In Cold Blood Reviews

A stark, realistic portrayal of cold-blooded violence taking over a couple of young mens' senses, and how they go on the run from the police trying to track them down after brutally murdering the family of four they originally planned to rob and leave. Based on true events, director Richard Brooks patiently and disturbingly paints a picture of two characters who act stupidly and carelessly, concentrating on fulfilling their own shortsighted, selfish desires while senselessly taking away four lives. At times, Brooks seems to be over-sympathizing and romanticizing these two killers, but based on this film as well as the equally phenomenal "Capote", it seems like the Perry Smith character (in this case played by Robert Blake) had a heart and was truly sorry for his heinous act of violence. Definitely a little dated, but still a shocking study that remains gritty and arresting throughout. Blake and Scott Wilson (now of "The Walking Dead" fame) are utterly fantastic in their respected roles. A movie that definitely should be seen. The only thing that keeps it from being an all-time great is an unnecessary, unfair take on the death penalty, marring an otherwise outstanding second half of the film especially.

In the last second of that film, I actually out loud exclaimed "Jesus" in my reaction to it.
A little history now. When I was very small I saw the murder part of "Cold Blooded" on TV. A modern edition of the same story. And it scarred me horrifically.
When I was older and understood the whole thing better, and watched Capote, I became more intrigued in the murders, me being all morbid and what not (I secretly blame that movie scene...).
But this was FANTASTIC! The acting was spot on. The cinematography was stupendous! I mean I think I had forgotten what great cinematography looked like in black and white films, this gave me such a refresher. The deep, looming, heavy shadows, the use of the flashlights, even the daytime scenery. So amazing. The last 45 minutes had my complete attention. So compelling and sinister. I could not look away. And the very end had my heart pounding.
To anyone who snubs a film made before 2000, I challenge you to this.

Truman Capote was sent to Kansas to write an article about the senseless murder of a family in their farm house in the middle of the night. What he brought back was the timeless novel In Cold Blood, telling that story and the stories of the two young men that were going to the gallows for that crime.



I've never read the source material, but I've seen both adaptations of Capote actually researching the novel (Capote with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Infamous with Toby Jones). Both docudramas are powerful pieces in their own right, but it's this film that is a masterpiece. It stars Robert Blake as Perry and Scott Wilson as Dick. These guys have both been to prison, each of them with dreams to follow. The thing about dreams is they need working capital, like a business. So in the dead of the night they follow a prison tale of a farmer and his safe, driving to the rural Kansas home. The next morning the family is dead. No safe. No money. No dreams.


We continue to follow the pair as the haphazardly make their way to Mexico for a little bit, but they come back because those dreams are so damn good. The inevitable happens. They make the mistake and Lady Justice takes over.



Before this film there were movies that followed the antagonists point of view, but In Cold Blood makes you sympathize with these two young murderers or in the very least Perry. Here's two men that slaughtered an entire family in their own home and we feel pity for them. They're lifetime losers and this was where the road they shared was heading for a long, long time. They were ticking time bombs. They were two chemicals that mixed together and tragedy followed.


The movie is filmed as bleakly as the characters it shows us. Black and white in 1967 was very rare, but for this film it works for an added effect that would later be used by Scorsese in raging Bull and Spielberg in Schindler's List.There is no color because this life is colorless. There are no bright spots. Darkness is at the end of that tunnel, not that great light that everyone is talking about. This is a very beautiful film from director Richard Brooks.



This is one of those wonderful gems from the late 1960's that teetered between the old Hollywood and the new. This was before the ratings system, so hearing the word "bullshit" was an awe inspiring experience (this is the first Hollywood production that used it). In Cold Blood is a groundbreaking film that broke new ground and even though it didn't quite open the door for those great films of the 1970's we can say that it turned the latched and cracked it open a bit. This is one of the great films of the '60's.

This is one of the best movies I have ever seen and thank God I got to watch it in all it's glory. Conrad Hall's absolutely stunning cinematography is the real star of the film with every shot photographed perfectly. Robert Blake is great, but the guy I could not take my eyes off of was Scott Wilson who is amazing. I also loved the way that the film was put together and how Richard Brooks built the story up. Even though I know what happened (considering the two films about Capote that came out a couple years ago), I was still at the edge of my seat. I could watch the film over and over again and it has quickly jettisoned itself into one of my favorite movies of all time.

Truman Capote's haunting literary classic gets a masterful transfer to the screen.
Richard Brooks' carefully thought out writing and direction makes tangible everything the author expressed in his bestseller.
A geometrically precise setup, supported by the dense and murky atmosphere of Quincy Jones' jazzy score and Conrad Hall's magnificent cinematography.
Robert Blake also borders perfection with his eerie, mild-mannered and strangely sympathetic characterization of the tragic Perry Smith.

Blunt, Nonsensational, Dark & Unsettling

Beautiful Cinematography and ridiculously good acting bring this haunting masterpiece to life.

