The Real Badlands
| The Real Badlands | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Tim Clark Craig Ford |
| Written by | Tim Clark |
| Produced by | Tim Clark Craig Ford Emily Renshaw Smith |
| Starring | Simon Burgess Susan Moran |
| Cinematography | Tim Clark Craig Ford |
| Edited by | Tim Clark Craig Ford |
| Music by | Tim Clark |
| Distributed by | Rockwood Pictures Current TV |
Release date |
|
Running time | 7 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £100 |
| Box office | £1000 |
The Real Badlands is a 2009 documentary film produced by Current TV and Rockwood Pictures, by British filmmakers Tim Clark and Craig Ford. The film tells the story of a Newark-on-Trent couple (Simon Burgess and Susan Moran), who fed up with modern-day life, quit their jobs, sell all of their possessions, and move into the woods.
Controversy
[edit]The film was particularly controversial upon its release due to inaccurate claims that the film was staged; it was claimed that the film was in fact a mockumentary. The filmmakers publicly denied these claims in a written statement read out live on Current TV, minutes after the film was broadcast.[1]
Locations
[edit]The film was shot in Stapleford Woods and Kelham, near Newark-on-Trent, during the summer and winter of 2008.[2]
Exhibition
[edit]The Real Badlands was broadcast by Current TV on 30 January 2009.[3] It has been repeated numerous times since its initial broadcast in the UK, US and Europe. It was briefly made available for viewing in the UK on Virgin Media's on-demand services.
The film was released on DVD in late 2009.[4]
Reception
[edit]Upon its release, The Real Badlands received almost universal critical acclaim. Current TV presenter Stew Game went on to describe the film as "brilliant" and compared it to The Office.[1] The film has gone on to develop a loyal cult following online, with fans affectionately describing the film's central character, Simon Burgess, as "Burge Grylls", in reference to the TV personality and survival expert Bear Grylls.
Remake
[edit]In 2010 principal photography began on a feature-film version, under the working title of Plan B. It was later announced that the film, a joint collaboration between Rockwood Pictures, Death Ground Media and Devils Lake Films, would be released in 2022, with a new title; Once Upon a Time in the Wild.