I’ve always been partial to the Banjo Kid from Deliverance. He was just so unlike anybody I had ever seen before, and I’ve been to West Virginia too many times to count. So weird-looking and pathetic, but also so obviously content with his lot in life. And so damn talented!Besides Ned Beatty’s anal rape, Banjo Kid is the most memorable element of the film for me. His joyous pickin’ and grinnin’ paved the way for creepy children in minor movie roles, like, Weird Kung-Fu kid in Cabin Fever and the potty-mouthed, karate-chopping oddball in dire need of Ritalin in Smokin’ Aces. Banjo Kid has left an undeniable mark on the film world and my heart.
