE FLARE AND THROWS IT AT FIREBALL Ben How 'bout a light? Fireball Ahhh! BOOM! FLARE IGNITES ESCAPING FUEL AND THE TANK ON FIREBALLS BACK EXPLODES Ben What a hot head. BACKSTAGE AT ISC PA System Captain Freedom to wardrobe. Captain Freedom to wardrobe on the double. Captain Freedom Forget it Killian! I won't do it. Damon It's not a request moron, it's an order! Captain Freedom I don't need this crap! This stuff is garbage! I...I was killing guys like this ten years ago with my bare hands! I'm not going for any of these tricks! This is a sport of death and honour! Code of the gladiators! Damon Cap, will you spare me the combat Zen speech? What the hell's the matter with you!?! Can't you see what's going on out there!?! This isn't a game! They're betting on Richards up there! Captain Freedom Bullshit! Damon Get out of here! [to Sven] Get him out of here! What's the matter, steroids make you deaf!?! Get him out of here, now! GAME-ZONE Amber Now what? Ben Let's find Mic's secret broadcast centre...if it even exists. Oh shit! Let's try that way. GATES SHUT AROUND THEM Ben We're trapped. STAGE Phil Subzero. Fireball. And Buzzsaw. Say their names with reverend pride. They punished crime and served the law. As patriots they died. BACKSTAGE AT ISC Tony This is what I hate. There's act problems. Roll stock (click). Freeze in digital memory (click). And... Damon ...activate travelling map. Tony, this better work pal, or you'll be a digital memory. Tony Take it easy Damon. We're loading Richards' image on to the database and when he's mapped on to the stunt double you'll never know the difference. All right boys, let's see you dance. Damon Sensational. I love it! GAME-ZONE - SECRET BROADCAST CENTRE Mic Mister Richards, I'm surprised you were so easy caught. Welcome to the people's network. We've been waiting for you. Ben This is nice Mic. But it would have been nicer if you would have gotten off your asses and helped us out there. Mic We couldn't. We'd have been seen and the government would have found this place. Laughlan, Weiss, would have died for nothing. Amber They didn't. I have the up-link code. STAGE Damon Woo, hoo. Ladies and gentleman I've just got an up date on tonight's incredible action. The runners have entered the final quadrant. Phil And Captain Freedom has hung up his announcers light and come out of retirement. He's suited up and ready for the final conflict. Damon Let's go there now, live to the game-zone. FOURTH QUADRANT - A MODIFIED WRESTLING RING BEN AND AMBER FALL THROUGH SHOOTS INTO THE RING WHERE CAPTAIN FREEDOM SNAPS AMBER'S NECK AND IMPALES BEN ON A WALL OF SPIKES STAGE Phil Yes it's all over! What a colossal fight! This is an incredible moment in sports. Captain Freedom out of retirement and still undefeated champion. Proving once again that right and might are one of the same. GAME-ZONE - SECRET BROADCAST CENTRE BEN TURNS AWAY FROM TV SCREEN Ben Damn that Killian! Amber What's wrong? You should be happy, we're officially dead. We can go anywhere, do anything. Ben No, don't you understand it. He'll never let us out of here alive, they can't afford it. They'll get the police, the army and hunt us down like dogs, off camera of course. BACKSTAGE AT ISC Tony Ok. Dismantle all the overlays. Put the ah...digital map in the pixel memory storage. Ya know, the damn thing worked like a charm. Brenda It should. Edital charged us an arm and a leg for the software. Damon, you didn't have to kill him! Damon It's all part of life's rich pattern Brenda, and you better fuckin' get used to it. That's the one for the awards show huh? Thank you, you're doing nice work. I thank you. Tony, you're finally (click) getting it. GAME-ZONE - SECRET BROADCAST CENTRE Ben Guns. You don't need guns to jam a satellite. Mic I do, to keep it. The minute I steal the signal, the network will try to shunt the next one in orbit. Stevie's group is going inside to stop them now. Ben These kids? That's a bad move Mic. They need a leader. They need someone with experience. Mic I thought you were looking for the door. Ben I told Killian I'd be back...and