The thrill of the chase…it is all fine and good if you happen to be the one doing the chasing. The concept of running from one’s own problems, actions, or for the very understandable concept of self-preservation to save one’s own skin, is nothing new to the human condition. Mankind trying to avoid trouble, outrun the inevitable and cheat fate? Hell, that has been on the scene since the dawn of time, when men exited the trees and made lives for themselves on the paleolithic plains. Trying to stay a step ahead of large apex predators bristling with teeth and claws was the order of the day, the likes of which found us to be screaming, slightly less hairy apes- but still good for snackin.’ Our lack of physical prowess and armament was made up for with our superior cranial capacity and our penchant for abstract thought.
Still, problems changed and came calling as we progressed from rocks to spears, clothing to fire, hunting and gathering transitioning into settlements and growing food. By the time men were clustered together in towns and cities, there was still the through line of thought- “when in doubt, run for it.” Taxes, law men, invading armies… you try to play the averages and you stick around and fight when it makes sense to do so…but when you can’t hack it- you pack everything you have, get on your horse, and ride like the wind. As Human beings we have a rich history (and middling success) when it comes to attempting to cheat fate, when it has locked its steely gaze upon us. Look, proving there is absolutely nothing new under the sun, let me regale you with this Bronze-Age Mesopotamian folktale:[i]
There is a merchant in Bagdad who sent his servant out to the market to fetch provisions and in a short while the servant came running back- sweating, pale, and trembling. The servant said “Master, just now when I was in the marketplace I was jostled by a woman in the crowd, and when I turned, I saw it was Death who jostled me! She looked right at me and made a threatening gesture. Now please, lend me your horse so I may ride away from this city and avoid my fate! I will go to Samarra[ii] and once there, death will not find me!” The merchant lent the man his horse, and the servant mounted it, dug his spurs deep into its’ flanks and as fast as he could gallop, he went. The merchant went down to the marketplace, saw Death there, and approached- asking “Why did you make a threatening gesture to my servant when you saw him this morning?” And Death quickly responded, “Oh, it was not a threatening gesture- I was just startled with surprise as I was astonished to see him here in Bagdad, for I have an appointment with him tonight in Samarra.”
Not at all shocking…there is a part of our storytelling culture that focuses on, and really enjoys, a good chase story. Now to be specific- I’m talking about “people on people” chase stories- I’m not factoring in your monster, alien, animal pursuit films- those are their own unique subgenres- good- but not what we are talking about here. Some stories get held up as triumphs of survival- an overcoming of adversity; while other’s are cautionary tales- designed to teach us not to give into hubris and show the folly of poor decisions, and both have a place in our cultural entertainment. The films we are featuring this month are all of a certain variety, stories that feature protagonists running from persons, people, forces that wish to do them harm…and we like it that way. Sometimes our heroes win and we thrill over it; sometimes they lose and we view it as a cautionary tale, but regardless the story of their attempt to escape, the cheating of a mandated fate is almost always a cinematic pleasure. Indeed, over the years there have been many a cult-classic screened here at the LSCE that could fall into this genre…some markedly better than others- but still when it comes to showing desperation and running for survival- it cuts across all genres. Name a few you say?[iii] Ok:
- The Most Dangerous Game (1932) – Drama/Action
- Night of the Hunter (1955) – Drama
- Run for the Sun (1956) -Drama
- The Naked Prey (1965) – Drama
- Bonnie’s Kids (1972) – Crime/Exploitation
- The Getaway (1972) – Crime
- Charley Varrick (1973) – Crime
- Savages (1974) – Drama
- The Warriors (1979) – Action
- Southern Comfort (1981) – Action
- Turkey Shoot (1982) – Horror/Exploitation
- The Running Man (1987) – Sci-Fi/Action
- Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity (1987) – Sci-Fi/Exploitation
- Judgement Night (1993) – Drama
- Surviving the Game (1994) – Drama/Action
- Apocalypto (2006) – Action
- No Country for Old Men (2007) – Drama
- Beyond the Reach (2014) – Drama
- The Most Dangerous Game (2020) – Action
When selecting this month’s films, the goal was to have an even sort of spread- films that dabbled in multiple genres, films where the protagonists got away…as well as films where they were not so lucky. Ultimately for this month’s selections- all have the protagonists surviving their respective stories- but a poignant end where our hero does not make it, is indeed a legitimate outcome for these sorts of tales. I know that can be a bummer for some folks, but not all stories can be rainbows and lollipops- besides, there is something to be said about (and this is not at all a slight to the Special Olympics) being “brave in the attempt.” If all stories were just boiled down to “He/She/They make it”- what is the point? The pursuit/evasion is where the story lies for the above-mentioned films- and that is where it counts. Forgone conclusions do not have the same impact- nor do they offer up the same post film introspection-
- “what would I have done?”
- “Perhaps they shouldn’t have stopped off to ask for directions”
- or “double crossed that guy who you know kills folks”
It gets you thinking, it stirs our own inner evaluation of what our own (thankfully) hypothetical run would be like, and therein lies the fun. The LSCE staff hope you are staying cool this July, washing your hands, covering your faces, and trying your best to live, thrive and survive…and what better way to beat that heat than with some great films that do the proverbial running for you? Join us.
~Mgmt.
[i] An Appointment in Samarra is a recorded myth from the Babylonian Talmud and was officially transcribed by British author W. Somerset Maugham in 1933. His transcription is one of the most common versions of the tale and has been recreated here.
[ii] A city state in what now is modern Iraq, was founded in the Babylonian Empire approximately 5,500 years B.C.E.
[iii] This is by no means a “definitive list”- I was just wanting to provide some examples of what I was looking at when putting this month together, so if I left out a favorite, please, forgive me.