I saw "Badlands" last night

[HEyHEY]

Meh, I think a movie chronically Charles Starkweather's exploits would have been muchmore interesting. Instead of one just based on them.

[Aristus]

1. Still, an incredible performance by Martin Sheen.

"Badlands" and "Apocalypse, Now" should be seen by every Sheen fan who knows him only for "The West Wing". He is an amazingly good actor, and does explosive anger better and more frighteningly than any one else.

[HEyHEY]

2. True, he was awesome in it

[Sequoia]

6. What was the movie where he was running for President

and held the baby up as a shield against a bullet? I'm sure it was him.

[MrCoffee]

7. The Dead Zone

[Sequoia]

8. Thanks.

[Aristus]

9. Here's a clip fom"The Dead Zone". God, how prophetic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1VHSQV0yn8

[Lisa]

12. and he DID become President!

Thanks to Aaron Sorkin!

[Aristus]

13. Yes, but as Jed Bartlet, not Greg Stillson.

Martin Sheen is my man-crush. B-)

[Lisa]

15. I have to admit that, ever since the West Wing ...

.... I have not been able to watch that scene without laughing (because Jed Bartlet was a couple of decades away, but destined to become an even more famous character than Greg Stillson). And knowing that Martin Sheen is nothing like Stillson in real life actually makes his freak-out more enjoyable to watch. (Also his portrayal of the bad guy in that Jodie Foster movie.)

It's almost a pity that he will probably not be asked to do quite as many "young, dangerous psycho" roles, now that he's older (and his Bartlet role is so well known).

I'm very fond of that original "Dead Zone" movie, because I grew up near where it was filmed, and watch it whenever I feel homesick (on the other side of the country). Another thing -- one of the other actors, Nicholas Campbell, is a particular fave of mine ... he has similar politics to Sheen's, and he went on to portray the mayor of Vancouver in "DaVinci's City Hall".

[CBGLuthier]

3. I don't think it would have been very good

In Badlands, you can almost see him as a romantic figure.

In real life, he was a sickening murderer who bludgeoned a 2 year old to death with a shotgun while slaughtering her whole family.

Now, sadly, there may be an audience for that. In fact, there is a movie based on Starkweather but having no interest I do not know if it depicts what a sick, sad fuck he truly was.

[HEyHEY]

4. But, don't you kinda wonder why

He was such a sick, sad fuck? That's what I'm interested in.

[CBGLuthier]

5. no, not really

I just accept that every once in a while a monster is either born or created and that is just part of life.

There are plenty of books and internet space devoted to his life. I don't think a movie would add much.

Here is the other movie. Not on any media but runs on cable every once in a while

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0404456/

[martymar64]

10. Terence Malick at his best

As opposed to Thin Red Line - WWII as fought by philosophy students. Blech!!!
New World is somewhere in the middle.

[mitchum]

11. Well, you can watch "Murder In The Heartland", then...

and decide which is the better film.
I lay you money that it will be "Badlands"

[LiberalHeart]

14. Badlands is one of those rare films I've watched several times

I love the performance by Sheen and Spacek, the script is extremely well-written, and the film work is often gorgeous (right from the very first moments).

[Kat45]

16. I loved that movie.

I haven't seen it for a long time.

[Lautremont]

17. No way.

I'll take a piece of cinema over a piece of reportage every time. The movie you describe - a chronicle of Starkweather's upbringing and his crimes, with mucho sucky psychological investigation - sounds like some lame-ass MOW. Ooh, his daddy beat him, ooh, his mommy didn't love him, ooh, who cares. Give me those performances, that music, that photography, that weird Spacek voice-over any day of the week.

[REP]

18. Not A Good Documentary, But a Great "Film"

I rarely call a movie a "film" - too pretentious - but "Badlands" is good enough to be something more than just celluloid fun. Excellent acting, great soundtrack, and Martin Sheen at his most gorgeous.

In reality, Starkweather's girlfriend (I forget her name offhand) was more than just a passive observer and Starkweather was neither as attractive nor as articulate as Sheen.

[cemaphonic]

19. Hey, don't forget Warren Oates.

It's a great movie, although I like "Day's of Heaven" a bit more.