One tried and true horror trope is The Run. Someone, usually the Final Girl, will run for her life from the assailant. Sometimes those runs are pretty lame: the trope of running up the stairs or into a space with no other exit, or constantly tripping over their own feet. Others, though, are pretty awesome, as if they were in the Olympics. This is a list of that second type.
Get Out (2017): Running toward the audience
This run had 2017’s meme culture in a choke hold. Groundskeeper Walter (Marcus Henderson) runs late at night. Choosing one night to run directly at Daniel Kaluuya’s character, Chris. We, the audience, see this at running directly at us. Walter stares at us (and Chris) as if he can see into our souls right into the Sunken Place — which is weird considering he himself is stuck there. Walter’s unwavering stare, knife-hands, and persistently fast run is as uneasy as the casual microagressions Chris experiences at the Armitage’s.
Jurassic World (2015) – Running in heels
We couldn’t have a list of running in horror movies without one of the most talked about runs in the genre. Claire (Bryce Dallas howard) runs from the Indominus rex in a pair of white stilettos. It’s funny to think about it now, but during the scene all I can think of is how much it would hurt to be eaten by a mutant dinosaur, and how I’d gladly take bruised heels and toes over dying. Should she have taken her shoes off? Yes, probably. But Claire here is a lady who can be an action star while also being a boss-ass bitch in her business heels. You go girl!
Prom Night (1980) – Running in a red dress
Prom-goer and rival to Jamie Lee Curtis, Wendy (Eddie Benton), is locked in the school, running for her life from an ax-wielding maniac. I was actually surprised to be rooting for her, since she is constantly trying to steal back her ex-boyfriend from Jamie Lee. But you can tell by her run that she’s not a bad girl per se; she has an extreme will to live and certain Final Girl tendencies in running with a purpose and actively looking for ways to confuse or lose the killer. Another heeled run, Wendy does even better than Claire in Jurassic World; I can tell you from experience how slippery school floors can be, especially wearing those strappy numbers.
The Faculty (1998) – Running after school hours
I like this run for two reasons: (1) I recognize Bebe Neuwirth (Principal Drake) from Jumanji, and I think that’s funny; and (2) Drake is moving through those high school halls! I would do the same if I was running from a Terminator. What makes the difference here is that she’s injured somewhat. There’s also a little twist when help from another teacher arrives. So the lasting impression is that she ran all that way and ran so hard, all for it to be for nothing. She gave it an awesome go though!
Train to Busan (2016) – Running while pregnant
I really felt for this one. Seong-kyeong (Yu-mi Jung) is pregnant. Unfortunately, she’s in the middle of a zombie outbreak. I won’t go into whether these are proper Zombies or Infected here, but they are definitely “runners.” Every time Seong-kyeong has to run, I instinctively hold my stomach. As a woman who has birthed a child, I am absolutely in awe of how she runs being that pregnant. But I guess you don’t really have a choice when the only other option is to die a horrific death and turn into a zombie. Every scene where she is in danger, I am terrified, hoping for her safety above all.
The Wiz (1978) – Running the Yellow Brick Subway
It doesn’t exactly hit the same now, but the first time I watched The Wiz, this scene stuck out in my mind the most. Not only are the monsters in this subway station creepy in the most 70s H.R. Pufnstuf way, but Diana Ross (Dorothy) runs in a way only a black woman who don’t play no games does. And that shit is hilarious. She’s dodging hits and running through columns because ain’t nobody got time for that. Same girl, same.
What is your favorite running scene? Let us know in the comments!
