On this episode, Matthew and I discuss The Long Walk (2025), a dystopian horror film directed by Francis Lawrence and based on Stephen King's 1979 novel. The premise is straightforward: a large group of young men from all across the nation volunteer to walk in an annual marathon, and if they stop for too long at any point or fall below a certain base speed, they will be killed. Join us as we talk about the spectacles of violence and the abject, what the film suggests about the nation's future in the hands of the single Black character, Pete (David Jonsson), and how The Long Walk fits into the conversations around American politics and fracture today.
Film: The Long Walk (Francis Lawrence, 2025)
Intro Music: “The Army of You” (Library of Congress Free Music Archive)
Outro Music: “Late Night Indigo” (written and performed by Stacey Baran)
Fear of the Dark is a film podcast about race and horror, hosted by Matthew Vernon and Stacey Baran. Episode edited by Matthew Vernon. Mixdown and mastering by Stacey Baran.
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