Runaway (1984)

Director:

Michael Crichton

Writer:

Michael Crichton (written by)

Release Date:

14 December 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Thriller | Crime

Tagline:

IT IS THE FUTURE. Machines are being programmed to turn against us. Someone must stop the madman who started it all.

Plot:

In the near future, a police officer specializes in malfunctioning robots. When a robot turns out to have been programmed to kill, he begins to uncover a homicidal plot to create killer robots... and his son becomes a target.

Plot Keywords:

Robot | Future | Killer Robot | Police | Bullet

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Tom Selleck	...	Sgt. Jack R. Ramsay
Cynthia Rhodes	...	Officer Karen Thompson
Gene Simmons	...	Dr. Charles Luther
Kirstie Alley	...	Jackie Rogers
Stan Shaw	...	Sgt. Marvin James
G.W. Bailey	...	Chief of Police
Joey Cramer	...	Bobby Ramsay
Chris Mulkey	...	David Johnson
Anne-Marie Martin	...	Hooker at Bar
Michael Paul Chan	...	Vectrocon Security Guard
Elizabeth Norment	...	Miss Shields, Reporter
Carol Teasdale	...	Sally (as Carol Teesdale)
Jackson Davies	...	Jerry, Inspector
Paul Batten	...	Harry
Babs Chula	...	Construction Foreperson (as Babs Chulla)
Marilyn Schreffler	...	Lois (voice)
Cec Verrell	...	Hooker
Natino Bellantoni	...	Headwaiter (as Natino Bellentino)
Judy Johns	...	Data Tech (as Judith Johns)
Betty Phillips	...	Linda, Parapsychologist
Andrew Rhodes	...	John Wilson, Cameraman
Louise Johan	...	Waitress
Stephen Thorne	...	Tommy
Steve Wright	...	Dave, Helicopter Pilot
Stephen E. Miller	...	Rudy (as Stephen Miller)
Bob Metcalfe	...	Tracer
David Longworth	...	Man
Todd Duckworth	...	Paramedic
Moira Walley	...	Jogger
Albert Eggen	...	Floater Cop
Jon Brydon	...	Cop #1
Rodney Gage	...	Cop #2
Murray Ord	...	Cop #3
Daryl Hayes	...	Cop #4
Keith Gordey	...	Cop #5
Wayne Thomas Yorke	...	Cop #6 (as Wayne York)
Frank Serio	...	Cop #7
Lloyd Berry	...	Passenger
Dennis Kelli	...	Driver
Richard Pittman	...	Alley Voice #1 (voice)
Tom Amundsen	...	Alley Voice #2 (voice)
Judi M. Durand	...	Alley Voice #3 (voice) (as Judith Durand)
Deborah Fallender	...	Alley Voice #4 (voice)
Terrence Beasor	...	Farm Voice #1 (voice)
James E. Carter	...	Farm Voice #2 (voice) (as James Carter)
Billy Hank Hooker	...	Farm Voice #3 (voice) (as Hank Hooker)
Barbara Harris	...	Police Voice #1 (voice) (as Barbara Iley)
Carol King	...	Police Voice #2 (voice)
Daamen J. Krall	...	Police Voice #3 (voice) (as Daamen Krall)
David McCharen	...	Police Voice #4 (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Amber Borycki	...	Baby (uncredited)
Faye Yvette McQueen	...	Subway Rider (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Crichton

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Michael Crichton		written by

Produced by
Lisa Faversham	....	associate producer
Michael I. Rachmil	....	producer (as Michael Rachmil)
Kurt Villadsen	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
John A. Alonzo

Film Editing by
James Coblentz
Glenn Farr

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton
Judy Taylor

Production Design by
Douglas Higgins

Art Direction by
Michael S. Bolton		(as Michael Bolton)

