Based loosely on the 1958 killing spree of Charles Starkweather and Caril-Ann Fugate, Badlands is a bad *ss movie released in 1973 that was waaaay ahead of its time. Hard to believe that it is writer-director Terrence Malick's debut and even harder to comprehend is that he's followed it with only three other films (and only one other recognized masterpiece, The Thin Red Line). This is the story of senseless killing without judgment -- just the opportunity to hang out and rationalize with the characters in a desolate wasteland and a get-to-know that could be as forward thinking on film as Truman Capote's novel, In Cold Blood, was when it hit bookshelves and shocked the world with its portrayal of the killer in all candidness and with all respect.
Even making it feel more relevant is the fact that this movie echos two stories by Quentin Tarrantino, Natural Born Killers and True Romance. The former is a more literal similarity but the latter tribute is more because of the also-obvious, couple-on-the-run set up, but more so because of the unique xylophone score that is shared by both films, as well as, the poignant narration by each of the film's female leads. Listen for the music as you watch the movie trailer and read on because...
FilmBender is Funny Movie Reviews, and while this movie lacks a touch of the humor that exists in the films that pay homage to it, you'll get a kick out of how young Martin (plays a 25-year-old) and Sissy (plays a 15-year-old) are in this and how rash and limited the criminal mind can be. Martin's celebrity criminal attitude at the very end is about the only real levity the movie brings to the table, and here again also, these moments demonstrate even more groundbreaking attitudes that are captured in this cinematic work of art.
Badlands is a brilliant film. And while Malick has only made a small handful of movies, they stay with you. They're visually stunning and the characters remarkably vivid.
Good film to cover.
Posted by: scott burn | Friday, February 27, 2009 at 12:19 PM