Natural Born Killers (1994), the bizzare, controversial, and extremely violent motion picture directed by Oliver Stone, has managed to uplift some major thoughts on media control and propaganda. Considered as a non-comedic satire by many, the film implements odd camera techniques, effects, and outrageous violence to tell its story of a pair of psychotic serial killers who were carelessly adored by the media for their erratic behavior and actions.
The plot, simple as it is, follows a psychopathic couple's murderous rampage (named Mickey and Mallory Knox) in New Mexico, Arizona, and the Nevada desert while being glorified by Australian TV journalist Wayne Gale (as portrayed by Robert Downey Jr.).
Natural Born Killers was just one of those films that blew me away with its aberrant, in-your-face type of storytelling. The movie frequently features cartoons, alternating colors, quick shots of carnage, and various unusual camera tricks/effects to symbolize the shifting moods/thoughts of the characters. Although the violence can be too excessive (and even downright unsettling) at times, its almost cartoonish form sort of adds more to the satire Stone indended the movie to be.
Perhaps one of my favorite scene in the movie is when Mickey (played by Woody Harrelson) first meets his soon-to-be-wedded psychopath, Mallory (Juliette Lewis). What makes it so special is that the whole sequence was filmed in the style of a 1950's sitcom, titled "I Love Mallory". The canned laughter used during moments where Mallory is being constantly berated by her father in the scene adds more to to the awkwardness and unsettling mood of the film. Here's the scene below (Warning: some graphic language is used):
However, the driving force of the movie would probably be Downey Jr.'s eccentric performance as the snobbish self-centered TV journalist, Wayne Gale. Aside from the performance, Wayne Gale's character is quite an interesting symbolic figure on the workings of the media, and how it can drastically affect people's perspective on certain issues (in one scene, teenagers are seen praising Mickey and Mallory in pubilc protests, claiming them to be the perfect role model for everyone). In one particular bedazzling moment, Gale interviews Mickey in prison towards the end of the movie, and a very quick shot of him emerges in the screen with the image of Satan (or so it appears):
This possibly symbolizes how the media can be utterly atrocious and detrimental to its viewers in an almost devil-like way. The idea might not stray far from the truth, and some questions must be raised on the media and its personal benefits if it chooses to be like Wayne Gale.
Some call Natural Born Killers hypocritical, grotesque, and a mindless glorification of violence. I see the movie and I love it. The controversy surrounding it makes it even better. Highly recommended.
you provide an on target assessment of the portrayal of the media as an evil machine influencing an impressionable audience (teenagers). what is oliver stone's message about the role/power of the media? since stone is, himself, part of the media, what are his motivations?
ReplyDeletei remember watching this movie when it came out and finding it very disturbing on many levels, yet extremely clever. i am now curious to take another look at it over a decade later.