Set Decoration by
Jim Erickson

Costume Design by
Betsy Cox

Makeup Department
Lon Bentley	....	makeup artist: Tom Selleck
Ilona Herman	....	makeup supervisor
Sharon Linder	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Gordon Mark	....	unit manager: Canada
Lorin Bennett Salob	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Patrice Leung	....	third assistant director: Canada
David W. Rose	....	second assistant director: Canada (as David Rose)
Arne Schmidt	....	first assistant director (as Arne L. Schmidt)

Art Department
Jack Bishop	....	head painter
Bob Bottieri	....	scenic artist
James H. Chow	....	property master (as Jimmy Chow)
David Durand	....	storyboard artist
David Fischer	....	draftsman
Don Gervais	....	construction foreman
Geoff Hilliard	....	carpenter
Della Johnston	....	set dresser
Dennis McBride	....	set dresser
Rose Marie McSherry	....	assistant set decorator (as Rose-Marie McSherry)
Michael O'Connor	....	storeman
Michael Ritter	....	draftsman
John Stooshnov	....	assistant property master
Elmar Theissen	....	painter
Ian D. Thomas	....	assistant property master (as Ian Thomas)
Linda Vipond	....	draper
David Willson	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Carmen Baker	....	assistant sound editor
Jay Boekelheide	....	supervising sound editor
B.J. Clayden	....	boom operator
Virginia Cook-McGowan	....	sound editor (as Virginia A. Cook)
Blake R. Cornett	....	assistant sound editor (as Blake Cornett)
John Dunn	....	sound editor
William Gazecki	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Bill Gazecki)
Walter A. Gest	....	sound re-recordist
Maggie Greenwald	....	assistant adr editor
Don Hall	....	sound editor
Ellen Heuer	....	foley artist
Frank Howard	....	sound editor
Joseph A. Ippolito	....	sound editor (as Joey Ippolito)
Robert J. Litt	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Lauren Palmer	....	adr editor
David Parker	....	post-production sound recordist
Stephen Sutter	....	post-production sound recordist (as Steve Sutter)
Elliot Tyson	....	sound re-recording mixer
David A. Whittaker	....	sound editor (as Dave Whittaker)
Rob Young	....	production sound mixer

Special Effects by
David Durand	....	robot designer
George Erschbamer	....	special effects
Allen Hall	....	robotic effectsman
Bill Hall	....	spider operator
Rick Hall	....	spider operator (as Richard Hall)
Robert Hall	....	spider operator
David P. Kelsey	....	robotic effectsman (as David Kelsey)
Lars Lenander	....	special effects crew
William H. Orr	....	special effects (as Bill Orr)
John Thomas	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Mark Dornfeld	....	visual effects coordinator

Stunts
Kathy Brock	....	stunts (as Kathryn Brock)
Tom Lupo	....	stunts
J.J. Makaro	....	stunt cop
Tony Morelli	....	stunts
Jacob Rupp	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunt coordinator
Dick Ziker	....	stunts
Tom Lupo	....	stunt double: Tom Selleck (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Allen	....	dolly grip
D.R. Anderson	....	gaffer
Tim Atkins	....	generator operator
Dillard Brinson	....	key grip (as John D. Brinson)
Richard Clark	....	video technician
Arthur Collier	....	best boy
Douglas Craik	....	second assistant camera
David Crone	....	camera operator
Shelley Degen	....	grip
Peter Donen	....	director of photography: second unit
John H. Gilman	....	video technician (as John Gilman)
Roger Huyghe	....	lamp operator
Horace Jordan	....	first assistant camera
Bruce McBroom	....	still photographer
Len Wolfe	....	best boy
Chris Helcermanas-Benge	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Michelle Allen	....	extras casting
Lindsay Walker	....	casting: Canada

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Maureen Hiscox	....	wardrobe supervisor
Linda Lee Langdon	....	costumer
David Mayreis	....	wardrobe: Mr. Selleck (as David Mayries)
Monique Prudhomme	....	costumer (as Monique Stranan)

