Episode #168 – Running Scared (1986)

What this episode covers

There are film podcasts that aspire to scholarship, and then there is Fear and Loathing in Cinema, which aspires mainly to survive its own conversations. Think of it as a 2 A.M. diner where the coffee has developed opinions, the fries have entered witness protection, and two friends are discussing cinematic history with the urgency of men who have just discovered that the Constitution may contain a section on buddy-cop movies. This week, on Episode #168, Bryan Kluger and Marc Ciafardini strap on their bulletproof vests and travel back to 1986 Chicago for Running Scared, which is the gloriously violent, ridiculously cool buddy-cop film starring Billy Crystal, Gregory Hines, Jimmy Smits, Joey Pants, and enough roller skates to qualify as a separate supporting character. Made before the great renaissance of the buddy-action movie, Running Scared arrived at a time when Hollywood still understood that cops could be funny, movies could be genuinely dangerous, and an R rating was less a warning than an invitation. Bryan and Marc get into the chemistry, the comedic banter, the action, the violence, the soundtrack, and why Running Scared deserves considerably more respect than it usually receives. It’s a movie about two cops trying to get out of the business, and, naturally, two podcasters trying to get through a conversation without getting arrested. Listen everywhere. Preferably somewhere with cut-off shorts. FEAR AND LOATHING PODCAST APPLE PODCASTS FEAR AND LOATHING PODCAST SPOTIFY Thank you for listening. WRITTEN BY: BRYAN KLUGER Bryan Kluger is an entertainment critic, writer, and podcast host with a deep love for film, horror, and pop culture. His work has appeared in outlets such as Arts+Culture Magazine, High-Def Digest, Screen Rant, The Huffington Post, The Drudge Report, Fark, and Boomstick Comics. He hosts My Bloody Podcast and Fear and Loathing in Cinema Podcast, along with a weekly radio show, where he brings sharp insight, humor, and an unabashed passion for movies to every conversation.