Dynamo (The Running Man)
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Dynamo is a major character from the 1987 film The Running Man [1], the story of a sadistic game show produced by a future dystopic media-controlling government in which convicted criminals fight for their lives, pursued by an army of stalkers. Dynamo is one of the stalkers in the game, chasing the contestants (runners) as they attempt to survive, for cash, prizes and possible freedom. He is played by Erland Van Lidth De Jeude in his final film performance before his death of heart failure in September of the same year [2]. Van Lidth also appeared in Alone in the Dark, Stir Crazy and The Wanderers and was a former U.S. wrestling team member [3], MIT computer science graduate [4] and opera singer [5].
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[edit] Appearance
Dynamo is a large (6'6" [6]), rotund man equipped with a plasma/lightning gun, an electric launcher on his forearm, which he uses to electrocute his opponents. He wears a transparent breastplate and backplate (cuirass) and upper arm guards (spaulders) decorated like circuit boards, covered in flashing LEDs and articulated with corrugated rubber sleeves at the shoulder. He has a large battery pack on his back to power the vest and the gun. He also wears a transparent helmet resembling that of a Roman centurion, similarly covered in lights and with a fibre-optic crest. During pursuit of the runners, he drives an electric beach buggy.
[edit] Character
Dynamo is an opera singer - he sings short bursts of opera in a bass-baritone [7] voice --- particularly Wagner [8] --- from time to time to intimidate his opponents when chasing them, and during an introductory scene in which he lights up a sign reading 'Clap if you love Dynamo'. He is also a rapist - twice in the film he attempts to rape the female contestants, using his powers of electrocution to stun them.
The character of Ben, a runner in the game played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, has a number of nicknames for Dynamo, including 'Light head', 'Light bulb' and 'Christmas tree'. The Washington Post [9] described Dynamo as 'a Germanic human circuit board who zaps people to death', and Fast Rewind [10] described him as 'an opera-singing fat man with an electric gun'. The DVD review website DVD Verdict [11] referred to Dynamo as 'the absolutely stupidest villain Arnold has ever faced off against, ever. Ever.'.
Despite his killing of one of the runners during the game, Dynamo is not the most effective of all the stalkers. He chases Ben in his car and manages to crash it, getting stuck. Ben takes pity on him, even though he considers Dynamo `sadistic scum', and spares him his life. This is to no avail, since later in the film, during an second attempted rape attempt backstage, his victim turns on the fire sprinkler. The water falling on the live circuitry of his costume causes him to become electrocuted himself, which finally kills him --- he collapses on the floor in his underpants [12].
[edit] Dialogue
After chasing Ben and crashing his buggy:
- Dynamo: Oh god! Oh god! Somebody help me! Oh cut, cut, go to commercial! Jesus Christ! I have no power! Cut! Go to commercial!
- Female Audience Member: Kill him!
- Ben: No. I won't kill a helpless human being, not even sadistic scum like you.
- Studio Audience: Oh my god! Boooo! C'mon! Do it!
A call from a concerned viewer to the host of the show:
- Female caller: Hi Damon, my name's Mandy. Listen I have a question about Dynamo. Is he seriously hurt or what?
- Damon: He's going to be fine love. Fortunately enough you see, Dynamo is still under factory warranty.
During the second rape scene, backstage in the corridor of the ICS building:
- Dynamo: Thought it was pretty funny out there in the zone? What's the matter now bitch, why aren't you laughing?
- Amber: Because there's nothing funny about a dickless moron with a battery up his ass.
- Dynamo (on top of Amber): I'll show you dickless.
- (Amber shoots the sprinklers in the ceiling which turn on. She moves clear as Dynamo is electrocuted)
- Dynamo: Ahhhhhhhh! Ohhhhh!
