Search - In Cold Blood on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Not For Children Movie Release: 1967 DVD Release: 09/23/2003 Format: DVD - Black and White,Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Edition: Dual Layered Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French, Korean, Spanish, Thai SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 14 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Members Wishing: 0 Genres: Crime, Docudrama, Crime Drama, True Crime

Richard Brooks wrote and directed this stark black-and-white (with brilliantly evocative cinematography by Conrad Hall) study of two drifters who murder a family, based on Truman Capote's non-fiction novel -In Cold Blood. The film takes place in Holcomb, Kansas, where four members of the Herbert Clutter family are roused from their sleep and brutally murdered. The killers, Perry Smith (Robert Blake) and Dick Hickock (Scott Wilson), are two ex-cons who plan to rob the Clutters of $10,000 kept in a safe in their home. But Dick and Perry find no safe and no $10,000 and end up leaving the murder scene with only $43. The police, led by Alvin Dewey (John Forsythe) of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, try to track down the killers. Meanwhile, Dick and Perry take off to Mexico, where Perry has fantasies of prospecting for gold. But when his dreams of prospecting come to naught, Dick insists that they return to the United States. Confident that they have left no clues, they cash bad checks, and the police track them down in Las Vegas. During questioning, their alibis are broken when they are separated and tell conflicting stories. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Robert Blake - Perry Smith
Scott Wilson - Dick Hickok
John Forsythe - Alvin Dewey
Paul Stewart - Reporter, Jenson
Gerald O'Loughlin - Harold Nye
John Gallaudet - Roy Church

A devastating take on the senseless murders that shocked the nation, director Richard Brooks adaptation of the Truman Capote novel arrives on DVD in fine form from Columbia/TriStar. Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, the black-and-white image is crisp and clear of any notable artifacting or digital distortion -- effectively retaining the stunning composition of cinematographer Conrad Hall's widescreen lens. A newly remastered English Dolby Digital Surround track brings also brings the film to life as never before experienced on home video. Aside from Quincy Jones' compelling score, the audio is remarkably clean and powerful for a film of this age. Directional effects are subtle but effective, and vocals are clear of any distortion or hiss. In addition to optional English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai subtitles, English closed captioning is also available. Though the only extras to speak of are lamentably a quartet of mostly unrelated trailers, a trailer from the original release of In Cold Blood offers some interesting facts concerning the film. Regardless as to how one feels about such little bonus material being offered on a film with such a well-documented history, the presentation of the film itself is to be commended, with the final product packing as much impact in the new millennium as it did when released over 30-years ago. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide