Podcasts
‘Stand By Me’ at 35: Stephen King’s Coming-of-Age Story Hits Harder With Age [The Losers’ Club Podcast]
“I was 12 going on 13 the first time I saw a dead human being. It happened in the summer of 1959, a long time ago, but only if you measure in terms of years. I was living in a small town in Oregon called Castle Rock. There were only 1,281 people. But to me, it was the whole world.”
You guys wanna go see a dead body? Then join The Losers’ Club as they celebrate the 35th anniversary of Rob Reiner’s Stand by Me. Starring Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, and the late and great River Phoenix, this 1986 coming-of-age classic has since become one of the most celebrated and influential films of all time.
Yet what many still forget — believe it or not — is that it’s all from the mind of Stephen King. The quasi-autobiographical story first appeared in King’s 1982 novellas collection Different Seasons, where it slotted in as the third autumnal selection dubbed The Body. At the time, King felt this adaptation was the first one to finally get his works right.
He wasn’t wrong, and today the Losers explain why in an epic discussion on the timeless film. Joining them at the tracks is singer-songwriter and Side Door co-founder Dan Mangan, who previously penned a rocking ode to Gordie LaChance titled, “Rows of Houses”. Needless to say, the insight he brings to the table is as priceless as the source material itself. Sincerely.
Stream the episode below and find out more information on Mangan’s Side Door here. The organization is run by a dedicated team of artists and technologists, who are all committed to building a more efficient, fair, and decentralized global ecosystem for the performing arts.
As for us? We’ll be back next week with our TV review for EPIX’s Chapelwaite, in addition to interviews with the cast and crew. For further adventures, join the Club over long days and pleasant nights via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. You can also unlock hundreds of hours of content in The Barrens (Patreon).
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We also interviewed Oscar-nominated screenwriters Bruce A. Evans and Raynold Gideon, who regaled us with unbelievable stories on making the film and winning the heart of Stephen King.
And if four hours of conversation isn’t enough for you, we’ve also gone ahead and re-run our 2017 interviews with stars Wil Wheaton and Jerry O’Connell. Stream those interviews below.
It’s always a cruel summer, but 2026 is about to get crueler.
To blow off steam, the Losers hit the road to visit all the towns in Stephen King’s Dominion. Derry, Castle Rock, Ludlow, Boulder, the list goes on. They’ve got miles to drive and so many (scary) sights to see. At the end of the day, though, they have to ask themselves: Which one’s the best? And, more importantly, what does “best” mean in this context?
Stream the episode below. PayDays and Nozz-a-La, optional. For further adventures, join the Club over long days and pleasant nights via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RadioPublic, Acast, Google Podcasts, and RSS. You can also unlock hundreds of hours of content in The Barrens (Patreon).