lovers on the run: vol. 2

"He wanted to die with me and I dreamed of being lost forever in his arms."

"Our time with each other was limited and each lived for the precious hours when he or she could be with the other, away from all the cares of the world."

"Kit made a solemn vow that he would always stand beside me and let nothing come between us. He wrote this out in writing, put the paper in a box with some of our little tokens and things, then sent it off in a balloon he'd found while on the garbage route. His heart was filled with longing as he watched it drift off. Something must've told him that we'd never live these days of happiness again, that they were gone forever."

Badlands is one of our favorite movies from the "lovers on the run" series, a twisted but beautifully shot and narrated story of man (Kit) who goes on a multi-state killing spree, while seducing a young girl (Holly) to come along with him.  Long, sad shots of the empty, empty midwest, strange and violent interactions with the townspeople, and a haunting voice-over narrative by Sissey Spacek make this a very poetic film.  Holly's naive and romantic comments take everything we see on the screen and turn into a moving, innocent journey.  At the end, though, Holly leaves us only with Kit's violence, and the illusion of love is shattered.  The style in this film is great - the 1950's as seen through the 1970's, and the gauzy, hazy shots make it all seem like a dream...