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| This original poster for Terrence Malick's Badlands has a provocative tagline that was referred to by the San Francisco Zodiac killer in one of his letters at the time |
In late-50s Texas, a 15 year-old, simple-minded girl begins to talk to a local garbage man. He loses his job, they fall in love, and before they know it, the girl's father is shot, and the young couple are outlaws on the run.
In my 'book', Badlands beats the topically similar classic Bonnie and Clyde (1967), - and all director Terrence Malick's (The Thin Red Line (1998)) other films, - because it is sharper and more pungent in its social realism, and its characters are more easily recognizable and credible, less iconographic and larger-than-life, and also, the film is simply incredibly enveloping to watch. The moods created in the film and its poetic quality is breathtaking. The story is based on a real couple on a killing spree in Dakota in 1959.
Martin Sheen (Apocalypse Now (1979)) could be termed the ultimate American as Kit here, pressed to the edge, fighting his own fight for himself; and Sissy Spacek (The Straight Story (1999)) plays as strongly as the adorable opportunist Holly, whom he sweeps off with. Badlands also portrays American society's mixed feelings of fascination and contempt for the renegades and outlaws with great precision.
SPOILER Especially the scene of Sheen's Kit-character's visit at a job center got to me.
But Badlands has countless strong and incredible scenes.
It is a marvelous, strong, vibrant cinematic masterpiece.
Related post:
Top 10: The best true story movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
Budget: 0.5 mil. $
Box office: Unknown
= Uncertain
What do you think of Badlands?
Why does America have this infatuation with murderous outlaws?
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