I wouldn't want to be a liar. BACKSTAGE AT ISC Damon Listen up everybody. I want you to all consider yourselves picked up for the rest of the season, ok? What, are you my people or an oil painting? Where up nine points! Come on now. [to Sven] Let's go champ. GAME-ZONE - SECRET BROADCAST CENTRE Mic We're going to send the up-link code in twenty minutes. Ten seconds later I'll go on the air. Ben We'll be ready. Amber If you want to make an impression, forget the speech. Try this instead. Mic What is it. Amber It's the original video from the Bakersfield massacre, before they edited for broadcasting. Ben Where did you hide that? Amber It's none of your business. BACKSTAGE ISC Security Guy Hey, what the hell!?! GAME-ZONE - SECRET BROADCAST CENTRE Underground Tech Six minutes. Mic Begin the satellite coding sequence. Load up-link code into transponder grid. Shunt power to main circuits. And Mister Spock you have the com. Underground Tech Who's Mister Spock? STAGE Damon Come on let me hear it now. Oh yeah. Ok, I'll quickly rap up the show. Ladies I love ya. Thank you young man. Hello, your on the air. Female Caller Hi Damon, my name's Mandy. Listen I have a question about Dynamo. Is he seriously hurt or what? Damon He's going to be fine love. But fortunately enough you see, Dynamo is still under factory warranty. BACKSTAGE Amber Good luck. Ben You too. STAGE Damon You're on the air. Caller I feel so bad about the dead stalkers. Is there anyway I can send a donation to help out their families? Damon Oh what a darlin' you are. Yes, Gwenda. All you do is you send your cheques to the patriots fund care of this station, add the number nine, two, five... GAME-ZONE - SECRET BROADCAST CENTRE Underground Tech ...three, two, one. That's it. We got it! We got that baby! STAGE Damon ...and those donations are tax deductable. ON STUDIO TV SCREEN TV DISPLAYS "KILLIAN IS LYING TO YOU!" Recording of Damon And who loves you and who do you love? Recording of Audience Damon! Recording of Damon Yes...yes...yes... Female Audience Member (in studio audience) Hey what's going on? Recording of Damon We don't lie...lie...lie...like our previous winners, Wittman, Price and Hadad. You remember them, there they are and at this very moment basking in Maui sun, their debt to society paid in full. THE THREE CORPSES AMBER FOUND ARE SHOWN Recording of Damon Watch that screen. THE VIDEO OF THE BAKERSFIELD MASSACRE IS SHOWN Over Military-Radio Yankee nine-niner, what's the status of the crowd. Ben Food riot in progress. Approximately fifteen-hundred civilians, no weapons are evident. Over Military-Radio Proceed with plan alpha, eliminate anything moving. Ben I said the crowd is unarmed! There are lots of women and children down there. All they want is some food for-gods-sake! Over Military-Radio As you were Richards. Proceed with plan alpha. All rioters must be eliminated. Ben The hell with you! I will not fire on helpless human beings. BACKSTAGE AT ISC Tony Where's it coming from? Brenda The network satellite. Ben (background sound - the Bakersfield massacre):...abort mission. We return to base... Stevie Don't touch that dial. STAGE ON TV MONITOR THE VIDEO OF THE MASSACRE CONTINUES Over Police-Radio ...Saunders do you copy?...Detain Richards and proceed as ordered. HELICOPTER PERSONAL FIGHT Passenger Richards, what the fuck are you doing!?! Damon Ladies and gentlemen! Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll please bare with us, we experiencing technical difficulties. Mrs McArdle Bullshit! Ben It's show time. Get the people out. Come on, get the people out. THE GUARDS AND STEVIES GROUP BEGIN SHOOTING AT EACH OTHER CORRIDOR IN ISC BUILDING Dynamo Thought it was pretty funny out there in the zone? What's the matter now bitch, why aren't you laughing? Amber Because there's nothing funny about a dickless moron with a battery up he's ass. Dynamo (on top of Amber) I'll show you dickless. AMBER SHOOTS SPRINKLERS IN CEILING WHICH TURN ON AND SHE MOVES CLEAR AS DYNAMO IS ELECTROCUTED Dynamo Ahhhhhhhh! Ohhhhh! STAGE One of Stevie's soldiers Get out of