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The "REAL" Natural Born Killers...............
by Walter (movies profile)
Jan 7, 2006
7
of
8 people found this review helpful
In 1954 a teenage girl meets a guy who models his looks after James Dean (Hollywood's original rebel) and they embark on a twisted journey of love and death. Based on actual facts of these real life serial killers. Across the Nebraska farm lands on December 1, 1957 Charles Starkweather murdered Lincoln gas station attendant, Robert Colvert. After robbing the gas station, Starkweather kidnapped Colvert and drove him to a secluded spot where he executed him with several shots to the head.
Almost two months later, Starkweather, while waiting for his girlfriend, 14 year old Caril Ann Fugate to return home, kills her mother and stepfather with a rifle. When Caril returned home, he strangled Caril's two year old sister in her bed, after which he went to the kitchen where he prepared sandwiches for lunch.
Starkweather hid the bodies at various places outside the house. The two stayed in the house for two days telling visitors that people they were there to see were sick and couldnt come out.
This is a glimpse of the life that was about to begin for these two deadly youngsters. Although you clearly get the notion that Fugate didnt totally agree with her lovers murdering spirit, she loves him until she becomes tired of being on the run and realizes that she eventually will die if she doesnt leave Starkweather.
Starkweather was executed by electric chair on June 25, 1959. He was 19 years old. Fugate was sentenced to life in prison, but was paroled in 1977. "Badlands" follows their journey with amazing and disturbing visuals. The direction is excellent and the chemistry between Sissy Spacek and Martin Sheen flows out of the screen.
Badlands is a real-life "Natural Born Killers" and im almost sure that Starkweather and Fugate's story inspired Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers". If you find the study of serial killers interesting , you will enjoy "Badlands".
I knew about the Starkweather-Fugate killings because I read the book a few years ago titled "Wasteland" , the book has more gory details than the movie but I recommend both the film and the book. So watch the film and decide for yourself wether it's DVD Collection material. For me, it was a must own. |
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