Review of In Cold Blood (1967) by Byron B — 11 Jan 2017

I was first introduced to this book really in the 2005 film Capote with Philip Seymour Hoffman. I then read Truman Capote's pioneering true crime novel, which captivated me from beginning to end. It was the faces from the 2005 film that were in my head as I read and that helped bring the many characters to life.

Nearly a year ago (early 2016) I finally saw this classic drama from 1967. The robbery and murders at the center of this story took place in 1959. Capote and Harper Lee did extensive interviews even though Capote ultimately invented some facts for the sake of the story.

In Cold Blood was first published in 1966 and pretty quickly adapted into this film. Whether there is a connection or not in literary history, in my mind this story of crime is linked to Nobokov's work of fiction Lolita, its first film adaptation from earlier this decade, and a darkness running through America.

In the movie Capote you witness the research happening, but in the book and this movie Capote the newspaper writer/author is absent from presenting the facts of the case. The film plays like a candid documentary with most of the cast being less well known character actors.

It features great black and white camera work by Conrad Hall, which earned it one of four Oscar nominations. Quincy Jones was responsible for the nominated score. Director/writer/producer Richard Brooks gives the picture just the right tone and balances the triple narrative perfectly.