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Now is the Time to Revisit ‘The Long Walk’, an Underrated Stephen King Classic

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There are few books as pulverizing and cringe-inducing as The Long Walk, yet it’s often overlooked in the large, sprawling body of work by Stephen King.

This is a crime.

The story is simple; during an event called The Long Walk, 100 teenage boys must walk until only one is left. No stopping – not until 99 of them have died from exhaustion or worse. Not for weather; not for sleep; not for total darkness. You walk, or you lose.

And what then? You get your ticket. But a ticket for what?

The last boy walking gets whatever he desires as his prize. He just has to outlast all of the others first. We focus our attention on a 16-year old Ray Garroty. And that’s the last that I’ll say about the plot.

King’s genius knows no bounds. He is able to weave terror out of some of the most abstract and complicated plots – think It – or, if he decides, he can scale everything back and wrench you mercilessly in his grip throughout a story that rests on a single pretense.

Just keep walking. And walking. And walking.

It doesn’t feature any possessed cars, rabid dogs, or otherworldly demons that live on fear. It simply digs deep into the reader’s psyche by exploring what such an endeavor would do to a young boy’s body, mind, and soul. Just imagine walking hundreds of miles until your feet are bruised and bloody, walking on gory nubs.

How’s that sound to you?

The Long Walk gives a short breath before taking off on its trek, and once it starts, it does not stop until the finish line. Readers have sometimes accused King of being longwinded and going on for too long at times about every minute deal (to which I disagree, but I digress); this is a novel for those type of readers. It is unrelenting. It is punishing.

Sitting around 380 pages, it’s a deceptively fast read – once you pick it up, it’s near impossible to put down. A fast-moving, straightforward plot doesn’t hurt either.

It’s also worth a read for the simple fact that it was actually King’s first novel. Though it wouldn’t be released until 1979, King wrote it between 1966 and 1967. For perspective, Carrie was not written for another 5-6 years, give or take.

After King’s success, he began to write under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman. King released four novels under this name between 1977 and 1985. This may contribute to why The Long Walk is such an underrated work; but then again, maybe not. After King was discovered as being Bachman, Bachman’s book sales skyrocketed.

Maybe it’s the lack of any iconic monsters or larger than life antagonists. Maybe it’s because the story is too simple. Whatever it is, none of that really matters; what does matter is that you read it.

With the announcement of a film adaptationThe Long Walk may finally get the reputation it deserves. Here’s to hoping it captures the agony and terror contained within these pages.

StephenKing.com

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Watch ‘The Burning’ At The Location Where It Was Filmed

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Fangoria is reporting that fans of the 1981 slasher The Burning will be able to have a screening of the film at the location where it was filmed. The movie is set at Camp Blackfoot which is actually the Stonehaven Nature Preserve in Ransomville, New York.

This ticketed event will take place on August 3. Guests will be able to take a tour of the grounds as well as enjoy some campfire snacks along with the screening of The Burning.

The Burning

The film came out in the early ’80s when teen slashers were being churned out in magnum force. Thanks to Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th, filmmakers wanted to get in on the low-budget, high-profit movie market and a casket load of these types of films were produced, some better than others.

The Burning is one of the good ones, mostly because of the special effects from Tom Savini who had just come off of his groundbreaking work on Dawn of the Dead and Friday the 13th. He declined to do the sequel because of its illogical premise and instead signed on to do this movie. Also, a young Jason Alexander who would later go on to play George in Seinfeld is a featured player.

Because of its practical gore, The Burning had to be heavily edited before it received an R-rating. The MPAA was under the thumb of protest groups and political bigwigs to censor violent films at the time because slashers were just so graphic and detailed in their gore.

Tickets are $50, and if you want a special t-shirt, that will cost you another $25, You can get all the information by visiting the On Set Cinema webpage.

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‘Longlegs’ Creepy “Part 2” Teaser Appears on Instagram

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Longlegs

Neon Films released an Insta-teaser for their horror film Longlegs today. Titled Dirty: Part 2, the clip only furthers the mystery of what we are in for when this movie is finally released on July 12.

The official logline is: FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes unexpected turns, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

Directed by former actor Oz Perkins who also gave us The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel, Longlegs is already creating buzz with its moody images and cryptic hints. The film is rated R for bloody violence, and disturbing images.

Longlegs stars Nicolas Cage, Maika Monroe, and Alicia Witt.

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Exclusive Sneak Peek: Eli Roth and Crypt TV’s VR Series ‘The Faceless Lady’ Episode Five

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Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) and Crypt TV are knocking it out of the park with their new VR show, The Faceless Lady. For those unaware, this is the first fully scripted VR horror show on the market.

Even for masters of horror like Eli Roth and Crypt TV, this is a monumental undertaking. However, if I trust anyone to change the way that we experience horror, it would be these two legends.

The Faceless Lady

Ripped from the pages of Irish folklore, The Faceless Lady tells the story of a tragic spirit cursed to wander the halls of her castle for all of eternity. However, when three young couples are invited to the castle for a series of games, their fates may soon change.

So far, the story has provided horror fans with a gripping game of life or death that doesn’t look as if it will slow down in episode five. Luckily, we have an exclusive clip that may be able to satiate your appetites until the new premiere.

Airing on 4/25 at 5pmPT/8pmET, episode five follows our final three contestants in this wicked game. As the stakes are raised ever higher, will Ella be able to fully awaken her connection with Lady Margaret?

The faceless lady

The newest episode can be found on Meta Quest TV. If you haven’t already, follow this link to subscribe to the series. Make sure to check out the new clip below.

Eli Roth Present’s THE FACELESS LADY S1E5 Clip: THE DUEL – YouTube

To view in the highest resolution, adjust the quality settings in the bottom right corner of the clip.

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