Rating: 
Summary: Cold, stark portrayal of young killers
Review: Holly (Sissy Spacek), a 15-year-old girl living in a North Dakota town, falls under the influence of twentysomething social misfit Kit (Martin Sheen). When her father (Warren Oates) stands in their way, Kit kills him and hits the road with Holly, who thinks she is in love with him. They hide out in the wilderness for awhile, and then go on the run, killing several people along the way.Director/screenwriter Terence Malick has given us characters that are emotionally barren, as reflected by the barren landscapes of North Dakota. They occasionally seem happy together, but most of the time they seem emotionally flat and detached from their own feelings; Holly seems as if she is in a constant state of shock. Malick's style is almost like that of a documentary, presenting the events and trusting us to draw our own conclusions. Sheen and Spacek, both at the beginnings of their careers, show a great deal of talent.
Rating:
Summary: Soundtrack for the Terrence Malick 1973 movie "Badlands"?
Review: I'll bet when you saw the comment "Soundtrack remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1" you hoped the DVD contained a bonus seperate audio soundtrack, which the producers could have probably fit on the disk - well, it does not - I would have rated this 5 stars. Unfortunately, there never was a soundtrack album produced for the Terrence Malick 1973 movie "Badlands", which lists at the top of its music credits "Musica Poetica - Carl Orff & Gunild Keetman"; so, the set below is as close as it gets. In addition to "Gassenhauer" (Street Song), the haunting main theme bookending the movie and throughout, at least 4 other "Badlands" pieces can, however, be found on this 1994 BMG release 09026 68031 2 (RCA Victor Red Seal) 6-CD box set version of the original Orff/Keetman recordings done between 1963 & 1975 on 10 LPs. The others I have found so far are: for Dad's dog lesson - "Musik zu einem Puppenspiel" (Music for a puppet play) on CD 3 Trk 5 [2:27 - 4:24]; for Kit's stockyard job - "Xylophonstucke" (Xylophone pieces) on CD 3 Trk 7 [0:00 - 1:50]; for the burning house - "Passion" on CD 4 Trk 8 [2:43 - 4:55]; and, for the bounty hunters' just deserts - "Hexeneinmaleins" (Witches multiplication table) on CD 6 Trk 19 [1:48 - 3:45]. I would appreciate a review posting in this forum by anyone who discovers additional Musica Poetica "Badlands" tracks.
Please see my other reviews of the "True Romance" CD Soundtrack, "Musica Poetica", and "Orff Schulwerk". "True Romance" was written by Quentin Tarantino as his tribute to the Terrence Malick movie "Badlands", and Hans Zimmer's original compositions are a homage to the "Badlands" Musica Poetica gems. If you have not seen it, watch it not only for the great music, but also for the knockout cameo scenes with Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer, Gary Oldman, Tom Sizemore, Chris Penn, and James Gandolfini, not to mention the strong leading performances by Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Michael Rapaport, and Bronson Pinchot.
Here's the full soundtrack details for Badlands (1973):
"Musica Poetica"*
by Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman
"Trois Morceaux en forme de Poire"
by Erik Satie
Theme "Migration"
by James Taylor
"A BLOSSOM FELL"
Written by H. Barnes, H. Cornelius, D. John
Performed by Nat "King" Cole
Courtesy of Capitol Records
"LOVE IS STRANGE"
Written by M. Baker, B. Smith, S. Robinson
Performed by Mickey and Sylvia
*Some tracks are on "The Best Of Carl Orff", BMG 75605 51357 2, 1999:
..Carmina Burana - highlights - about half the 1 hour long masterpiece.
