Together With

Badlands – Working Titles

We look at the timeless style of Terrance Malick's classic film 'Badlands' starring Martin Sheen & Sissy Spacek.

Luke McDonald

Working Titles takes a closer look at specific films with a denim and workwear aesthetic with the goal of examining the material’s shifting cultural image.

When Badlands was released in 1973, no one had seen anything like it. It’s not that the story was unique; renegade lovers on the run from the law was familiar territory for Hollywood (Arthur Penn’s classic Bonnie & Clyde had come out only 6 years earlier). Still, in director Terrance Malick’s hands, the treatment of this material was anything but routine.

He was a first-time director and former Rhodes scholar who, after several poorly received scripts in Hollywood (including the produced but unreleased Deadhead Miles), was determined to see his writing done justice. He financed the film with $25,000 of his own money and what he could cobble together from small-time investors.

The film was inspired by real-life serial killer Charles Starkweather, a James Dean-obsessed teen psychopath who went on a sensationalized killing spree with his girlfriend in the late 1950s. Malick takes the basic elements of that story and turns them into a dreamy meditation on the American landscape, his direction giving as much attention to wind blowing in grass as it does to grisly murders.

The protagonists, Kit and Holly — played brilliantly by Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek — are seemingly barely aware of the carnage they inflict; for them, it is a wild adventure or a fairytale (further emphasized by the dreamy chimes of the soundtrack and Holly’s plainspoken narration). The film was beautifully shot, with widescreen vistas full of oil rigs and desolate landscapes, which often dwarf the couple’s high-speed escapes.

Despite the purposefully detached and artistic quality, Badlands struck a nerve upon release, even overshadowing Martin Scorsese’s debut, Mean Streets. The reception was so positive that Warner Bros. purchased the film for 3 times its $500,000 budget.

/ In Partnership with Iron & Resin /

Iron & Resin's Hudson Jacket - The Perfect Transitional Companion

Long before it became a style staple, a Liner was a piece of workwear used to make servicemen's M-65s suitable for harsh winter conditions. And while the OGs will always have their place, the wide-armed and generally oversized fit isn't for everyone.

Enter Iron & Resin's Hudson Jacket, a homage to the liners of yore, made up in a rugged nylon 'Fujitreck' with cotton twill welting reinforcements. The silhouette has been cleaned up for a regular fit, with the addition of ribbed cuffs making all the difference.

Lightweight insulation means the Hudson can take the edge off colder weather without weighing you down, making it the perfect companion for the transition to fall and beyond. And when the temps plummet, you can go old school and layer this under your favorite coat for serious heat retention.

Get your Hudson at Iron & Resin today.

Style

The clothing style of the film is pure Americana. Kit’s uniform is a Type II Levi’s denim jacket paired with a slubby white T-shirt and straight leg jeans, while Holly wears an oversized Oxford shirt that looks like it was borrowed from Kit, or a white blouse, with classic straight leg jeans, white bobby socks, and some black penny loafers.

This was the casual outfit of a generation of post-war youth, and in 2015, you can’t help but admire its timeless simplicity and practicality. As a costuming choice, it also saves the film from looking too strongly like a period piece. While most films set in the past will place emphasis on their otherness by including distinctive fashion from the era, the fact is that most everyday people would be wearing quite modest clothing, far from the bolder looks of major city centers that might demand our attention.

Badlands sidesteps this by using working clothes that, in many ways, have remained the same decades after the film’s release. As Malick himself said,

Kit Carruthers

Kit’s look is pure Americana, inspired by James Dean. Especially nice is the short, boxy cut of his Type II jacket with its generous pockets, a transitional design between the original workwear and the later trucker style fits.

For his tee, we’ve gone with The Real McCoy’s MC24014 Undershirt – a reproduction of a classic military undershirt that has the relaxed neck, short sleeves, and slim fit of Kit’s. The Jeans? TCB 50’s – a reproduction of 50s Levi’s 501s that fits this look perfectly. For the Type II, it’s Sugar Cane‘s 1953  Type II Denim Jacket, again, a reproduction of 50s Levi’s articles. The broad-ish ring belt is from Billykirk, and the boots are some Chisos No.5, which are a bit more reserved than Kit’s but more wearable nonetheless.

TCB 50’s Jeans – $195 at Franklin & Poe.

The Real McCoys MC24014 Undershirt, Cotton, Summer White – $85 at Lost & Found.

Billykirk No. 618 Ring Belt – $125 at Billykirk

Sugar Cane 1953 Type II Denim Jacket – $279 at Redcast Heritage.

Chisos No. 5 Boots – $595 at Chisos

Like this? Read these:

The Holdovers – Working Titles

Working Titles – Rebel Without a Cause