Movie #1098 "Badlands" is a film I have heard a lot about --- lots of high praise for this first film by Terrence Malick, who went on to do a film I think is better: "Days of Heaven." There's a narrator in both of them, and they both have beautiful photography and wonderful music that propels the film from one moment to the next. They also both have strong acting from young newcomers --- in this film, it happens to be Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek, whose relationship dominates the screen. It's almost a mystery that permeates the storyline, because as a viewer you are trying to figure out what is the reasoning for Sheen's shooting of the 6 innocent people in the film. And what is the reasoning she stays with him for so long! We get why he shoots the first one, her father --- he clearly stands in the way of the dreams of the James Dean wannabe. The dad (Warren Oates) won't let him take his daughter away from him ---- she's only 16 and very naive. One scene she even makes a comment about her first sexual experience: "Is that all there is?" And Sheen says, "Don't ask me." They are so blasé as they run from authorities on their shooting spree ---- it's such a weird cinematic decision to write it and play it that way. I prefer the spunked up "Bonnie and Clyde" film that puts some life into the antiheroes, even in their death scene. Here, they are quiet, awkward, brooding, all traits hard to put life into , so there are definitely some slow, quiet, nothing- happens moments. But that's when you marvel at the cinematography or music. I would give it 3.8 stars out of 5 ---- nice start for Mr. Malick on s shoelace budget to boot!
Badlands
1973 PG Rated PG95 mins 3.8 stars out of 5 (and the rating should be R)
Young garbageman Kit Carruthers (Martin Sheen) and his girlfriend, Holly (Sissy Spacek), kill Holly's father in South Dakota and hit the road on the run from the law. Writer-director Terrence Malick's script (for his feature film debut), based on real murders committed by a couple in 1958, does not judge its characters as they make their way to the Badlands of Montana, leaving a trail of senseless and random murders in their wake.
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