Ep 25 Book to Movie: Running Man by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
Show Notes
The Running Man is a 1982 novel by Richard Bachman (a pseudonym for author Stephen King). The book was the last of four novels King wrote under the Bachman pseudonym before his identity was revealed. These novels were later collected in an omnibus titled The Bachman Books in 1985.
The Running Man is set in a dystopian United States in 2025, where the economy is in ruins and violence is widespread. The story follows Ben Richards, a desperate man who participates in a deadly reality TV game show called The Running Man, where contestants must evade hitmen to win money
The novel was adapted into a 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by Paul Michael Glazer. The adaptation radically differs from the original novel and was tailored to Schwarzenegger’s popular image as an action hero.
Original 1982 Signet Paperback Cover by Don Brautigam: The first edition featured cover art by Don Brautigam, known for its striking and collectible design. This cover is highly sought after and has been reissued as fine art prints. Brautigam’s art is considered a classic among Stephen King collectors
Matt Kelland and I discuss the book and the film, the many differences in the film adaptation, along with reminiscing about the effect Stephen King had on my reading life.
SPECIAL GUEST MATT KELLAND
Once again, to discuss these book-to-movie adaptations, I’m joined by my good friend Matt Kelland. I always enjoy talking about books and movies with him, because, like me, he’s into a wide variety of different styles, genres, authors and directors. He also has a professional background in writing, video games, animation, music and visual art, so he has a lot of different experiences to draw on. He and I don’t always agree with each other, but that’s what makes our conversations interesting! I’d recommend checking out his collection of short stories, Nothing To See Here
NEXT UP:. We’ll look at Rosemary’s Baby, a novel written by Ira Levin and adapted as a film by Roman Polanski.