In Cold Blood is a slow-burn crime drama that some people will adore, and others maybe not so much. I was stuck in the middle, mainly because the pace is excruciating slow. But other than the slow pace, I did find many things to like about the film. I liked the tone of the film and the eerie nature it gives off. Being filmed in black-and-white gives authenticity to the film, which after all is based off the real crime. The location of the movie ties into that eeriness because the film was shot on the site of the actual murder, so we get to see how everything actually happened, or close to it at least. I loved the quiet, semi-jazzy score from Quincy Jones. Also I felt maybe the final half-hour of the film was the best part of the movie.
Richard Brook's film is about two men named Perry and Dick who are about to commit a robbery on a Kansas farm based off suspect information. When they realize they were not about to make the big score they had anticipated, they make sure not to keep their victims alive. Now the two men escape and flee to Mexico. But with law enforcement after them, their freedom may be running out.
The film is full of nice performances. At the time of release in 1967 and even by today's standard, there are really no big stars. But I felt the cast did a good job. Robert Blake does a solid job as Perry, the man with a conscience and a violent edge. Scott Wilson, more famous for playing Herschel in the Walking Dead television series, does an excellent job as the carefree Dick.
Overall, In Cold Blood is a solid crime drama. I felt it could have been much better given its slow, meandering pace, but the film is full of solid performances and it has a killer ending. I also felt intrigued as I learned about the actual crime, based off the research of Truman Capote. It was a very grisly crime, and I'm glad the movie did not skip the details of the crime. I actually thought, based off the first half of the film, that it would not show the crime. If that happened, I would have been thoroughly disappointed. I really like movies based off true stories, which is why I checked this film out. Not an entirely great film, but certainly chilling and enjoyable.
My Grade: B-
Richard Brook's film is about two men named Perry and Dick who are about to commit a robbery on a Kansas farm based off suspect information. When they realize they were not about to make the big score they had anticipated, they make sure not to keep their victims alive. Now the two men escape and flee to Mexico. But with law enforcement after them, their freedom may be running out.
The film is full of nice performances. At the time of release in 1967 and even by today's standard, there are really no big stars. But I felt the cast did a good job. Robert Blake does a solid job as Perry, the man with a conscience and a violent edge. Scott Wilson, more famous for playing Herschel in the Walking Dead television series, does an excellent job as the carefree Dick.
Overall, In Cold Blood is a solid crime drama. I felt it could have been much better given its slow, meandering pace, but the film is full of solid performances and it has a killer ending. I also felt intrigued as I learned about the actual crime, based off the research of Truman Capote. It was a very grisly crime, and I'm glad the movie did not skip the details of the crime. I actually thought, based off the first half of the film, that it would not show the crime. If that happened, I would have been thoroughly disappointed. I really like movies based off true stories, which is why I checked this film out. Not an entirely great film, but certainly chilling and enjoyable.
My Grade: B-