..Schulwerk (School work) - excerpts (collaboration with Gunild Keetman)
.... Rundadinella
.... Guten Morgen, Spielmann (Gunild Keetman)
.... Der Wind, der weht
.... * Gassenhauer (Gunild Keetman)
.... Wer da bauet an der Strassen
.... Malaguena (Gunild Keetman)
.... C'est le mai
.... Carillon
.... Sommerkanon
.... Lügenmärchen
.... Stücke auf Ostinato (Gunild Keetman)
.... Schlaf, Kindleinm schlaf
.... * Passion
.... Tanzstück (Gunild Keetman)
Rating: 
Summary: A Monument of Filmmaking
Review: Perhaps the most naïve Sissy ever - her character, Holly, is a blank slate with no past and no future. Like a pubescent Bonnie Parker waiting for her Clyde, Holly is swept away by the expansive charms of Kit Carruthers - but she could have just as easily been swept away by a toy or a new dress. Like a talking parrot regurgitating the Tao of Kit, Holly is deeply impressed by the attention her new boyfriend is giving her. Sissy adds a plaintiveness to Holly that creates sympathy for her - and she needs all the sympathy she can get. She is a disassociated and disturbed young woman who virtually stands around while Kit murders her father in front of her, and then burns the house down. The fire sequence is a masterpiece of filmmaking, and it is evident that the house is not the only thing being destroyed. And the pair is off on a spree of senseless killings. Kit is the triggerman, but Holly's guilt in the crimes is not only by association, it is by omission - it is what she does *not* do that makes the crimes so horrific. The cinematography is breathtaking. As lusciously beautiful as Malik's *The Thin Red Line*, but without the pretense, we are awed by visions of purple mountains' majesty, and close ups so tight you can almost see the leaves changing color. The forest that shelters their primitive hideaway comes alive when they are invaded, seeming to whisper its urgent warnings. Winning many European awards, including British Academy Award for Best Newcomer for Sissy, *Badlands* continues to cast a strong spell.
Rating:
Summary: "Boy, we rang the bell, didn't we?"
Review: `In 1959 a lot of people were killing time. Kit and Holly were killing people.' That's the tagline for Badlands (1973), a film loosely based on the true life events surrounding the 1958 killing spree by Nebraska couple Charlie Starkweather and his jailbait girlfriend Caril Fugate. The film, written and directed by Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line), stars Martin Sheen (Apocalypse Now, The Dead Zone) and Sissy Spacek (Carrie, Coal Miner's Daughter) in her first, prominent silver screen role. Also appearing is Warren `Quaker' Oates (The Brink's Job).
As the film, set in South Dakota, begins, we meet Kit Carruthers (Sheen), a directionless 25-year-old man working the crummy odd job or two, looking very much like James Dean in his blue jeans, white t-shirt, and cowboy boots. After a chance meeting with naïve, 15-year-old Holly Sargis (Spacek), the two hit it off and begin dating, but soon Holly's father (Oates) finds out, and puts the kibosh on the May-December romance, instructing Kit to hit the bricks, never to darken their doorstep again, or some such thing...Kit seems amicable about the situation, that is until he shows up later at the Sargis house, collecting Holly, and shooting her father (in her presence, mind you). He makes apparent efforts to cover the crime in burning the house to the ground, but purposely leaves behind an admission of what happened...Kit and Holly take to the road, making residence in some nearby woods (in a treehouse, no less), but are soon confronted by the law which sets off a murderous trek across the badlands of South Dakota and Montana. Along the way they meet some new and interesting people, and kill them (well, Kit does, as he's got the guns), continuously on the move, with the ever present spectre of law enforcement looming somewhere on the horizon. Capture seems imminent, but the question becomes will it be a peaceful or violent one (actually, the film raises much more in-depth questions regarding the alienation of disaffected youth, and a society that condemns, but also celebrates, the criminal element, rather than this quite obvious one)?
