MovieChat Forums > Natural Born Killers (1994) Discussion > Oliver Stone had a great story and ruine...

Oliver Stone had a great story and ruined it

posted 3 years ago by Poozer91 (571)
6 replies | jump to latest

Had all the ingredients for a well made movie. An original story by Quentin Tarantino and a great cast. Instead Stone adds bizarre elements, such as a sitcom laugh track at one point (almost turned the film off) as well as cross cutting to psychedelic imagery. Characters go way over the top: Tommy Lee Jones, Rodney Dangerfield, RDJ, and Juliet Lewis are the standouts. Toppin it off with totally unrealistic scenes: maximum security prisons do not have that much over crowding, Harrelson's character would never be removed from restraints during the interview nor walk around and tell a joke, and even if they broke out of jail they would never enjoy it, as a massive manhunt would make living virtually impossible.

[–] Redsfan001 (6004) 3 years ago

This was the first movie I walked out of the theater before it ended.

I went in thinking Stones approach would be similar to Wall Street (1987)and Platoon (1986)....it wasn't.

Stone was obviously given full creative control over his work. Kind of like a musician messing with experimental sounds, Stone was experimenting with different styles. (I think he was influenced by MTV videos)

Some people love it. A bizarre and unique film in Hollywood history. I however prefer a more traditional approach to movie making.

[–] Poozer91 (571) 3 years ago

That you for the response. Yes, it is absolutely a polarizing film (Ebert gave it 4 stars). Just curious, what scene did you walk out on? What was the audience reaction; were they baffled by the movie or digging it? I am really interested in how the movie was received by movie goers so any reactions who be great.

[–] Redsfan001 (6004) 3 years ago

I watched a matinee so it wasn't very full, maybe 20-30 people, not enough to gauge audience reaction.

Not 100% on when I left, but I'm pretty sure it was the scene where Rodney Dangerfield's character was sexually abusing/harassing his daughter...weird scene with mixed up colors and rotating camera like a washing machine....I thought if Stone can make Dangerfield, one if the funniest men on the planet, despicable, I really have no interest in this film. I also realized that this film will have no protagonist....kind of a horror film.

It was too much like watching a 2 hr MTV music video, disjointed...all over the place.

[–] whynotwriteme (7121) 3 years ago

I'm not a huge fan of this movie, but everything you objected to was obviously a conscious, planned detail that Stone included to highlight the theme of the film: American media's glorification and celebration of violence and the poison effect it has had on American society.

[–] Kowalski (57954) 3 years ago

I DISAGREE...I THINK THE FILM IS EXACTLY AS STONE INTENDED AND AS IT SHOULD BE...ITS EXCELLENT.

[–] Drooch (5333) 3 years ago

Stone is just so eager to take a massive dump on America at every opportunity that he’s happy to throw credibility and subtlety aside to beat you over the head with his point.