Is Tank Going Hollywood?
On Monday, I was given a unique opportunity to appear on the red carpet for the premiere of "The Long Walk." It was a part of the movie's premiere by Lionsgate, tying my 700 days of walking in with a tie into the film. I hosted a meet and greet for 50 fans at Tribute Hollywood. Later, I led the group on a walk to a special screening of "The Long Walk," while soldiers yelled commands in keeping with the film's theme.
The Long Walk is based on a 1979 book by Stephen King, written under his pseudonym, Richard Bachman. The movie is set in a dystopian future, where a totalitarian government supports a contest where 50 young men, representing 50 states, walk nonstop until only one man is left standing. Along the way, they are taunted by a sadistic Army Major played by Mark Hamill. Competitors are required to keep pace, or be executed until the race is finished. Friendships and rivalries develop as "The Long Walk" goes on for days. The cast of walkers is a group of young actors led by David Jonsson and Cooper Hoffman, the son of Philip Seymour Hoffman.
The Tank Team was contacted a few weeks ago about possible content with Mark Hamill, knowing that I am a Star Wars fan. The contact was from Lionsgate, the studio behind "The Long Walk." The idea was that my weight-loss journey was made possible by walking more than 700 consecutive days. With Jenks out in LA for some end-of-summer RNR (the traditional RNR, not Rough N' Rowdy), he was able to get in direct contact with Lionsgate to fly me out for the premiere.
After an early morning flight to Los Angeles, I spent Sunday at the beach, watching the start of the NFL season as the Mets' season crashed and burned. Naturally, the Dolphins also looked like a dumpster fire. Sadly, Magik the Golden Retriever could not help calm me down. Later, I filmed a special episode of "Tank Cooks" that will be released in the near future.
On Monday, I had a quick swim before walking to the Tribute Hollywood for a dress rehearsal of the group walk to the premiere of "The Long Walk." The meet-up was at 5 pm, where 50 fans who signed up through Lionsgate had the chance to hang out before taking a long walk to a special screening. Among those in attendance were Leo, a man who was inspired to lose 100 pounds after watching my journey, Abe, my Godbrother, and Raw Dog editor Chris Ameienti. It was the first time I actually met him in person, and we comiserated about the Mets as I pulled off the temple from my glasses, destroying my 40th pair since June 13. After 90 minutes of watching Monday Night Football, and Mets Nightly Feeble, a group of soldiers dressed up to shout commands as we walked to the film's premiere. At the screening theater, I addressed the crowd before heading to the red carpet.
The premiere was at the Egyptian Theater. I walked the carpet myself before lining up along the AP, Extra, and the Hollywood Reporter to interview the movie's cast as it arrived. I was able to talk to several cast members from "The Long Walk", learning that they walked over 30,000 steps a day, as Director Francis Lawrence wanted the actors to experience the feeling of walking that distance, hoping to make the exhaustion and strain feel real on the screen. The movie was filmed during a heat wave in Winnipeg. Several of the actors were stoolies and excited to see me at the premiere. I also had the chance to see Mark Hamill embrace the dark side with his character, known as the Major.
I was able to watch "The Long Walk" alongside the cast. The film is well-acted, with Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson being the standout performers. Both actors are just 22, with Hoffman being the son of an Oscar Winner. Mark Hamill provides the chills in this movie with his sadistic and chilling Major, who kills with delight when a competitor lags under 3 mph. While the violence could begin to feel monotonous, with the competitors killed off until the winner emerges. The overall performance carries the weight with Hoffman's Garity (#47) and Jonsson McVries (#23) bring heart to the often gut-wrenching nature when competitors must "Walk or Die." I give the film an 8.3, as it features a compelling story and a thrilling and shocking conclusion.
I want to thank the team at Lionsgate for providing the opportunity to extend my walking journey to a new audience, and I am excited for a chance to do more content like this. Who knows, maybe I will go to Hollywood and end up with a star on Hollywood Boulevard.