I'm glad to see Bruce's film mentioned by several posters on this thread. Last year, I talked with Bruce for several hours, mainly about running. At some point, he asked if I had seen "On the Edge." I had, of course. In fact, I had seen both versions -- the steamier version with Pam Grier as Bruce's lover, and another version with her scenes cut out. I said I preferred the version without her; Bruce agreed. (I've forgotten why Pam Grier was put in the movie, but that relationship seemed totally out of place in a film about a guy whose total focus was on making a comeback after being banned for taking money in violation of AAU rules.)
The movie clearly arose out of Bruce's abiding love for running and racing. He used a number of real runners in the movie, including Garry Bjorklund as one of the competitors, along with Marty Liquori as the race announcer and even old Walt Stack, who was well known for his longtime participation in the Dipsea race upon which the movie was based.
It didn't surprise me that "On the Edge" didn't do well at the box office. Bruce said that was because runners are "cheap mothers" who don't want to pay to see a movie, which I think was basically correct, but I also think that it was a movie made by and for real runners, which limited its appeal as a theatrical release.
I don't care if Pam Grier is in it or not, I just want this thing to come back on DVD (and not some weird bootleg site). There must be some weird rights issue going on.
Definitely one of my favorite movies overall! The movie might mean more if you were a runner in the Bay Area in the 80s. I remember first seeing it at a little independent theater in Berkeley, must've been late '85, I was a HS senior and complete running nerd. I even recall wearing a Nike Windrunner jacket and worn out American Eagle racers to the show, lol.
So much about it really spoke to being in the Bay Area around that time, from Bruce Dern's raging against authority/corporate running, the enthusiasm of the Bay Area running community, the incredible scenery of Marin, even to the shoes Bruce wore (Sakos, a brand based in Redwood City). Tons of great local runners in it, too, from ex-Stanford runner Roy Kissin (who was also one of the producers), Darryl Beard, Jennifer Biddulph Maxwell, and Sal Vasquez, among others.
Looked for it on VHS for years afterwards and was never able to find a copy; then probably around 2003 I got a DVD copy (minus the Pam Grier scenes) from the director's film company. Subsequently got a couple more VHS copies off of Ebay. If you're able to get a copy of the DVD, there is a fantastic behind the scenes documentary on it too.
I don't care if Pam Grier is in it or not, I just want this thing to come back on DVD (and not some weird bootleg site). There must be some weird rights issue going on.
Definitely one of my favorite movies overall! The movie might mean more if you were a runner in the Bay Area in the 80s. I remember first seeing it at a little independent theater in Berkeley, must've been late '85, I was a HS senior and complete running nerd. I even recall wearing a Nike Windrunner jacket and worn out American Eagle racers to the show, lol.
So much about it really spoke to being in the Bay Area around that time, from Bruce Dern's raging against authority/corporate running, the enthusiasm of the Bay Area running community, the incredible scenery of Marin, even to the shoes Bruce wore (Sakos, a brand based in Redwood City). Tons of great local runners in it, too, from ex-Stanford runner Roy Kissin (who was also one of the producers), Darryl Beard, Jennifer Biddulph Maxwell, and Sal Vasquez, among others.
Looked for it on VHS for years afterwards and was never able to find a copy; then probably around 2003 I got a DVD copy (minus the Pam Grier scenes) from the director's film company. Subsequently got a couple more VHS copies off of Ebay. If you're able to get a copy of the DVD, there is a fantastic behind the scenes documentary on it too.
There's a YouTube video that apparently copied a VHS tape of the film:
Copied from an old vhs tape and hard to find anywhere....always managed to inspire me to drag the running shoes out after watching the last 15 minutes...hope...
Gun Runners: Directed by Anjali Nayar. With Julius Arile, Robert Matanda. Two warriors from Northern Kenya trade in their AK-47s for running shoes and the Kenyan dream of marathon running.
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