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-== NATURAL
BORN KILLERS ==-
The media made them superstars.
In the media circus of life, they were
the main attraction.
Oliver Stone's audacious satire of America's fascination with ultraviolent
characters (from a story by Quentin Tarantino) is so extreme that
it becomes more a symptom than a cure. The film's muddled viewpoint
is exacerbated by its hyperkinetic, fragmented, MTV-ish visual
style. Jaggedly assaulting the viewer's senses, Stone manages to
numb and distance any emotional response with his rhetorical overkill.
Still, Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis are mesmerizingly repellent
as the young couple on a killing spree who become lionized by Geraldo-like
TV reporter Robert Downey, Jr. The unexpurgated director's cut,
subsequently released on laser disc, carries the violence to even
more outrageously operatic proportions. --Joseph
McBride
This blood-filled action drama represents Oliver Stone's
entry into the venerated tradition of Bonny and Clyde. The film is
divided into two parts; stylistically the film resembles an acid trip
with a myriad of color, black and white images, and off kilter camera
work. The first half chronicles the cross-country killing spree of
the young couple who shot and killed 52 people. The second half is
perhaps more horrific than the first as the two become cultural heroes.
Mickey and Mallory are deeply in love. They show their love by killing;
they really enjoy it. During the spree they gain national notoriety
after they appear on a tabloid TV show: "American Maniacs,"
hosted by Wayne Gale. They are finally captured after they kill a
kindly Native American who provided hospitality for them.
They are imprisoned and Wayne Gale, shooting for his highest ratings
ever, interviews them from prison on Super Bowl Sunday. Simultaneously,
the prison warden has decided to end the lives of the famous duo and
hires a hitman to do it quietly. During the interview, Mickey senses
something is amiss and he starts an enormous riot. Amidst the ensuing
chaos, Mickey and Mallory escape. --
Sandra Brennan, All-Movie Guide
.
PRODUCTION:
| Produced by: |
Warner Bros. [us] / IXTLAN Productions/New
Regency Pictures / J D Productions |
| Language: |
English |
| Runtime: |
USA:118 / UK:119 / Norway:119
/ Sweden:119 |
| Distributed by: |
Alcor Films / Monarchy Enterprises
B.V. / Regency Enterprises/Regency Entertainment / Vidmark
Entertainment (Director's Cut Video Release) / Warner Bros.
[us] / Warner Home Video [us] (video) |
| Directed by |
Oliver Stone |
| Written by |
Richard Rutowski
Oliver Stone
Quentin Tarantino (story)
David Veloz |
| Cinematography by |
Robert Richardson |
| Music by |
Tom Hajdu (as tomandandy) (additional)
Brent Lewis
Andy Milburn (as tomandandy) (additional)
Trent Reznor |
| Production Design by |
Victor Kempster |
| Costume Design by |
Richard Hornung |
| Film Editing by |
Brian Berdan
Hank Corwin |
| Produced by |
Risa Bramon Garcia (associate)
Jane Hamsher
Arnon Milchan (executive)
Thom Mount (executive)
Don Murphy
Richard Rutowski (associate)
Clayton Townsend
Rand Vossler (co-producer) |
CAST (in credits order):
| Woody Harrelson |
Mickey Knox |
| Juliette Lewis |
Mallory Wilson
Knox |
| Robert Downey Jr. |
Wayne Gale |
| Tommy Lee Jones |
Dwight McClusky
|
| O-Lan Jones |
Mabel |
| Ed White |
Pinball Cowboy
|
| Richard Lineback |
Sonny |
| Lanny Flaherty |
Early Hickey |
| Carol-Renee Modrall |
Short Order Cook
|
| Rodney Dangerfield |
Ed Wilson |
| Edie McClurg |
Mrs. Wilson |
| Sean Stone |
Kevin Wilson |
| Jerry Gardner |
Work Boss |
| Jack Caffrey |
Work Boss |
| Leon Skyhorse Thomas |
Work Boss |
|
