Sunday, August 14, 2016

The Film Noir Blogathon


Okay, I'm gonna keep this post short, sweet and to the point. Quiggy over at The Midnite Drive-In is hosting a blogathon where the main theme is, well, film noirs. My pick?

(1967, dir. Richard Brooks)

Admittedly I wanted an excuse to re-watch this (it had been so long since I last saw it), and the relatively recent Criterion release provided such an example. Anyway, more after the jump. (As mentioned above, keeping things brief both out of laziness -- mainly that -- and hope to have more people seek it out.)


Released the same year as Bonnie and Clyde, Brooks' adaptation of Truman Capote's bestseller was one of the final nails in the Production Code's nearly completed coffin. Like the rest of the world, Hollywood was changing and this was one of several titles that deviated from its comfort zone.


Also of note with In Cold Blood is Conrad Hall's cinematography. As proven by his three Academy Award wins and seven additional nominations (In Cold Blood being for one of them), he captures some indelible images. Clearly Hall was one of the greats.


What could've been forgotten as an unfortunate crime in America's heartland was immortalized through both the ink of Capote's pen and the celluloid of Brooks' camera. Had it not been for either of these men, the Clutter family would've been viewed as nothing more than victims of an ill-planned robbery by those perhaps no longer among us.

10 comments:

  1. Great movie! Very faithful adaptation of the book by director Richard Brooks...need to see this again soon!
    -Chris

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  2. Perfect choice for the blogathon! Such a great book and an incredibly tense movie.

    I hope your post does motivate more people to watch this film. It deserves more attention these days.

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  3. When I saw this title, I thought I remembered seeing it, but on reflection, I was thinking of "The Boston Strangler" instead. (I know, not anywhere near the same movie, but in my defense, it was 10 or 15 years ago, and I was drunk at the time...:-D) I need to watch this one. (and probably the other one too, for that matter.)

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    1. Well, both were released around the same time (In Cold Blood 1967, The Boston Strangler the following year) so I'll let it pass. Hope you enjoy this one (and the other).

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  4. Hello Anna, I nominated you for Sunshine Blogger Award: http://wp.me/pxXPC-b8o

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  5. I read the book a few years ago and found it both fascinating and disturbing. I haven't seen the movie, but it does look intriguing. From the images you shared, the cinematography does look awesome!

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    1. Please, the images I shared are nothing compared to what the rest of the film has to offer.

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