Stone issues powerful warning

Imagine that you are running through a funhouse. You are surrounded by mirrors, loud noises blaring at you in discord, and a long disfigured hallway that goes on forever.

Natural Born Killers , Oliver Stone's latest project, successfully delves into an aspect of filmmaking that Hollywood has had difficulty portraying: the twisted and distorted mind of a psychopathic serial killer. Not only that, but Stone delivers a very powerful warning about the dangerous effects sensational television journalism can have on the mind of Americans.

The movie features two fugitive serial killers, Mickey and Mallory Knox (Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis), who torment the southwestern United States, mercilessly slaying innocent life with their arsenal of weapons. By the time of their capture, they have slain a total of 52 cops, men, women, and children.

What could cause this couple, who have family ideals, to maliciously murder people? Mickey and Mallory fit the typical profile of the serial killer; they came from families where sexual, verbal, and physical abuse were common throughout their childhood. Finally they "snap" and take out their rage on the source of their oppression, their parents. As their killing spree goes on, the process becomes such a routine procedure for these"demons" that they lose all feeling or emotion for those they murder. But Stone shows this unholy husband-and-wife team, hardened by the sight of gore, are not the true "demons" inhabiting the "silver-screen." The true monster lies within the American television audience which thrives on stories of their bloody massacres as told by British television journalist Wayne Gale (Robert Downey, Jr.). Gale hosts a top-rated television-magazine show called "American Maniacs." His obsession with Mickey and Mallory leads him through the country looking for these psychotic killers.

Other major cameo roles include Tommy Lee Jones as a cartoonish prison warden and Tom Sizemore as a cop/novelist who gets too interested in his subject matter. Rodney Dangerfield has a particularly disturbing role as Mallory's sexually abusive father.

The moviegoer is in for a twisted trip through "Hell and Back." Stone incorporates many bizarre film techniques, such as clips from old television sitcoms, skewed angles, blue or red shots, shots from black-and-white television monitors, and flashback shots that will leave the viewer startled and confused throughout the entire film.

One of the most disturbing scenes comes at the end where Stone flashes news clips from various "hot" stories of the recent past, such as the John Wayne Bobbit case, the O.J. Simpson hearings, and the Amy Fisher/Joey Buttafuoco liaison. Stone shows America has become a monster who craves stories of the "bad and the ugly."

Realizing this, I begin to wonder if I am one of those perverse "monsters" whose mind has become warped by the whims of sensational television journalism. Stone accomplished his goal when I realized that yes, I am fascinated by a world of sex scandals, violence and corruption.

Natural Born Killers will leave you analyzing your own motives when you turn on the news at 6 o'clock.