Monday, September 17, 2012

Visual Parallels: Wild at Heart + Natural Born Killers

This month's visual comparison is dedicated to David Lynch's Wild at Heart and Olivier Stone's Natural Born Killers. Both tell the story of mad love between two people, damaged, hurt and finding consolation and happiness in each other arms.

Mallory and Lula were both abused in the past and it's the love that set them free. Mickey and Sailor are both violent, angry and willing to do anything for the women they love. Both couples are being chased - by Lula's insane mother who doesn't want her daughter to be with sailor and Mickey and Mallory are on the run from the police, especially unhinged detective played by Tom Sizemore. Both films also have elements that are borrowed from road trip movies including cheap motels, driving at night, diners and weird people and incidents that they come across.

During their trips both couples come across various temptations, obstacles and difficulties but in the end it is love that conquers all. Both films end in similar way - where the characters are finally reunited and get their happy ending after all.
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23 comments:

  1. thevoid99September 17, 2012 at 10:45 PM

    Great visual comparison. One could be made the case with True Romance as that and NBK were written by Quentin Tarantino as both films were inspired by Terrence Malick's Badlands.

    BTW, which version of NBK did you see? I still have my VHS copy of the Director's Cut.

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    1. s.September 19, 2012 at 7:08 PM

      Thanks! I saw Wild at Heart, NBK and True Romance in one day - I know both NBK and TR are written by Tarantino and have influences from Badlands, but I always felt Wild at Heart was a bit more similiar. Funnily enough, TR is my favorite out of three.

      I saw both theatrical and director's cut, I think the screencaps are from theatrical cut, though.

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  2. ChrisSeptember 18, 2012 at 12:10 AM

    Wonderful comparison, Willem Dafoe was incredibly creepy in that performance!
    You know another movie that is comparable to Wild at Heart? The Fugitive Kind (1959) with Marlon Brando(the snakeskin jacket, anyway)

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    1. s.September 19, 2012 at 7:15 PM

      Oh God, he is! His teeth are among the most gross thing I've seen in films.

      I'm gonna have to check this one out, Brando and the snakeskin jacket sounds awesome!

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  3. ruthSeptember 18, 2012 at 1:09 AM

    I saw Natural Born Killers ages ago but not Wild At Heart. Seems like they do have a lot in common. I also thought of True Romance as well.

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    1. s.September 19, 2012 at 7:19 PM

      Wild at Heart is really good - especially at first time viewing. It's Lynchian but it is comprehensible :)

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  4. Dave EnkoskySeptember 18, 2012 at 1:25 AM

    I'm not really a fan of NBK but this was a cool piece.

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  5. AndinaSeptember 18, 2012 at 5:46 AM

    I never watch both so I really can't compare. But the visuals you put does have similarity. Nice work, Sati!

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    1. s.September 19, 2012 at 7:22 PM

      Thank you! You should check those two out, really great films especially NBK!

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  6. AnonymousSeptember 18, 2012 at 10:06 AM

    Excellent stuff. Love Natural Born Killers, but haven't seen Wild at Heart. from the looks of things, I don't need to either!

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    1. s.September 19, 2012 at 7:23 PM

      Glad you love NBK, definetly my favorite Oliver Stone movie!

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  7. JoshSeptember 18, 2012 at 5:49 PM

    Brilliant post! NBK is great, and Wild at Heart is going at the top of my watchlist now.

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    1. s.September 19, 2012 at 7:24 PM

      Thank you! I hope you'll like it - it's one of the most accesible films by Lynch but it still has his trademark weirdness to it.

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  8. Scott LawlorSeptember 19, 2012 at 9:31 AM

    You do have a brilliant eye matey!! Well done

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  9. AnonymousSeptember 19, 2012 at 11:57 AM

    Excellent stuff here Sati. Personally I prefer Lynch's film but I'm very impressed with how you put this together.

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    1. s.September 19, 2012 at 7:45 PM

      Thank you! I loved Wild at Heart upon first viewing, but with repeated ones I found it a bit too stange for my liking, still like the movie a lot, though!

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  10. Alex WithrowSeptember 19, 2012 at 4:46 PM

    You've done it again. Love love love this!

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  11. UnknownSeptember 21, 2012 at 5:22 AM

    Wild at Heart is a movie that screams to be on Blue Rayu. Damn I love these posts. You put so much good work into them that I love seeing what new comparisons you will come up with next.

    Oh btw I love love love your Alabama Worley avatar

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    1. s.September 22, 2012 at 3:10 PM

      Oh absolutely, the cinematography is gorgeous in this one and blu ray with the movie would be fantastic.

      Thank you! I've recently rewatched the movie and fell in love with her character.

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  12. davidlyFebruary 9, 2013 at 5:25 PM

    Good eye! I remember when I saw NBK and felt the story arc paralleled that of Wild at Heart very much: An example is the general tone (and moods of the characters) turn similarly at the scenes where Sailor & Lula come upon the car wreck, and Mickey kills the Old Indian.

    As far as imagery: I'd swear that the most dramatic similarity is when Sailor/Mickey are taking a leak while Lula/Mallory sit in the car. Like, isn't there a similar image of Sailor to the one during which Mickey says, "The whole world's coming to an end, Mal." or is that my imagination?

    Plus: Stone's use of a super-Lynchian close-up of a bug on the road.

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    1. s.February 9, 2013 at 11:15 PM

      Thanks! Yeah I noticed a lot of similarities back when I first saw two movies, the stories are quite alike.

      I remember the scene with the Mickey, but I cannot recall the one with Sailor, but I'm sure it happens somewhere!

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