Terrence Malick, Badlands (1973)

In an era when directors churn out films at a pace of one every couple years, Terrence Malick is an anomaly. Starting with Badlands in 1973 (he also made Lanton Mills in 1969), Malick made only four films in three and half decades. Each one essentially builds on the same themes in a different setting. Malick is like an old acquaintance who sends you a Christmas card every decade; the words stay the same but the way we interpret them seems to change over time.

Malick is known for being a bit of recluse, but the attitude is refreshing. Instead of preening for attention, he instead appears to enjoy making beautiful films and letting them stand on their own merits. His low-key personality is also reflected in his directorial sytle- almost all of them feature voice-over narration spoken in a philosophical, conversational manner by the main character. Visually, the human drama is placed in the context of the surrounding natural world. The images of the natural world are often stunning and have the effect of framing very dramatic human conflicts as miniscule within the larger context (see picture below).

Badlands is elevated by the superb acting of the two main characters: a young Martin Sheen (pre-Apocalypse Now (1979)) and an even younger Sissy Spacek in one of her first films. From the opening scene, Malick sets the tone with a plodding musical score repeated throughout the film and presents the two characters as good-hearted and likable kids who are naive to the brutality of the world around them. As the plots develops and the characters succumb to violent actions, the viewer must deal with the brutal crimes of the protagonists and balance these emotions against the empathy we already have for them.

And if you think this subtle style could have been accomplished by any other director, just imagine if the person who directed the trailer would have filmed Badlands! Martin Sheen's character appears to have influenced Kevin Costner's character in Eastwood's Perfect World (1993). Compare Costner's look with Martin Sheen in this scene from Badlands. Of course, its obvious where the source material for both was derived from: James Dean (pictured here in Giant (1956)).

In terms of modern comparisons, Badlands is a more subtle character-driven film than Arthur Penn's Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and a less-over-the-top and gory film than Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers (1994). Badlands has few flaws and its aged well over time; the acting is great, the directing is unrivaled and the cinematography is timeless. A must see for any film lover.