my way! Another of Stevie's soldiers Get down! Down! STUDIO EMPTIES UNTIL ONLY BEN AND DAMON ARE LEFT Ben (to Damon) Hello cutie-pie. One of us is in deep trouble. SVEN WALKS ON TO THE STAGE Damon Haha. Sven, do you want to talk to Mister Richards? Well? Sven I got to score some steroids. SVEN WALKS OFF THE STAGE Damon You look pissed, Ben. Believe me you've got every right to be. But hey, will ya...will you just let me explain? This is television, that's all it is. It's nothing to do with people, it's about ratings. For fifty years we've told them what do eat, what to drink, what to wear. For Christs sake Ben don't you understand? Americans love television. They ween their kids on it. Listen, they love game shows, they love wrestling, they love sports, and violence. So what do we do? We give 'em what they want. We're number one Ben, that's all that counts. Believe me, I've been in the business thirty years. Ben Well I haven't been in show business as long as you have Killian, but I'm a quick learner, and I'm going to give the audience what I think they want. BEN PUTS DAMON IN A VACUUM SLED Damon You bastard! Drop dead! Ben I don't do requests. Damon Noooooooo! Ahhhhhhhhh! KILLIAN SUCKED DOWN VACUUM SLED TUBE AND OUT THROUGH A CADRE COLA SIGN WHICH EXPLODES Ben Well, that hit the spot. TV AUDIENCE CHEER AND CHANT "...Richards! Richards! Richards!..." AMBER WALKS IN, BEN AND AMBER KISS THEN THEY WALK OUT SONG PLAYED DURING CREDIT SEQUENCE - "Running Away With You" by John Parr This is no game, Standing in the dark I swear I heard you calling my name, And I know things have changed, No pain, no gain, Somethin' in your eyes just told me that this nightmare will end, And I have found a friend Shout it from the highest steeple, Let it to out to all the people, You hit the right spot CHORUS No more lonely nights, with a restless heart, Roll the dice, make a brand new start, When the world you knew got shattered, You and me were all that mattered, Just one way I'm going to lose this restless heart, Running away with you You won again, I'll take you in me arms and hold you 'til the fear is all gone, And now the race is won Shout it from the highest steeple, Let it to out to all the people, Hey, scream it on the loudest speaker, Burning like the highest fever, You hit the right spot CHORUS GUITAR SOLO There's a new horizon that we've both entered, It's out there in the distance, and it's playing at you, Restless heart, running away with you You won again, I'll take you in me arms and hold you 'til the fear is all gone, And now the race is won Shout it from the highest steeple, Let it to out to all the people, Scream it on the loudest speaker, burning like the highest fever, You hit the right spot, Running away with you CHORUS Roll the dice, make a brand new start, Running away, running away with you, Running away, running away with you, Restless heart VOICE OVER DURING CREDIT SEQUENCE Phil The Running Man has been brought to you by; Break-away para-military uniforms, Orgofura procreation pills, and Cadre cola - it hits the spot! Promotional consideration paid for by; Kiltem flame-throwers, Dwainsright electrical launchers, and Hammer and Gauge chainsaws. Damon Killian's wardrobe by Shea Zantwan - nineteenth century craftsmanship for the twenty-first century man. Cadre trooper and Studio guard side arms provided by Goldchester - the pistol of patriots. Remember tickets for ISC studio tours are always available for class A citizens in good standing. If you'd like to be a contestant on The Running Man, send a self addressed, stamped envelope to ISC Talent Hunt care of your local affiliate, and then go out and do something really despicable. I'm Phil Hilton. Good night and take care. The Running Man - CREDITS Ben Richards - Arnold Schwarzenegger Amber Mendez - Maria Conichita Alonso Laughlan - Yaphet Kott Weiss - Marvin J. McIntyre Mic - Mic Fleetwood Stevie - Dweezil Zappa Damon Killian - Richard Dawson Subzero - Professor Toru Tanaka Dynamo - Erland Van Lidth Buzzsaw - Gus Rethwisch Fireball - Jim Brown Captain Freedom - Jesse Venture