WARNING: This Article May Contain Spoilers
Given that it’s supposedly the most romantic day of the year tomorrow, why not have an article focused on couples? Now consider who’s writing this article – these aren’t going to be your romantic “lovey-dovey” couples. When people think of killer couples, I’m sure the first people that come to mind are Bonnie and Clyde, and because of that I didn’t include them but wanted to present some slightly more twisted lovers…
Natural Born Killers
Just from the opening scene, it’s hard to tell who the crazier of this killer pair is – Mickey or Mallory? I won’t pretend this film isn’t weird, especially with the way it almost seems to trivialise the fact that her father sexually abused her as a young woman when they show Mallory and Mickey’s love story but that just adds to how good the film is! It’s surprisingly romantic film in a twisted sort of way because the only reason they start killing is to free Mallory from her family. They even go through the typical ups and downs of a relationship; however you do wonder if it’s the thrill of the kill they love more than each other. I have to admit, if I hadn’t read at the beginning it was a story by Tarantino, I may have figured it out as the film went on. I slightly lost the order of events though, unsure if the scene at the beginning had even happened yet.
Badlands
I’ll be honest, the main draw for me using this film was Sissy Spacek because I absolutely loved her in Carrie. Kit and Holly’s relationship starts out like a typical couple, he introduces himself and their love builds through conversations and long walks together. I guess some would see this as a questionable choice as most of the killings in this film are committed by Kit alone instead of both of them and Holly’s only mistake is falling in love with a man 10 years older than her, but she never stops him and agrees to go on the run with him. There’s no real reason behind most of the murders either, outside of maybe Kit killing her father because he can’t keep away from Holly and wants her to come with him. While Mickey Knox in Natural Born Killers is fuelled by the thrill of the kill, I honestly feel that Kit runs off of pure paranoia. There’s no indication that the three men in the forest were looking for them other than what he tells Holly.
Side Note: I realised watching this film quite how much Emilio Esteves and Charlie Sheen actually look like their dad, Martin Sheen, who plays Kit Carruthers! I know, it’s not important but I felt it needed to be said!
The Honeymoon Killers
I didn’t mention this before but the above film, Badlands, was loosely-based on a real-life murder spree in 1958. Well, much like that, this film was also based on the true story of The Lonely Hearts Killers, Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck. So much so, that our lead characters keep their real names. I could find nothing to show that Beck was a victim of Fernandez’ con like the film suggests, however her devotion to this man was real. I felt originally that these murders had stemmed from Martha’s jealousy, and I guess the killing of Myrtle Young ends up being exactly that. However, it’s clear Martha loves Ray, but I feel he is just in love with the power he has over her as he tells her to kill Janet with the hammer “if she loves him”. There’s something about the black and white that make Janey and Delphine’s deaths look more disturbing.
True Romance
Truthfully, Christian Slater was going to end up on this list one way or another. It was either going to be Heathers or this and I felt True Romance was more appropriate. This almost starts like a romantic comedy between Clarence and Alabama, they meet at the cinema, casually go for pie together and end up sleeping together. There’s even romantic music! For the first time in this whole article, it’s her that leads him into trouble, not the other way around! They fall in love quickly and, because Clarence is a nice guy as well as a little bit crazy considering it’s the voice of Elvis that guides him to what he does, he chooses to kill Drexl, her pimp, to set Alabama free, but this brings a world of trouble! I’d actually remembered there being a lot more to this film, more violence. It takes until 40 minutes from the end for Alabama to kill someone herself but, unlike most of the couples in this article, these to kill for survival! You’d say Alabama’s is self-defence but she goes a little too far for that to stand up in court! Now here’s a question, the majority of the violence at the end of the film isn’t committed by Clarence and Alabama but can we say they technically killed all those people indirectly as it is their situation that brings them together?
Bride of Chucky
I couldn’t exactly write this article and not include one of the most sadistic killer couples in horror now could I? What starts out as one woman’s obsession to bring back her ex-lover becomes a rekindled relationship bathed in blood! Tiff is actually the first one to kill, slitting the throat of the cop who steals Chucky from the evidence locker. They’re also not your typical killers because they’re dolls! It’s slightly cheesier than the earlier Child’s Play films but there’s just something about Tiff and Chucky’s twisted relationship that makes the film brilliant! Interestingly, this film actually references Mickey and Mallory Knox, as if they were real people! I seemed to remember their body count being much higher than it is but I think that credit goes to the next film down, however – Tiff does have the best kill in the whole article when she kills the con artists that steal Jade and Jesse’s money.
Eating Raoul
OK, I know I said that Natural Born Killers is pretty weird but that was more because of the way it was filmed. This film on the other hand, is weird to the point that in places it reminds me of Blood Diner. Now, this couple start out as accidental killers. Paul ends up murdering a couple of men to protect his wife which sets them on a dark path to earn the money for their restaurant. I’ll be honest, based on the title of the film, I was expecting something very different. Especially as the title doesn’t come to fruition until right at the end! A lot less cannibalism but a lot of people killed with a frying pan! What begins as two people plotting to kill rich, sexual perverts turns into a crime of survival. I guess in a weird way you could say this is a killer throuple instead of couple, seeing as Paul and Mary are married and she is having an affair with Raoul.
