In the late ’70s and early ’80s, the young and already prolific Stephen King, not wishing to glut the market with his name, published five pungently entertaining novels under the pseudonym “Richard Bachman.” Only one of them, Thinner (1984), was a supernatural horror story; two of them were dystopian tales which seem disturbingly prescient in their anticipation of competitive “reality TV.” One of these, The Running Man (1982), was filmed in 1987, and a remake is scheduled for release this November. The other, The Long Walk (1979), opened last weekend.
This harsh, bitter film looks like a period piece, set in the ’70s (it was filmed in Manitoba). But it’s an alternative version of the ’70s, in a shabby, impoverished America under the rule of “The Major” (Mark Hamill) a gravel-voiced and rather seedy-looking military dictator. It’s unclear whether The Major is the ultimate power or just a regional tinpot, but he’s the lord of the title competition, an odious annual death sport.
The event is simple: a cross-country walk down a rural road for young men – boys, really – accompanied by soldiers in vehicles. Participants must maintain a speed of 3 miles per hour; if they fall below this pace, they are given a series of warnings, and if they fail to keep moving after the third and final warning, they are shot dead. If they step off the course, they are shot without warning. Last man still walking wins a huge monetary prize, and the granting of an extravagant wish.
Our focus is on Ray (a fine everyman turn by Cooper Hoffman), a local favorite who gets dropped off by his anguished Mom (Judy Greer) like he’s going to play high school football. Director Francis Lawrence, working from a generally faithful adaptation by J.T. Mollner, then keeps the movie on the literal straight and narrow; except for a very quick flashback or two, it’s just Ray and his competitors, walking and talking, and occasionally getting their brains graphically blown out (we’re also, in case you’re wondering, shown how they manage their other bodily needs on the hoof).
Along the way, Ray bonds with Peter (David Jonsson, terrific here as he was as the guileless robot in Alien: Romulus) and they realize that they’re true friends, not just allies of convenience. This is the emotional core of the film, and the intractable, ambiguous heart of its drama. The book, written in the shadow of the Vietnam War and its hideous squandering of young men, packed a punch; but it’s possible the movie, despite its inevitable monotony and the morbid self-pity common to “young adult” fiction, is even more unsettling and troubling. The excellence and value of this ensemble cast adds to the weight of seeing the walkers senselessly slaughtered.
Most of the boys are supportive and encouraging of each other, despite the ultimate disadvantage of such behavior in the vile, survival-of-the-fittest nature of the competition. And even after years of Big Brother and Survivor providing non-lethal examples to the contrary, somehow I found this weird and generous-hearted esprit de corps believable and touching. It’s what makes The Long Walk not just horrific but genuinely tragic.
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Since it flew way under the radar during its very brief theatrical run here in the Valley earlier this year, I’m glad that audiences get another shot at Grand Theft Hamlet this Friday. Better yet, it’s a benefit for Southwest Shakespeare Festival.
Directed by Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane, the movie is the story of how in 2021 two young British actors (Crane and Mark Oosterveen), sidelined by the COVID lockdown, decided to audition, cast and stage a production of Hamlet within the confines of Grand Theft Auto Online. The film unfolds entirely in the virtual realm of that classic video game, a favorite of armchair criminals since 1997, and played online for more than a decade.
Except for a few arcade games when I was in high school and a simple game called Backyard Zombies that I had on my phone for a while, I essentially don’t play video games at all. I was vaguely aware of the existence and popularity of Grand Theft Auto, but I had no idea what an expansive and immersive and visually alluring environment it is.
On the other hand, I am pretty familiar with Hamlet. That is one seriously good play, and this movie is a testament to the durability and adaptability of the masterpiece. In Jurassic Park, Jeff Goldblum insists that “life finds a way”; this movie is one of many examples supporting the assertion that “Shakespeare finds a way.”
But Grand Theft Hamlet is also an amusing and sometimes touching ode to the vagaries of making theatre. Even in this controlled setting and these narrow circumstances, these guys are still afflicted with herding cats in rehearsal, actors apologetically quitting because they got a better gig, etc. Plus, in this production you never know when strangers are going to show up and shoot you.
Grand Theft Hamlet, which is not recommended for kids under 13, shows Friday at Phoenix Art Museum. The event starts at 5 p.m. with light refreshments and a cash bar, and a costume contest with prizes valued at $2,000. The movie is followed by a recorded interview with the filmmakers. Tickets for the evening are $45, $35 for students with ID, and include a voucher for a free ticket to any SSC play this season. Go to swshakespeare.org for details.
