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Natural Born Killers

"I love you Mickey!"

"I love you, Mallory!!!"


	Say Happy Birthday to Mallory!

	Happy Birthday!
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Hollyfeld, here. Three and a half years ago I met and fell in love with a woman you will all come to know as Mallory Knox. She was off-put by my madness, which I have never tried to conceal, but I thank God that she eventually let me come to know some madness of her own. Mallory Knox is a girl that lives in a world of Faeries, Vampires and Mass Murderers - a girl that believes in True Evil (in the shape of her mother-in-law) and True Love. Because of her, I believe in all these things as well. My world is now populated with creatures of every creed, and possibilities of every kind. Mallory Knox resides over this new universe - her throne a perfect mushroom, and her wings resting peacefully behind her. In honor of her birthday this Tuesday, May 29, I dedicate this week's Look Closers… to Mallory Knox, and two of her favorite movies.

"It's an acquired taste."

Mallory Knox is named after the main character in Natural Born Killers, played by that Screen Goddess, Juliette Lewis. Why do I call her this? Because like Mallory, my true love is sexy, insane, and every so often, when there's no one around, she kills me. I love her for that. I also love her for that fact that Natural Born Killers is one of her favorite films. I mean, how cool IS that?! Only one girl in a million can say something as totally awesome as that. This is a girl who gets off on a rant about how much Disney sucks, and how she'd like to do Angelina Jolie. (And she's fucking hot, too - a double threat, guys.) In fact, one of the reasons I keep her real identity a secret is because I am absolutely terrified that someone is going find out about her and try to steal her away from me. Now, to paraphrase Cyclops, if I had to worry about people staying away from my girl, she wouldn't BE my girl… but guys?

Stay away from my girl.

"That's the worst fucking head I ever got in my life! Next time don't be so fucking eager!"

Natural Born Killers was directed by Oliver Stone and released in 1994 after being stranded in the editing room for over 11 months, in order to get an R-rating from the MPAA. It got its R, but it's still hard to understand why. This film is violent - violence permeates throughout its very core - but more importantly, this is Oliver Stone's film ABOUT violence, and it never ceases to amaze me that so many people assume that since Natural Born Killers is about violent behavior, it automatically condones it. Oliver Stone, hardly an appropriate spokesperson for Generation X, uses the frantic MTV-style of filmmaking as a means of satirizing, broadly I might add, my generation's fascination and self-glorification of anti-social behavior.

"Mickey and Mallory are the best thing to happen to mass murder since Manson."

"Yeah! But they're way cooler!"

We live in a society mesmerized by violence. Where else could the O.J. Simpson Trial become a national obsession for over a year? In the film, Mickey and Mallory Knox (played by Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis) travel the country going through the ins and outs of love, just like any other couple, but also flamboyantly killing seemingly half the Midwest. The couple becomes a cult phenomenon, and the most popular celebrities in the country. And why not? They epitomize the sexy, dangerous lifestyle that all the movies and TV shows glorify. But behind all that are the very real reasons they became that way, realized by the disturbing sitcom style through which Stone explores Mallory's sexual abuse at the hands of her father, and her family's tolerance thereof.

"How sexy am I now, huh?! Flirty boy! HOW SEXY AM I NOW?!"

Now eventually Mickey and Mallory start to grow weary of acting out their anger, but before they are able to go straight they are arrested, and after yet another "Trial of the Century," they are sent to prison and forced to endure life without each other. Mallory is sentenced to life in prison, but Mickey doesn't have much time before he is put death. Enter Wayne Gayle, who has made the most lucrative career of all from his media coverage of the duo. Gayle snags an interview with Mickey, which is televised throughout the prison.

"Do you believe in Fate?"

Mickey's carefully chosen words both invigorate Gayle and his audiences, but also send the rest of his fellow prisoners into a massive riot - and in these chaotic moments Mickey is able to murder his guards and rescue his true love, with Gayle filming the whole thing on live television. Mickey and Mallory share a kiss that has been too long in the coming, and escape to live happily ever after. After killing Gayle of course, who never really understood their decisions and lives - only their popularity.

