When we first meet Kit Carruthers (Martin Sheen) he’s a garbage collector with nothing better to do. Out walking one day, he meets Holly Sargis hanging out in her front yard. In his mid twenties, Kit is immediately attracted to Holly, and the two begin a courtship. A very gawky girl, Holly is guided more by curiosity than any outward intelligence. A very simple girl, at one point, she admits she loves Kit because he likes her even though she isn’t pretty and she isn’t popular.
Understandably, Holly’s father (Warren Oates) doesn’t approve of the relationship, and tries to prevent the two from seeing each other. Kit is unable to accept that, and goes to Holly’s house to take her away with him. He brings a gun with him, and when Holly’s father tries to foil Kit’s plan, he shoots the older man several times. As amoral as Kit eventually proves to be, and despite Malick’s apparent exoneration of her at the end as Kit’s puppet, Holly’s indifference during the killings feels just as horrific. When Kit shoots her father in cold blood with little provocation, she isn’t stunned; she doesn’t run to his aid, or call a doctor. Kit is some kind of sociopath, but she’s just dead inside.
On the run, anyone who comes across Kit and his gun us a potential target, while Holly reads movie magazines. To her, Kit looks and acts like James Dean, and that’s enough to keep her interested. Even so, as time passes, it becomes clear that while these two people have some sort of relationship, Malick has made them both far too immature to really know how to approach each other sexually. Unlike Bonnie and Clyde, their bleak adventure is far from the frivolous spree that news reports would make you believe. Moving from place to place, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake, they seem like exhausted business partners who take little pleasure in what their minds have forced them to do.
Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek play off each other beautifully here (though I couldn’t escape the feeling that Sheen was channeling Elvis Presley more than James Dean for his performance). Holly’s doomed father, Warren Oates, turns in a brief yet memorable performance, as does Ramon Bieri, as a former co-worker of Kit’s.
Framed at 1.85:1, Criterion’s standard DVD is as near to perfect as you could ever hope for. With no blemishes or marks, and remarkable clarity, Criterion has done a fine job here. Colors and detail look fabulous, which is wonderful, since Badlands was so beautifully shot.
The monaural soundtrack is flawless, well balanced with no distortion. Dialogue is clean and clear throughout the presentation.
English SDH subtitles are included.
The following special features are available:
- Making Badlands (41:25) Produced exclusively for Criterion in 2012, this documentary features new interviews with actors Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek and production designer Jack Fisk. They discuss the production and some of the issues they faced during filming, Charles Starkweather’s personality, Terrence Malick’s directing style and more.
- Interview with Producer Edward Pressman (12:34) Conducted exclusively for Criterion in New York in October 2012, Pressman discusses the multifaceted production history of Badlands.
- Interview with Associate Editor Billy Weber (21:52) Conducted exclusively for Criterion in November 2012, Weber discusses the unusual narrative structure of Badlands, and the film’s overall message.
- American Justice: Charles Starkweather (20:47) In this 1993 installment of the American television program, the focus is on Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate, who in 1958 went on a two-month killing spree across Nebraska and Wyoming. The characters in Badlands were loosely inspired by the couple.
- Trailer (2:56) Original theatrical trailer for Badlands.
- Booklet: An illustrated booklet featuring an essay by filmmaker Michael Almereyda.
