Anyone ever seen that 1979 Michael Douglas Movie "Running?"

worst movie ever...watch if for some laughs

Pre Officer wrote:

I'm sitting around at home with nothing to do & flipping through channels. Worth a watch? Says Douglas' character was training for Montreal...

Worth a watch?

If U like Susan Anspatch, perhaps..

Well, it looked a bit plausable watching the former police officer (Streets Of San Francisco) in training..but the race and subsequent outcome? Errr...

One of the worst running movies ever, but I liked the actress who played his wife

smm wrote:

worst movie ever...watch if for some laughs

Agreed!

Bad movie, but it makes me want to wear a tie on my head and run through my neighborhood.

Totally agree on its badness--shamefully, embarrassingly awful.

From the imdb.com Storyline:

"American marathon runner Michael Andropolis sets his heart on representing his country at the Olympic games. Meanwhile his marriage has fallen apart and his children have no respect for him. He sets out on his task with determination and hope that his success will resolve his personal problems."

This sounds like the storyline for every 25+ message board goer on this site.

Watch "The Games" instead. "Every 4 years the world goes to war..."

http://www.amazon.com/The-Games/dp/B002QP1EVQ

Ryan O'Neil wrote:

Watch "The Games" instead. "Every 4 years the world goes to war..."

http://www.amazon.com/The-Games/dp/B002QP1EVQ

The book (of the same name) was absolutely brilliant. It went into great detail on how 4 marathoners from 4 different continents prepared for the 1968 Olympic marathon. It also went into great detail on why the 1968 Olympics were awarded to 7,000' Mexico City.

I would give The Games by Hugh McIlvaney 5 stars out of 4.....it was simply that good.

Far better than that tripe John L. Parker puts out.

The film was watchable, particularly the scenes with the Brits (Michael Crawford & Terence Stamp) as they prepared for the 2 hour marathon....yes, even back in 1968 it was on the radar.

It is a horrendously bad movie, but I suppose it does capture the essence of a self-absorbed runner who forsakes all responsibilities to pursue his Olympic dreams. The problem is that we are apparently supposed to like the guy. I think that the movie is very much a product and reflection of its era and the "running boom" that occurred in the U.S. during the 1970s.

The ending, with Michael Douglas acting like a zombie from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video as he staggers toward the finish line in the Olympic marathon, can be enjoyable in a campy sort of way.

smm wrote:

worst movie ever...watch if for some laughs

Terrible movie - not worth anything.

It's the "Plan 9 From Outer Space" of running movies. So bad it's irresistible. To name some of the highlights would ruin the pleasure of discovery for the uninitiated.

Not only did I see the movie, I also read the book. Neither were terribly good..

Avocado's Number wrote:

It is a horrendously bad movie, but I suppose it does capture the essence of a self-absorbed runner who forsakes all responsibilities to pursue his Olympic dreams. The problem is that we are apparently supposed to like the guy. I think that the movie is very much a product and reflection of its era and the "running boom" that occurred in the U.S. during the 1970s.

The ending, with Michael Douglas acting like a zombie from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video as he staggers toward the finish line in the Olympic marathon, can be enjoyable in a campy sort of way.

Bad movie? Well it was one of my best actually. This is one of the best "feel good" running movies ever. Eric Segal who wrote the screen play later cast me in my biggest hit ever, but I digress. Hey, check out Sam Elliot as my BFF and drug dealer. One of his best roles too.

BTW, my character didn't go zombie at the end of the race, it was well short of that that the ramifications of being a drug-cheat made him implode. The camera then goes slow-mo for the stumble, shuffle, zombie stagger and then the face-first collision with a wall that takes him out of the race. I had to do that scene drunk on my ass to get it right, a real method actor I am.

Follow the Amazon link and watch the trailer.

Yes, that's me racing Pintubi for the first time on the beach in Australia. Damn I'm good!

Oops. You were talking about the Michael Douglas Movie. He stoled that zombie-action from me in my running movie.

It's been 2 hours now. Was it worth it?

So, how was it? wrote:

It's been 2 hours now. Was it worth it?

Whoof...

Ryan O'Neil wrote:

Oops. You were talking about the Michael Douglas Movie. He stoled that zombie-action from me in my running movie.

I actually liked your movie when I saw it about forty years ago.

But I think that the creators of "Running" probably got the idea of the limping zombie last-place finish from this, which was aired as part of Bud Greenspan's series "The Olympiad" about three years before "Running" was released:

Greenspan's coverage of John Stephen Akhwari's last-place finish in the 1968 Olympic marathon was inspiring. Douglas's zombie finish in "Running" was laughable.

smd wrote:

It's the "Plan 9 From Outer Space" of running movies. So bad it's irresistible. To name some of the highlights would ruin the pleasure of discovery for the uninitiated.

Nailed it with this post. Spectacularly bad in a very good way.