Rewatchables Reference

The entire Key West sequence (~4 minutes). Sweeps multiple categories: best needle drop (Sweet Freedom), most cinematic shot (the sunset), matching boobs T-shirts. Includes Honda Elite scooters, roller skating, buying the bar, and Walter Payton jersey.

• The character names Ray Hughes and Danny Costanzo as archetypal cop names.
• Dan Hedaya / the angry lieutenant trope.
• A buddy cop movie that has rival buddy cops (the younger pair).
• Gregory Hines getting laid / having women of all types (progressive for the era).
• Chicago bars looking great in movies.
• Steven Bauer's look/wardrobe – 'you can smell the cocaine coming off him.'

• Paul Walker's 2006 movie also called 'Running Scared' causing permanent confusion.
• Uzis everywhere – a huge 80s thing that disappeared.
• Constant police brutality and harassment played for laughs.
• Billy Crystal's repeated scarf move.
• The second half is repetitive with Julio chase sequences; could have cut 7 minutes.

• The sunset in Key West.
• Hyams' striking interior lighting – Hines at the evidence locker, letterboxed by darkness with one overhead light.

'Sweet Freedom' by Michael McDonald during the Key West sequence. They discuss renaming the category the 'Michael McDonald Sweet Freedom Award.'

• Danny and Anna's relationship lacks magnetic chemistry to justify her leaving her dentist fiance.
• Bill: Billy Crystal playing an Italian character named Danny Costanzo when he is obviously Jewish. 'Why not just make him half Italian, half Jewish?'

• CR: There's a world where 'Running Scared' becomes 'Lethal Weapon' – a massive franchise. It came out in a tougher box office; with better sequel scripts, this could have been that franchise.
• Bill: They left hundreds of millions on the table by not making sequels.
• Bill: 'Running Scared', 'Cocktail' (Jamaica), and Hard Bodies were the three most aspirational location movies of his youth.

• Originally conceived for Hackman and Newman (two older NYC cops).
• Tom Selleck and John Travolta were going to be the cops.
• Peter Hyams cast Darlanne Fluegel because he loved her in 'To Live and Die in L.A.'

• Dan Hedaya as the screaming lieutenant.
• Runner-up: Jimmy Smits screaming 'MY COKE!'

• Joe Pantoliano as Snake (automatic winner).
• Larry Hankin (the cop mechanic; also Mr. Heckles from Friends).
• Don Calfa (Aunt Rose's attorney; also the hitman from Weekend at Bernie's).
• Jonathan Gries (Bauer's partner; Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite, Jennifer Coolidge's husband in White Lotus).

Steven Bauer – everything he wears and says is amazing. 'Looks like he hasn't showered in a month.' Nice run: Scarface, Thief of Hearts, this movie.

Contemporary version: Donald Glover as one cop, Shane Gillis as Danny. Michael Keaton after 'Night Shift' would have been a great Danny in the 80s.

• Crystal's 1986 book 'Absolutely Mahvelous' mentions splitting his nose open with a pistol on set.
• Crystal's 2021 quote about missing Gregory Hines.
• The State of Illinois Center was the filming location for the finale; later sold to Google.
• A planned sequel called 'Still Running' never got off the ground.

• Billy Crystal: No (that's 'City Slickers' / Oscars era).
• Gregory Hines: Case can be made – this made him a real movie guy.
• Key West: This vs. the Real World season vs. Hemingway living there.
• Chicago: 1985-86 might be Apex Mountain (Bears Super Bowl, Jordan rising).
• Jimmy Smits: No (that's NYPD Blue).
• Joey Pants: No (that's Sopranos era).

• Ray kisses Danny's ex Anna full on the mouth repeatedly – 'Challengers energy.'
• Cars driving on the L tracks would be nearly impossible in reality.
• After getting shot and nearly dying, Danny decides to stay a cop instead of going to Key West, which makes no sense.

Should have been 3 sequels: 'Running Scared' 2 (one last job in Chicago), 'Running Scared' 3 (in Key West, drug dealer from the past comes after them).

• Did these guys ever actually move to Key West?
• If Danny stays a cop, does Anna go back to the dentist?

• The 1983 White Sox cap Crystal wears.
• The boobs T-shirts from Key West.
• The Honda Elite scooters.

• Bill: You can't go from marrying a cop to marrying a dentist.
• CR: If you think you want to move to Key West, you should go – don't go back to Chicago.

• Bill: Stakeout (1987, Emilio Estevez and Richard Dreyfuss).
• CR: Busting (1974, Peter Hyams, Elliott Gould and Robert Forster).

Billy Crystal. This movie allowed Crystal to have the next five years of his career (Princess Bride, 'When Harry Met Sally', 'City Slickers', hosting the Oscars). Hines was billed as the star, Crystal as the sidekick, but Crystal's career benefited the most.

• Craig liked it a lot. Chemistry between Hines and Crystal was great. Feels it's a tier below 'Lethal Weapon', 'Midnight Run', and 'Beverly Hills Cop' because there's no tension.
• 'This is more of a 3 PM cable programmer – oh shit, Running Scared's on, I'll watch for 25 minutes.'