In the mid to late 50's, youthful rebellion was in the air, marked with the emergence of rock and roll, Elvis Presley, and James Dean. Films like The Wild One and Rebel Without a Cause served to stir up not only the young people, who identified with the restlessness and discontentment often portrayed within these films, but also resonated with the older generation, basically scaring the pants off them, as they saw these elements infringing on their precious status quo. I think it's important to keep this in mind watching the film, as it served to magnify Kit and Holly's actions (much more, I think, in the real life case of Starkweather and Fugate), as now this perceived, growing threat to the establishment had gotten its' poster children. While watching Badlands, I couldn't help notice how much it had in common to Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers (1994), also how much it didn't. Both share the same, core elements of youth gone wild, but where Natural Born Killers thrived on spectacularly gaudy and garish visuals, wallowing in its' own, pretentious crapulence (my opinion), Badlands is completely opposite, presenting the material in a modest, unassuming, and very natural way, choosing not to glorify the visceral, but embracing the ambiguous relationship of society and its' fascination with those who conform to their own, often indefinable, social mores. I thought Sheen did a superior job with his character of Kit, infusing him with charm and the general feeling that you want to like him, even despite his crimes and seemingly cool disinterest towards life in general (well, at least towards those who would stand in the way of what he wanted at that specific moment). It was kinda strange to find myself identifying with a character on some level, and then he goes off and shoots someone, reminding me of his unpredictable nature. I also thought Spacek was wonderful, and I found her character of Holly to be just a bit more scary than that of Kit. She's along for the ride, witnessing these horrific events (the violence is extremely toned down throughout the film, the focus being on the characters themselves), and yet, seems to show little, if any, real concern or emotion, but then I felt like maybe she was in a continual state of shock since her father's death. She provides narration through much of the film, giving an odd, detached, sometimes disconcerting, perspective on the events that transpire, generally focusing more on the trivial rather than the gruesomely obvious. Two other elements worth mentioning is the photography and the music. Many of the scenes feature beautiful vistas, sometimes shot during the most dramatic parts of the day, either at dawn or dusk, creating a odd sort of sensation of creatures floating in the ether between realms...I know that sounds weird, but I am at a lack to describe it any other way. As far as the music, I could swear some of it was later used in Quentin Tarantino's 1993 film True Romance...regardless, the music is perfectly suited for the film, not overshadowing the events on the screen, but perfectly accompanying them, as if it was an natural extension of the film, rather than something added after the fact.
The picture on this Warner Brothers DVD release (it has both the widescreen 1.85:1 and pan & scan formats) looks reasonably well, but does show some very minor signs of age. The soundtrack claims to be `remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1' and does sound alright, but I did have to utilize the English subtitles on occasion to understand some of the dialog. There are no special features, not even a trailer, but I didn't mind too much as I found the film in and of itself to be worth the price I paid.
Cookieman108
Rating:
Summary: A superb, stark film (but the DVD presentation needs work)
Review: Terrence Malick's first film (of his extremely sparse filmography) is his best so far: a stark road movie/crime film/strange romance featuring superb photography and two superb performances from emerging young actors Sissy Spacek and Martin Sheen. It's a chilly journey through middle-America that has a strangely affecting emotional power despite its grim story line. Malick, who also wrote and produced the movie, turns the Midwest into an strange fairytale world where civilization has almost vanished.
Based on a 1958 killing spree by Charles Starkweather and Caril Fugate, Malick's film (he also wrote and produced it) takes place in 1959 and follows Kit Carruthers, a twenty-five-year-old killer, on the run with his fifteen-year-old girlfriend Holly (Spacek). As they travel ever more north across the least populated stretch of the U.S. imaginable, Kit leaves more bodies behind and Holly starts to wonder about their eventual fate and if she wants to be part of it. Kit, although a murderer with detestable motivations for his killings, has an immense likability and it's easy to see why Holly falls so strongly for him. She mentions that he is something like James Dean, and the comparison is appropriate: with his casual strut and smooth charm, Martin Sheen almost seems like James Dean re-incarnated. Since the story is seen through Holly's eyes (her voiceover serves as ironic commentary on events), it's easy to want to see Kit succeed in his escape from the consequences of his killings -- even though we know this is impossible. Spacek again shows that during the 1970s she was one of the best actresses around for portraying young, unsure teenagers. She projects a complete, delicate naturalness in her performance, and along with "Carrie" this ranks as her best role.
Unfortunately, the DVD doesn't do full justice to this excellent movie. The presentation is only adequate. The image is presented in 1.85 widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions, but the picture quality has quite a lot of scratches and grain in many places. This is particularly distracting during the many wide vistas of open blue sky that establish the look of the movie. The transfer won't ruin your enjoyment of the film, but a movie of this beauty should really have the cleanest transfer possible. The sound comes only in a 5.1 mix, which basically means there's a bit of sound echo placed on the rear speakers; nothing impressive. It's better to listen to the film through a basic surround sound or stereo effect than 5.1. There are no bonus features, not even a trailer, but considering Malick's dislike of publicity (he wouldn't even let anyone publish new photos of him during the filming of "The Thin Red Line") this is just what you would expect.
