
At about the same time, the Badlands film directed by Terrence Malick, and starring Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek was on general release in New York (24th March 1974) and Los Angeles (29th March 1974). The story, though fictional, is loosely based on the real-life murder spree of Charles Starkweather and his girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, in 1958. The San Francisco Chronicle ran advertisements for the film, which may very well have prompted a reaction from the Symbionese Liberation Army, who were still fighting for the release of S.L.A members Joseph Remiro and Russell Little. On May 8th 1974 a communication was mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle, stating "Sirs -- I would like to expression my consternation concerning your poor taste + lack of sympathy for the public, as evidenced by your running of the ads for the movie "Badlands," featuring the blurb: "In 1959 most people were killing time. Kit + Holly were killing people." In light of recent events, this kind of murder-glorification can only be deplorable at best (not that glorification of violence was ever justifiable) why don't you show some concern for public sensibilities + cut the ad? A citizen." The Symbionese Liberation Army [supposition] could not understand, from their perspective, the hypocrisy of running advertisements for the 'Badlands' movie glorifying the murder of innocent civilians, while at the same time aiding their newspaper circulation by protracted coverage of the murder of Marcus Foster by Remiro and Little. The Chronicle, as they saw it, was benefiting financially from the murder-glorification of "recent events" (Marcus Foster) that they personally felt wronged by.