"The whole world's coming to an end, Mal!"

"I see Angels, Mickey. They're coming down for us from Heaven. And I see you riding a big red horse…"

There is, of course, far more to the film than that, but see it for your own damn self! Natural Born Killers, like most of my sweetheart's favorite films, contains two things: a strong, central female character, and a world similar to, but very much unlike our own. Oliver Stone's hyper-stylized creation gives us the ultimate female anti-hero in Mallory Knox, played to perfection by Juliette Lewis. (Lewis got the part, in fact, by asking Stone if he believed any of the other girls who auditioned could conceivably kill him… because she could!) The Mallory in the film is a girl who has her own strength, her own confidence, and her own personality, but is not afraid to share that with someone she honestly loves - and that person is Mickey, strong himself, and deeply in love in return. Not that they don't argue…

"Turn left? Turn left to what, you stupid bitch?!"

"You stupid bitch? You stupid bitch? You stupid bitch? Mickey, that's what my father used to call me! I thought you'd be a little more creative than that!"

…but like all great loving relationships (like mine), they overcome these temporary obstacles - like Mickey's rape of his hostage - and their bond is stronger for it. Their happy ending is truly a happy one, because they belong together, and have earned that right through shared hardship. Of course, others don't see it that way. But that is how Mallory and I view the characters, and that is what the film means to us.

"I don't think I'm gonna make it. I feel so cold."

"You're gonna make it, Mal. Get mad."


	What do you think of Natural Born Killers?

	Saw it, loved it! Saw it, it's okay. Saw it, it sucked. Want to see it. Don't want to see it. Nobody tells me what to watch!
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The story behind the making of Natural Born Killers is a long one that I will only touch upon here. Quentin Tarantino, who wrote the original screenplay, disowned the project after Stone made extensive re-writes. The shoot was plagued by heat, drug use and rising tensions between the actors. Hell, shotguns were fired in the air during filming, and violent music played, in order to preserve the appropriate mood. Actor Tom Sizemore's nose was broken during an on-screen fight with Juliette Lewis. Those interested in the whole story should check out the excellently-written Killer Instinct, by producer Jane Hamsher (highly recommended).

"I realized my true calling in life."

"What's that?"

"I'm a natural born killer."

What draws a girl to a film like Natural Born Killers? Is there something wrong with her? Yes, there is, and I sure as Hell don't want to be right. Like Mickey and Mallory, she and I are totally insane, and have our problems (I've been wise enough not go the "stupid bitch" route, of course), but we are simply meant to be. (I toyed with naming myself Mickey Knox for a while, but I decided to be a rebel and go the Hollyfeld route.) So if you see a gorgeous redhead and a large Italian guy on a murder spree on the news one day, that's probably just us, being who we are. Of course, if you see vampires or faeries on the news, that's just as likely to be us as well…

"We'll be living in all the oceans now."

Next time on Look Closer… we continue Mallory Knox week with Tim Burton's greatest film, a film that takes place in the world she and I really wish we lived in. See you soon, all, and to you Mallory? I love you with all my heart - Happy Birthday.

"I do. 'Til you and I die, and die, and die again. 'Till death do us part."

As always, Hollyfeld can be reached at hollyfeld_@hotmail.com

You there! You think you could do this job better than I can? Well, you might be right! Look Closer… is always looking for guest columnists, and you might as well be one of them. Just write a review of reasonable length for a movie that you think is under-rated, over-rated, no one knows, etc., and if it makes the grade we will print it in an edition of this column! Those whose reviews are published will also receive a free piece of (slightly cheesy and really inexpensive) promotional merchandise from a movie, to be sent when their review is published, courtesy of me. Just send any and all reviews to the above address. Thank you for reading and participating in the site!

Lazlo Hollyfeld is the pseudonym of an aspiring writer/actor/director located in Southern California. With one screenplay under his (collaborative) belt and more to come, he is sure to work his way up in the world with the help of his talented and close-knit group of friends, co-workers, and penguins. Yes, you heard me, penguins. A film student since before he can remember, he has devoted much of his life to the study of the silver screen and its related art forms.