Editorial Department
Barbara Palmer Dixon	....	first assistant editor (as Barbara Dixon)
Nancy Froelich	....	apprentice editor
Jack Hilton	....	second assistant editor
Bruce Pearson	....	color timer
Brian Ralph	....	negative cutter
Steve Roberts	....	location assistant editor
Michael Robison	....	location assistant editor

Music Department
Bruce Botnick	....	music recordist
Kenneth Hall	....	music editor (as Kenny Hall)
Jerry Goldsmith	....	musician (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Jim Crandell	....	lighting truck driver: Washington
Scott Irvine	....	transportation coordinator
Ken C. Johnson	....	driver
Peter Lassen	....	driver captain
Bill McCurraugh	....	driver
R.G. Miller	....	driver
Terry Newton	....	driver
Douglas Pruss	....	driver (as Doug Pruss)
Alois Stranan	....	driver
Rocky Zantolas	....	driver

Other crew
Sande Brinson	....	assistant production coordinator
Jerry Goldsmith	....	synthesizer programmer
Sandra Palmer	....	assistant accountant
Caroline Ray	....	assistant: Mr. Crichton
Lisa Richardson	....	production accountant
Joanne Ryan	....	craft service
Joanne Ryan	....	first aid
Karen Stewart	....	production coordinator
Robert Werden	....	unit publicist (as Bob Werden)
James R. Westwell	....	production controller (as James Westwell)
Christine Wilson	....	script supervisor
Craig Miller	....	marketing consultant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Delphi III Productions
• TriStar Pictures

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1988) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1985) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia (1985) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (USA) (laserdisc)
• Encore Entertainment (1996) (UK) (VHS)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Video Ltd. (UK) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Broggie Elliott Animation (special robotic effects)
• Robotic Systems International (robotic spiders)
• Special Effects Unlimited (special robotic effects)

Other Companies

• American Standard Company  thanks
• Cinema Research  titles and optical effects
• Goldwyn Sound Facility  sound re-recording
• Inter Video  24 frame video services
• Lightflex America Inc.  lightflex
• M.D.I.  thanks
• M.D.S. Quantel Corporation  thanks
• MAD Computers Inc.  thanks
• Oratech Inc.  thanks
• Record Plant Scoring  music recorded at
• Toshiba of Canada Limited  thanks
• Wentworth Laboratories  thanks
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment
• Yamaha Digital Instruments  music performed on

Also Known As:

Bekstvo (Serbia) [sr]
Fora de Controlo (Portugal) [pt]
Gyilkos robotok (Hungary) [hu]
Karkuri (Finland) [fi]
Runaway - Fora de Controle (Brazil) [pt]
Runaway - L'évadé du futur (France) [fr]
Runaway - Spinnen des Todes (West Germany) [de]
Runaway, brigada especial (Spain) [es]
Runaway: Omada eidikis katadioxis (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

99 min | Germany:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Alphacine)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Moses Lake, Washington, USA

Company:

Delphi III Productions

Trivia:

Tom Selleck's character's name "Ramsay" is said approximately 52 times in the movie; a little more than once every two minutes.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Reflection of steady cam and operator on the Coke truck during the alley chase scene.

Quotes:

Luther: Drop it, sucker!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Shooting the Police: Cops on Film (2006) (TV)

Predictable, But Definitely Entertaining

This was a decent suspense film with a different twist for its day, dealing with robots. The idea has since been copied in a few films.

Here, cops go after runaway robots and after a villain who is trying to steal deadly weapons (gosh, that's original). The special effects are pretty good - especially since this was made over 20 years ago - and I particularly enjoyed watching the heat-seeking bullets fired from the villain's gun. Rock star Gene Simmons, by the way, does a nice job as the bad guy.

As entertaining as this Tom Selleck movie was, it had a B-quality to it with some stupid and predictable dialog. The climactic scenes were very predictable. You just knew certain things were going to happen...and they did. Yet, it was fun to watch and worth one look.