Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

In Cold Blood Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 26, 2015

Richard Brooks' "In Cold Blood" (1967) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; archival interviews with Truman Capote; new video interview with Richard Brooks biographer Douglass K. Daniel; new video interview with cinematographer John Bailey; new video interview with film critic and jazz historian Gary Giddins; and more. The release also arrives with an illustrated leaflet featuring Chris Fujiwara's essay "Structuring the Real". In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Somewhere in Las Vegas

Richard Brooks’ film is based on the acclaimed novel by Truman Capote which chronicles the brutal murder of a family of four at their farm house in Holcomb, Kansas in 1959, the arrest of the killers, and eventually their execution in 1965. The film was released two years after the killers were executed and earned four Oscar nominations, including Best Director and Best Cinematography.

The two killers, Perry and Dick, are played by Robert Blake and Scott Wilson. Brooks could not have cast better actors. Almost immediately after the men meet and the camera begins following them it becomes obvious that they intend to do something terrible. Details about their plan emerge later on, but the negative energy that surrounds them makes it painfully obvious that they are vile animals. This is unquestionably the film’s biggest strength -- it creates a very unsettling intimate atmosphere that makes it extremely easy to feel the presence of death.

The actual killings are shown towards the end of the film. Initially, it is only made clear that no one in the house has been spared. After they abandon the bodies of their victims, the killers go on a shopping spree with a stolen checkbook and then successfully enter Mexico. They spend some time relaxing and then head back to Las Vegas, hoping to use more of the stolen checks. But the hot car they have been using is quickly flagged and they are arrested by the police.

The final third of the film focuses on the interrogation of the two killers, their sentences and confessions, and their execution. Both are placed in a special section of the prison where only death row inmates are kept. While they wait, various procedures, rules, and disturbing rituals, including the final one, death by hanging, are described and analyzed.

There are a couple of reasons why this film remains hugely disturbing. First, Blake and Wilson are so good that one forgets that they are actually acting. Second, Brooks does not use any cheap tricks to heighten the tension. Instead, he brings the camera as close as possible to the killers and the mind does the rest. The result is this: It feels like one is watching an intimate feature but the action actually takes place in real time -- and yet one knows exactly how the feature would end. Finally, no attempts are made to make some sense of the tragedy. The film simply goes through its different phases.

At one point a psychiatrist suggests that the two killers would not have killed if they had not met. In other words, together they created a dangerous new personality which overwhelmed them and manipulated their minds. This is an interesting theory, but one that is impossible to take seriously. The idea that each of these animals needed ‘another half’ so that they can show their true colors is beyond laughable. Their true colors were known. Both were deeply troubled ex-cons and it was only a matter of time before they would have done something terrible. They simply chose to do it together.

Blake and Wilson were not the first choices to play the killers. According to various reliable sources, Steve McQueen and Paul Newman were initially approached but both declined the offers and chose different projects.

In Cold Blood Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Richard Brooks' In Cold Blood arrives on Blu-rtay courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the leaflet provided with this Blu-ray release:

"This new digital transfer was created in 4K resolution on an Oxberry film scanner from the original camera negative at Cineric in New York. The restoration was performed by the Prasad Group in Chennai, India. The 5.1 surround soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the original LCR magnetic track master at Chase Audio by Deluxe in Burbank, California. Additional restoration was performed by the Criterion Collection using Pro Tools HD and iZotope RX 4.

Transfer supervisor: Grover Crisp.
Colorist: Sheri Eisenberg/Sony Colorworks, Culver City, CA."

The new restoration is outstanding. Large portions of the film take places at night or with light restricted and the improvements in terms of clarity and shadow definition really are quite dramatic. Obviously, depth is also a lot better. What I think viewers will be most impressed with is the excellent balance of light and shadow. There is a wide range of new black, gray, and white nuances that give the film a very rich norish look. There are no traces of problematic degraining corrections. An ultra-fine layer of evenly distributed and beautifully resolved grain is present throughout the entire film. Also, there are no traces of problematic sharpening adjustments. Image stability is outstanding. Finally, the film also looks strikingly healthy. All in all, this is a very beautiful organic presentation of In Cold Blood, which I am convinced will remain the definitive presentation of the film on the home video market. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content). .

In Cold Blood Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

There are various sequences throughout the film where separation and fluidity are truly outstanding and as a result seemingly random sounds and noises become quite effective. Quincy Jones' jazzy score also sounds fantastic. The dialog is very crisp, stable, and very easy to follow. There are no pops, audio dropouts, or digital distortions to report in our review.

In Cold Blood Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original theatrical trailer for In Cold Blood. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080p).

• Douglass K. Daniel - in this new video interview, Richard Brooks biographer Douglass K. Daniel discusses the director's background, his early years in Hollywood and specifically his work for producer Mark Hellinger (The Killers) and John Huston (Key Largo), and his adaptation of Truman Capote's bestseller. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2015. In English, not subtitled. (17 min, 1080p).

• John Bailey - in this new video interview, cinematographer John Bailey (American Gigolo, The Big Chill), discusses the working methods and preferences of director of photography Conrad L. Hall, his collaborations with Richard Brooks (prior to In Cold Blood the two had worked on The Professionals), the visual style of In Cold Blood, the structure of the narrative, the management of light and shadow throughout the film, etc. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2015. In English, not subtitled. (28 min, 1080p).

• Gary Giddins - in this new video interview, film critic and jazz historian Gary Giddins discusses Quincy Jones' soundtrack for In Cold Blood, its harmonic and rhythmic structures, the manner in which the music enhances the visuals, the sound editing (and specifically how random sounds also become music), etc. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2015. In English, not subtitled. (22 min, 1080p).

• Bobbie O'Steen - in this new video interview, film historian Bobbie O'Steen discusses editor Peter Zinner's work on In Cold Blood and the structure of various sequences (with excellent comments about the relationship between simplicity and style). The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2015. In English, not subtitled. (15 min, 1080p).

• Richard Brooks on In Cold Blood - presented here is an archival episode of the French television program Cinema cinemas in which director Richard Brooks recalls his multiple meetings with Truman Capote and discusses his decision to shoot In Cold Blood in black-and-white, the various locations he visited during the pre-production process, the casting of Robert Blake and Scott Wilson, the media's expectations of the film, etc. The episode was broadcast in 1988. In English, with printed French subtitles. (19 min, 1080i).

• With Love From Truman - this archival interview with Truman Capote was shot by filmmakers David and Albert Maysles after his book In Cold Blood was published in 1966. In it the writer discusses the evolution of his style, the Clutter family murders, and his interactions with the two killers. In English, not subtitled. (30 min, 1080p).

• Truman Capote in Holcomb, Kansas - presented here is a short segment from an archival episode of the Today show in which Truman Capote is seen discussing In Cold Blood in Holcomb, Kansas. In English, not subtitled. (5 min, 1080i).

• Truman Capote with Barbara Walters - in this archival interview, Truman Capote discusses his impressions of Richard Brooks' film, the impact the success of his book had on his career, etc. The interview, which was conducted by Barbara Walters, appeared in an episode of the Today show which was broadcast in 1967. In English, not subtitled. (10 min, 1080p).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring Chris Fujiwara's essay "Structuring the Real".

In Cold Blood Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In Cold Blood is shot in a way that makes one forget that it is only a film -- everything in it looks and feels incredibly real. Steve McQueen and Paul Newman were considered to play the two leads, Perry and Dick, but Robert Blake and Scott Wilson are sensational. I think that without them the film would have been far less effective. Criterion's new Blu-ray release offers a wonderful new restoration of In Cold Blood and an excellent selection of supplemental features. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.