A classic. Robert Blake gives a chilling and fascinating performance as the killer "Perry".

Beautifully shot and just generally creepy. Damn good.

I just watched this again. It's an excellent adaptation, and Scott Wilson and Robert Blake definitely make this worth seeing, but after having just experienced Clifton Collins Jr. as Perry Smith in Capote, this one definitely pales by comparison. Blake is memorable; Collins Jr. is mesmerizing. Note how some of the similar lines are delivered by each. One that leaps to mind is: Blake: I thought that Mr. Clutter was a very nice gentleman. I thought so right up to the moment that I cut his throat. Collins Jr: I thought that Mr. Clutter was a very nice, gentle man. I thought so right up to the moment that I cut his throat. The difference is subtle: nice gentleman vs. nice, gentle man, but there is a world of difference in the delivery and the nuance. Don't miss this if you get a chance, and don't miss Capote period.

Let me start off by saying that "In Cold Blood" is one of the best films that I have seen in a long time. It is expertly crafted, a film that so slowly but so steadily increases in emotional and psychological tension until it erupts in the gruesome finale, which, in fact, sent a shiver through my body and practically rendered me speechless. The actors portraying Perry Smith and Dick Hickock (Robert Blake and Scott Wilson, respectively) are a perfect fit, more so than the actors portraying them in "Capote" or in the television adaptation of "In Cold Blood". They get consistently better throughout the film, as depth is brought to them. As for the direction, I am not all that familiar with the work of Richard Brooks but I am well aware that he is a great director. Here he does an excellent job captivating the dark and dreary Capote novel and transferring it to the big screen. But besides being well-acted and well-directed, "In Cold Blood" is a visually captivating film. How it didn't take home the Oscar for Cinematography or even a nomination for Editing is beyond me. One of the main reasons for my liking of this film was because of its striking visuals. For being almost 45 years old, it certainly is a visual achievement.

An expertly crafted film that slowly but steadily increases in emotional and psychological tension until it erupts in a gruesome finale; which, in fact, sent a shiver through my body and practically rendered me speechless. "In Cold Blood" is a magnificent film, being well-acted, well-directed, and visually captivating.

I had just lost my original review but nonetheless this film is a masterpiece...a creepy masterpiece. Richard Brooks's "In Cold Blood" is an accurate record of actual events. The actors, Robert Blake (Smith) and Scott Wilson (Hickock), are very convincing they become the real life characters. At times one feels this is not a movie but a documentary that the events are now taking place, just like watching Gillo Pontecorvo'S "The Battle of Algiers". Pictures like these pushes the boundaries of cinema.

I would like to start out my review of this film by stating that before I saw the movie I had previously read the book of In Cold Blood and also saw the movie Capote (this was not planned that's just how it happened) As such I know quite a bit about the Clutter case. Having seen Capote and read In Cold Blood, I can easily say that this film did the book justice (Capote was released after this one as you all know). This film was fantastic. I really liked the use of black and white filming. It gave the film a...well, I'm not sure how to describe it, but this film would not have worked nearly as well if it was in color. I liked the two lead actors as well. I feel that they effectivley carried the film and captured the personalities of the two killers. I would highly suggest this film to anyone. It is a fantastic film.


TRIVIA TIME: 1. To get the authenticity he wanted, Richard Brooks filmed in all the actual locations including the Clutter house (where the murders took place) and the actual courtroom (6 of the actual jurors were used). Even Nancy Clutter's horse Babe was used in a few scenes. The actual gallows at the Kansas State Penitentiary were used for filming the executions, however, in a 2002 interview, Charles McAtee (who was State Corrections Director for Kansas in the 1960's), clarified the hangman in the film was an actor, not the real deal.

2. Robert Blake and Scott Wilson were not the first choices to play the cold-blooded murderers. Studio heads at Columbia Pictures originally wanted Paul Newman and Steve McQueen in the lead roles. Newman chose instead to star in Cool Hand Luke and Hombre that year; McQueen worked on The Thomas Crown Affair and Bullitt.

3. The two pairs of eyes pictured on the movie poster are those of the real killers, not the actors portraying them. Also, The family photos seen in the rooms of the house are real photos of the Clutter family members.

this movie was based on the book of the same name by truman capote which is also a true story of two drifers who take the life of a kansas city farm family Rober Blake is perfect in his role as one of the killers really worth a watch for any fan of true stories and crime thrillers

Finally saw it and thought it was pretty good for it's time.

Great crime film that is as horrifying as it is heartbreaking.

How refreshing to see a movie that is about story and character and not blood and gore.

A near perfect crime drama. Beautifully lensed by Conrad Hall. Terrifically acted by both Robert Blake and Scott Wilson. Very Highly Recommended.

great adaption of truman capote's hit book about 2 guys who commit a horrible crime in a sleepy kansas town