Badlands (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

I have three names in, in regards to this movie that helped change the face of cinema with brilliant direction, vivid performances by legends, Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek, and Terrence Malik. For the average or familiar eye, Badlands can come off as a 70s "Bonnie and Clyde", but it is TOTALLY different from that classic.

Inspired by the true life case of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate, Terence Malick's debut feature film follows two young lovers who go on a short-lived crime spree, like a bored and jaded Bonnie and Clyde. It all starts when Kit, a garbage man, takes a liking to teenaged Holly. Holly's father warns Kit to stay away from his daughter, leading to a showdown of sorts between the two men that ends with an act of violence. Kit leaves a record player playing a recorded message claiming that he and Holly are going to kill themselves (to throw off the authorities), and sets fire to the house before escaping with Holly, setting off on a journey whose course is foreshadowed by something Kit says in the aforementioned recording: "Nobody's coming out of this thing happy...especially not us." From their makeshift home in the woods and a brief, violent visit to an old friend of Kit's, to their dash for the mountains of Saskatchewan (which to Kit represent freedom beyond the reach of the law), we are given a window into Holly's private thoughts through the use of voice-over, a sometimes vapid, sometimes rambling commentary from a young girl that can also be frightening at times, like when she thinks after Kit commits a triple murder: "At this moment, I didn't feel shame or fear, but just kind of blah, like when you're sitting there and all the water's run out of the bathtub." Holly chitchats with a teenage girl, who is likely not much older than herself, surely knowing that the girl will most likely come to a bad end, and soon. Kit records nonsensical "advice" (for whose benefit, we're not quite sure) into a Dictaphone while holding a man and his housemaid hostage. The pair politely ask a man if they can borrow some gas before Kit pulls out a gun when the man refuses. Kit and Holly dance together in the glare of headlights while listening to Nat King Cole. We watch them drive though a great emptiness under painfully blue skies, heading somewhere, reaching for something, while seeming to not quite know where or what it is they are searching for. And all the while we remember those words spoken earlier in the film, "...especially not us." But as Kit concedes in that same recorded message: "I can't deny we've had fun, though." And the reason for it all? There is no reason here, no logic to these senseless acts of violence. It's best summed up in a line from the short story "Nebraska" by Tennessee Jones, a story inspired by the Bruce Springsteen song of the same name, which in turn was inspired by this film. When the girl asks the boy why he killed a man, he answers simply: "I don't think I need a reason for that. He was doing what he does, and here I am doing what I do."

Criterion Collection transfer as always looks amazing & contains exceptional. Exactly as Described & arrived on time!

A masterwork is a hard thing to come by, and once you find one, it becomes impossible to let it go. Make no mistake about it, Badlands is a masterpiece of the highest order. It is a film I might never recover from, like all of Terrence Malick's films, Badlands aims to get personal with its audience. Badlands has officially entered my top ten favorite films ever made. Chilling, haunting, sublime, and enigmatic, Badlands is a blessing. It is a film about a savage murder spree and the lovers who went through with it. Kit and Holly, played incredibly well by Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek, are the lovers on the run, killing anyone they see fit, all the while remaining charismatic, likable, and most of all, relatable. Just imagine if the films of Quentin Tarantino actually had soul. My interest in the films of Quentin Tarantino dwindles more and more as the years go by. I've come to the conclusion that the man is not only a hack but a thief, and his crimes against Badlands did not go unnoticed nor can they ever by forgiven or forgotten. If I could pick one word to describe the films of Terrence Malick, it would have to be 'poetry'. Badlands is one of the cinema's boldest and most chilling poems. I could go on forever about how I analyzed the film but these 'films of the day' are meant to be brief, so I'll spare myself the time and energy I'd spend on writing something that will never actually be read. Just know that the film is brilliant, in every single aspect, one the my favorite films of all time, and the best directorial debut ever. Beautiful and intimate, Badlands is a true treasure. Bare with me while I praise Martin Sheen. He was just incredible in the film. Badlands' Kit is quickly becoming one of my all time favorite screen characters. Sheen was extraordinary, and has definitely proven that he was one of the best actors of the seventies, and that's a pretty big accomplishment once you consider his contemporaries. I absolutely loved his performance. Great talent. The film is otherworldly, maybe even mystical. A visual poem full of lyrical beauty. I believe that Badlands best represents American cinema of the seventies. There is an intimacy that no other film, aside from maybe Malick's other ventures, has been able to match. An amazing film that I recommend to everyone I know. A top ten mainstay for me, and a film that like none other. An addictive film, I can watch Badlands over and over again, and I do. Kudos To Criterion For An EXCELLENT BLU RAY!

Could be disturbing for younger viewers . Definitely an adult movie . Show cases the talent of Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek .

My first Criterion film. Thought it was brand new, but it had a „used“ sticker on it. Guess I didn’t see that on the listing. Anyways, it works fine. Know I’m gonna like this movie.

This video was shipped quickly and arrived in good condition. This video is an enjoyable addition to my video collection! I am always impressed by the quality of the Criterion Collection versions of these films.

I really love this movie with a passion, it’s a weird but very great movie. Even for 1973 standards, the plot is shocking, interesting, and dramatic. Even the package itself is in super high quality! Not a single scratch is visible on the disc. A whopping 100/10!

Malick's movies would get more visually ambitious as his career went on, with sometimes a lesser emphasis on story over stunning visuals. This one however manages to maintain a nice balance between beautiful frames and an interesting storyline. It relies on great chemistry and performances from both leads, Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek, who both shine here with, arguably the best performance of their careers, at least on the movie side. Sheen manages to be compelling, interesting and charming while playing a clear psychopath, which is a testament to his charisma as an actor. This new Criterion collection has great image and sound, accompanied with great documentaries about the making of the movie, and the real life people the main characters are semi-based on. The only thing missing from this release is a 5.1 surround track, it only has a monaural one, and a commentary track on the movie, but sound and image are top notch, clearly some great care was put into restoring this great little movie. At 93 minutes it's a very quick experience, and when it's over it's sort of a shame that there is no more of both these interesting characters.

Malick's debut is a stunning achievement in cinematography and visual decadence. Malick was a Rhodes scholar who studied Heidegger and Wittgenstein among others, and one gets a sense from this film that the director is attempting to convey some sort of philosophical and holistic vision of the universe through the medium.

Great movie. Terrific customer service.

Every shot is like a painting. It’s a beautiful looking film. Easy 10/10 from me.

Fantastic movie which I have seen many times before but this is the version to see.