The Long Walk is a story about an inhumane endurance competition that claims the lives of its participants. Stephen King used the framework of a walking competition to spin a tale about a fascist not-too-distant future, but there was inspiration from the past in his idea, whether he knew it or not when he wrote the original story under the pseudonym Richard Bachman.
The idea of an endurance competition was a reality in Depression-era America. They were called dance marathons. Entrants in a dance marathon would have to stay on their feet and shake their tail feathers for hours on end. The events became the most lucrative live entertainment of the time. Locals would either enter the contest themselves or attend as spectators to the cavorting and convulsing desperation of the dancers.
Since cash and prizes were part of the way to attract contestants, the dance marathons would often involve people simply trying to battle the economic hardships of the era. Some just wanted their fifteen minutes of fame. Eventually, at least one dance marathon saw an elderly man collapse and die after competing for 87 hours. They were eventually banned by many local communities and the fervor for them died down as the decade rolled on.
Eventually, the entire true story of dance marathons was put together in a fictional feature film called They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, and there is no question that The Long Walk as a concept and piece of cinema owes a debt to this 1969 chiller.
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?
Although the film They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is not based on any one true account, the filmmakers did their best to recreate the Great Depression spectacle. The film takes place over the course of a dance marathon as we get to learn about the different people vying for a shot at $1500. It’s a sadistic metaphor for capitalism and the depths people will sink to in order to win the Game of Life.
If the planet was equitable, you’d be able to watch They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? at the drop of a hat. Sadly, its status on streaming is wholly unavailable. That’s pretty shocking considering it ended up with nine nominations at the Academy Awards, including a win for Gig Young as Best Supporting Actress. It’s certainly not a happy watch but you’ll be amazed at how much raw power a 56-year-old movie still packs. I still can’t get the ending out of my head years later.
The Long Walk
Which brings me back to The Long Walk. It’s my second-favorite Stephen King story of all time and I’m thrilled to see it make its way to the big screen. However, I already see folks only comparing it to a story that it ended up inspiring: The Hunger Games. Granted, they should be pulling Battle Royale on that front, but they should actually be looking backwards to see the kinds of tales that led to Stephen King coming up with such a compelling idea.
And that’s undoubtedly They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?. Sail the seven seas and find you a copy of this before you go see The Long Walk. It’ll put that movie into an even greater perspective for you.
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