Rating:
Summary: Outcasts: the movie Badlands review
Review: This movie is captivating as it tells the tale of 2 young people who are strangers and outcasts in their own world. Sheen and Spacek very adequately and eerily portray a couple on the run from the law.
The story follows the real life people and most horrific events that took place with Charlie Starkweather and Carol Fugate. They are much like Bonnie and Clyde, only they are not necessarily on a quest for money. Mostly, their main goal starts out to be to mainly get away to a better place where they can freely do what they want. In order to do this though, Kit has to leave no witnesses, no matter who it is.
Kit (Sheen) kills once and then it just becomes easier after that. Holly ( Spacek)is very devoted and stays with him throughout all the killings. She is regretful that her dad is killed, but even at that, shows little emotion.
Sheen has eyes that seem to be wild and focused only on who the next victim will be.
He claims he loves Holly his girlfriend, when actually he only uses her for a partner in crime and for sex.
Spacek even though she witnesses everything, she doesn't run away.
I 've watched the real bio. about Starkweather and Fugate. I also watched a more true-to-life version featuring Tim Roth. I like the Tim Roth version best, perhaps because they portray the characters and events very closely as to how it really happened.
The cinematography is great in Badlands. Overall, it's truly a good show, though chilling.
Rating:
Summary: Cold, stark portrayal of young killers
Review: Holly (Sissy Spacek), a 15-year-old girl living in a North Dakota town, falls under the influence of twentysomething social misfit Kit (Martin Sheen). When her father (Warren Oates) stands in their way, Kit kills him and hits the road with Holly, who thinks she is in love with him. They hide out in the wilderness for awhile, and then go on the run, killing several people along the way. Director/screenwriter Terence Malick has given us characters that are emotionally barren, as reflected by the barren landscapes of North Dakota. They occasionally seem happy together, but most of the time they seem emotionally flat and detached from their own feelings; Holly seems as if she is in a constant state of shock. Malick's style is almost like that of a documentary, presenting the events and trusting us to draw our own conclusions. Sheen and Spacek, both at the beginnings of their careers, show a great deal of talent.
Rating:
Summary: "I found this toaster."
Review: This is a film with a skewed perspective. Both main characters, played brilliantly by Sissy Spacek and Martin Sheen are on the run for murder; they are in love, and both dwell in their own fantasy-lands far from any normal idea of reality. Believe it or not, the title phrase that I used here sums up this movie completely. Let me put it into its context. Martin Sheen's character, "Kit," drags his first murder victim down into the cellar of the house and while there he glances around, then grabs the first thing he sees and returns upstairs. Upon his arrival he says, "I found this toaster." He then places it on the counter like he just discovered The Holy Grail. His character's utter detachment from what he's just done is both creepy and morbidly hilarious. I once heard something in a movie that I will relate here: A genius tends to create his own Moral Universe. I believe that, but I also believe the opposite to be equally true. Apparently, the same idea holds true for socio-pathic, psychotic morons. These characters are so lost in their own personal "Wonderlands" that they create their own set of emotions, remorse not being on their very short list. Martin Sheen is the heart of the film, and dominates every scene he is in. However, Sissy Spacek plays the perfect foil to "Kit" and his left-of-center view of life. Her cold and submissive performance is echoed in the objective narration of the film, where she accepts what is happening at all costs because "Love" can't be wrong. What was especially unnerving for me was that I couldn't help but be charmed by these two very disturbed young people. They have an endearing quality that comes, I think, from their child-like perspective of the world. Everything is seen in simple terms, without any complexity of emotion. This film is a strange adventure about two very strange characters. What makes this story all the more compelling is that it is based on actual events. This is the first film from acclaimed director Terrence Malick, and my personal favorite of his from his small, 3-film catalog. His other films are "Days of Heaven" and his remake of the classic film "The Thin Red Line." Another film with the same ambience as "Badlands" is "At Close Range" which was released in 1986, and stars Sean Penn, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Christopher Walken. Both films are worth owning. I hope my review was helpful. Have a great day.
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