Natural Born Killers

Director: Oliver Stone
Writer: Quentin Tarantino (story)
David Veloz (screenplay) &
Richard Rutowski (screenplay) &
Oliver Stone (screenplay)

Release Date: 26 August 1994
Rated R

 

Cast:

Woody Harrelson as Mickey Knox
Juliette Lewis as Mallory Knox
Tom Sizemore as Det. Jack Scagnetti
Rodney Dangerfield as Ed Wilson, Mallory’s Dad
Everett Quinton as Deputy Warden Wurlitzer
Jared Harris as London Boy
Pruitt Taylor Vince as Deputy Warden Kavanaugh
Edie McClurg as Mallory’s Mom
Russell Means as Old Indian

 

Two victims of traumatized childhoods become lovers and psychopathic serial murderers irresponsibly glorified by the mass media.

Natural Born Killers is a 1994 crime film directed by Oliver Stone about a pair of mass murderers and the media coverage given to them. It stars Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis, along with Rodney Dangerfield, Robert Downey, Jr., Tom Sizemore, and Tommy Lee Jones.

The film is based on a screenplay by Quentin Tarantino that was heavily revised by Stone with writer Dave Veloz and associate producer Richard Rutowski. Notorious for its violent content, the film was named the 8th most controversial movie of all time by Entertainment Weekly

Trivia:

Michael Madsen was initially considered for the role of Mickey, but Warner Bros wanted somebody less intimidating, and with a softer persona, as they felt this might alleviate the brutality of the character somewhat.

During filming, director Oliver Stone would play African tribal music at full blast on the set, as a way of keeping a frantic mood.

The color green is used to indicate the sickness in Mickey’s mind and shows up prominently several times during the film: the key lime pie at the diner, the green neon at the drugstore, the green room in the prison.

This was Quentin Tarantino’s second feature length screenplay (his first was True Romance (1993)). The script was rewritten by director Oliver Stone, producer Richard Rutowski and screenwriter David Veloz prior to and during production. The finished film bears little resemblance to Tarintino’s original script.

According to director Oliver Stone, actor Rodney Dangerfield didn’t understand the film during shooting and didn’t understand what Stone was trying to do by shooting such a dark subject as a father molesting his daughter in the style of a 1950’s sitcom. As such, he found it very difficult to perform his part. Stone was delighted however when the film came out and Dangerfield’s performance was hailed as one of the movie’s strongest points.

Awards:

MTV Movie Awards
Best Kiss Juliette Lewis, Woody Harrelson nominated
Best On-Screen Duo Juliette Lewis, Woody Harrelson nominated

Golden Globe Awards
Best Director – Motion Picture nominated

 

 

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