Theme Song: “River of No Return” by Chris Cote and Half Nelson (not the Sparks precursor band).
I don’t know what to make of this. It’s sort of good. I can’t find any information on this song.
“I Can’t Live Without You” by John Durrill and Christine Forde.
This is the sappy ballad that ends the movie.
Interesting Dated References: Having a full-on fistfight with another person on top of a waterbed; Using a waterbed and collapsed entertainment center to electrocute another human to death.
Best Line: “Do you want me to put on my rape clothes?” — Said by woman to man in reference to roleplaying.
Social Context: A bit of Badlands via ‘80s-era filmmaking, Running Hot never escapes feeling like a made-for-tv movie with nudity. Decades of similar “sexually-charged duo on the run from the man” movies have clouded the waters, so maybe I’m being too hard on this film.
Summary: Lovelorn Charlene (Monica Carrico in one of her only two screen credits) is obsessed with convicted patricidal teen Danny Hicks (Eric Stoltz, The Wild Life, Mask, The Fly II). She writes him letters, gets a tattoo of his favorite number (“13”), masturbates in the bathtub while thinking about him, etc.
While in prison transport, Danny is able to escape and immediately goes to Charlene’s apartment. Unfortunately her kinky older newsman boyfriend, Tom, is there and after the waterbed fight/electrocution/killing, they are forced to go on the run.
They are quickly thereafter pursued by a private investigator, who doesn’t hesitate to recklessly shoot at people, but I guess we’re not supposed to worry about that. Along the way they talk about life, Charlene’s career in prostitution, erotic massage, sexual abuse, and other fun topics people who just met should cover. Carrico does a great job playing Charlene as a hooker with a heart of gold who’s also obsessed with a teenage murderer.
Eventually it is revealed Danny was taking the rap for his sexually-abused sister who killed their father in self defense, but the authorities won’t listen, and Danny gets shot. I’m unclear on whether or not he died as my notes tapered off and I must have fallen asleep because I don’t know when to go to bed. I do remember an explosion of some type. I’m sorry.
Worth Mentioning:
– There’s an interesting scene in which Tom and Charlene don Richard Nixon and Elizabeth Taylor masks during sexual roleplay. Or I think it’s an Elizabeth Taylor mask. It’s somewhat disturbing and gives the movie a unique link to Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm.
– Why does Virgil Frye keep showing up in every Betamax I watch? Seriously, this is like the third time in a month. This role is way over the top as he plays the coked-out brothel pimp who has a giant picture of himself in his own room.
– Also released as Highway to Hell and Lucky 13.
– Written and directed by Mark Griffiths in-between writing and directing Hardbodies I and Hardbodies II.
Poster and Box Art: The home video release of Running Hot is photo-based and composed well, however, the multicolored type was easily destroyed by sun rays penetrating video stores throughout the ‘80s.
As a result, many of the VHS and Beta copies floating around today look like the title of the movie is RUNN OT. Here’s a great foreign (Italian?) poster with nudity:
And here’s a nice European poster under the Highway to Hell title.
Availability: No-frills DVD available on Amazon. No word on restoration or extras.