VHS : Badlands [1973]

Rating: - One of the Great Achievements of US Cinema
Great works of art are very much of their time, but have a relevance and impact long afterwards - and this is a great work of art. A simple story - disfunctional couple on the run, but told with great artistry and 'truth', with actors burdgeoning into great careers, and with much to say about US society, disaffection, and the cult of celebrity killers.

The cinematography is groundbreakingly beautiful, and surely the use of music has never been bettered - this movie sears itself into your brain.

Enthralling, gripping, funny, brutal (death is sad and real and pitiful), and simply a benchmark of US film-making that might never be bettered.

How many DVDs do you watch right through the end credits? I found myself doing this - in awe and contemplation, and because the music is notched up once more and demands to be listened to through to the very last. This is quite deliberate - every detail here is thought right through and infused with cinematic genius.

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Rating: - Dramatisation of the real life killing spree of the 1950's
My father bought a VHS video player many years ago and this was the first movie i watched on it. It set a high standard. Terrence Malick seems to be obsessed with nature shots as here the plains of Montana and Dakota dominate this classic movie.

This chilling story was inspired by actual events that occurred in 1958 and Spacek (who also captivatingly narrates), and Sheen capture these troubled youths with perfection and will draw you into every word. Warren Oates turns in a terrific performance as usual, as Holly's father, and of course is not in it nearly long enough. Malick and Fujimoto subtly and artfully create a film, that puts the viewer right there in those "Badlands" of Montana, and that 30 years later will still have you fascinated.

This is an expertly crafted film with an ingenious use of music. The director even manages to utilise the music of Erik Satie (Gymnopedies 3) effectively, however unlikely it may seem. Like the music of Erik Satie, the film is multi-textured and deceptively complex. Laconic and poetic this maybe Malick's most completely satisfying film, even if it prefigures progressively more ambitious movies.

9/10.

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Rating: - What a good film
This has aged well. A classic
Good atmosphere, story, acting, scenery
Music score by Carl Orph SUPERB
I saw this over 30 years ago and it is still
Brilliant everything works. Its slow and fast brooding pace tension,grips COMPELLs ans absorbs you into the scenario.
Innocence weakness and corruptive influences.
What a great film






ess.

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Rating: - An interesting romantic film
At the very start I knew that this was going to be an interesting film and through the use of an interesting storyline, excellent acting and high passion I was glad I watched it.

Martin Sheen (Enigma, Apocalypse Now) stars as Kit, a less than cheerful garbageman who looks for a healthy relationship with young Holly. Sheen performs brilliantly as the central protagonist who portrays a desperate and soulful character who is usually grumpy and surprisingly quiet in his nature. After seeing Sheen in `Apocalypse Now' I knew he was talented and even though I didn't feel especially attached to his character I can tell he performed to a great standard.

It isn't a story where you get involved closely with the lead characters. Sheen and Spacek (JFK, the river) which is probably why this film isn't highly rated as maybe one might aspect. I can tell it is an excellent film but it's a personal level for me, I just didn't find the story too involved and didn't grab my attention as I expected it to.

It is a very slow moving story which enables viewers to gain an insight into the lives of the two lead characters and their personal issues.
It's a very clever idea to have the characters personalities as quiet and afraid as they deal with issues about relationships, family, murder and such others in a hard neighbourhood.

Because it was slow all the time and Kit kept going off his head for the strangest of readers I felt a bit put off by it but I'm sure that if you watch a film like this a few times then you can appreciate it more and gain different views everytime you watch it.

At times the film was portraying many emotional scenes but I felt it could have been a bit more involved and creating a bit more passion and devotion may have been the key.

It is a good watch because it is a very different ideology of relationships which is not found in your everyday romantic genre film. It is gripping to see how the characters are going to deal with their new lives and therefore gains audience interest.

7/10

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Rating: - Disturbing yet dinamic
'Badlands' is an interesting and enjoyable film. However, at the same time I could not help but be disturbed by the sheer bluntness of the story. I found the entire plot quite disconcerting and worrying which I found to be facinating rather than crude. The acting, cinematography and dialogue are all superb which combines to give a film of excellent quality almost scoring a full five stars.

Martin Sheen is on fine form giving the lead performance both passion and style. However, this superb performance would have been wasted were it not perfectly complimented by Sissy Spacek. These actors seem to gel perfectly to bring a powerful vibrancy to the film. The simple story of two people falling in love turns into several murders and a lot of destruction which will have you sitting on the edge of your seat as much from distress as excitement.

I think this is a superb film with an excellent cast but it just falls short of being worth the money. If you get the chance I would advise anyone to watch this film but, unless it sounds the a movie you'd love, I wouldn't but it on DVD.