The Intruder/Shame/I Hate Your Guts/The Stranger (1962) - Corman's impassioned political drama

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A fiery cross is outlined against the serious visage of star William Shatner on this stark poster for Roger Corman's The Intruder

A mysterious stranger arrives in the racially segregated Southern town of Caxton; he is a good-mannered rhetorical figure, promoting 'social reform' while actually spelling trouble, - by inciting a race riot.

The Intruder is written by Charles Beaumont (Night of the Eagle (1962)), adapting his own same-titled 1959 novel, and directed by great Michigander filmmaker Roger Corman (Highway Dragnet (1954)).

William Shatner (The Big Bang Theory (2019, TV-series)) shines in the central part of Adam Crane, and this rare, idealistic, topical issue-driven film impresses as an accomplishment in itself as well as in terms of what it succeeds with: The casting of the town's locals is strong, and central scenes will etch themselves into the audience's memory banks. The Intruder is among the best race-themed American films of all time.

 

Related posts:

Roger Corman: Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (2011) - Stapleton's Corman doc. is among the year's best films (documentary subject)

Philadelphia (1993) - AIDS and homosexuality acknowledged in great drama (actor) 

Galaxy of Terror (1981) - Clark and Corman's delightful space-set gore-fest (producer)

Death Race 2000 (1975) - AIP's dystopic car smash (producer)
The Wild Angels (1966) - Young biker rebels deliver a counter-culture punch in Corman's hands

Dementia 13/The Haunted and the Hunted (1963) - Coppola's Gothic AIP castle horror (producer) 

Creature From the Haunted Sea (1961) - Cheap, fast, amusing spoof/spy thriller/creature feature (producer/director)
Top 10: The best adaptations reviewed by Film Excess to date

House of Usher/The Fall of the House of Usher/The Mysterious House of Usher (1960) - Corman's exuberant first house of Poeish horror

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 90-100k $

Box office: Unknown

= Unknown but reportedly a flop

[The Intruder premiered 14 May (New York) and runs 84 minutes. Major studios had passed on the adaptation, which Corman and his brother Gene Corman then did on a much smaller budget, partially with their own money. Shooting took place in 3½ weeks in Missouri. The production was careful not to share the script with the locals, fearing getting forced to leave. Still they reportedly encountered threats, sabotage and revoked permissions for shooting due to the film's anti-racism message. Corman later shared that the film, distributed by his own company domestically, was his only film at the time that lost money, which he attributed to its raw 'lesson'. He learned from it to focus instead on entertainment value and relegate themes and messages to subtext. The film was nevertheless also released in at least 14 international markets. Corman returned with Tales of Terror (1962). Shatner returned in 13 short, TV and narration credits prior to his theatrical return in The Outrage (1964). 4.1k+ IMDb users have given The Intruder a 7.6/10 average rating.]

What do you think of The Intruder?

In China They Eat Dogs/I Kina Spiser De Hunde (1999) - Olsen finds comedic gold with terrific Jensen script

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The four main stars in black jumpsuits walking away from an explosion makes up this poster for Lasse Spang Olsen's In China They Eat Dogs

Arvid is a bank worker, who one day stops a bank robbery using a squash racket. But he later decides that he was wrong to do this, and that he and his brother Harald should be part of the robbery of a money transport.

 

In China They Eat Dogs is written by Anders Thomas Jensen (The Promised Land/Bastarden (2023)) and directed by Lasse Spang Olsen (Operation Cobra (1995)). The title is a literal translation of the original Danish title.

Possibly among the funniest Danish films of all time, Jensen's script is brilliant, and the lines and plot are highly original. The performances are delivered with bravado by Kim Bodnia (Krigarnas Ö (2016)), Dejan Cukic (Borgia (2011-14)), Trine Dyrholm (Brecht (2019)), Nikolaj Lie Kaas (Riders of Justice/Retfærdighedens Ryttere (2020)) and Tomas Villum Jensen (Old Men in New Cars/Gamle Mænd i Nye Biler (2002)).

Olsen, previously known as a stunt coordinator, is no great director, and the action elements and sound work in the film are often sketchy.

 

Watch a very short clip from the film here

 

Cost: 8 mil. DKK, approximately 1.17 mil. $

Box office: At least 1.5 mil. $, projected final gross of 1.8 mil. $

= Uncertain but likely a big flop (projected return of 1.53 times its cost)

[In China They Eat Dogs was released 10 September (Denmark) and runs 91 minutes. Very unusually for a Danish film, Olsen did not secure any state funding for his film, for which it was denied repeatedly, and instead gathered funds from different avenues. Shooting took place in Denmark, including in Copenhagen. The film sold 223,248 tickets in Denmark, coming to 1.5 mil. $. Regrettably the gross numbers from its foreign markets (Norway, Iceland, Germany, Slovenia, Czech Republic) are not reported online. Likely small, they could have resulted in a projected final gross of 1.8 mil. $, which would result in a big flop rating. The film won 1/3 Robert award nominations (Denmark's Oscar). The film got a sequel in Old Men in New Cars/Gamle Mænd i Nye Biler (2002) with returning stars and creatives. Olsen first returned with Kløcler & Vingsøe Udfordrer Afrika (2000, TV game-show) and theatrically with Jolly Roger (2001). Bodnia returned in Dragonfly/Øyenstikker (2001); Kaas in Taxi (1999, TV-series)), Kajen mod Vest (1999, TV movie)) and theatrically in Max (2000). 23k+ IMDb users have given In China They Eat Dogs 7.3/10 average rating.]

What do you think of In China They Eat Dogs?

I Served the King of England/Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále (2006) - Cheerful, fine adaptation from Menzel

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A proud diminutive man in a penguin suit with a comically large lace of distinction across his chest makes up this eye-catching poster for Jirí Menzel's I Served the King of England

A small man in Prague, Jan Dite, wants more than anything to become a millionaire and through his work as a servant, - and his marriage to the German Liza, - he achieves just this.

 

I Served the King of England is written and directed by Jirí Menzel (Closely Watched Trains/Ostrzhe sledované vlaky (1966)), adapting the same-titled 1973 novel by Bohumil Hrabal (Closely Watched Trains/Ostře sledované vlaky (1965)). The title is a literal translation of the original Czech title.

Here's a cheerful, playful and infectious tale. Oldrich Kaiser (Na vode (2016, TV-series)) as the old version of Dite doesn't look at all like Ivan Barnev (Blessed Are the Meek (2020)) as the younger version, and the man's childlike evasion of negative consequences of his actions in life are perhaps a bit overly conspicuous.

But I Served the King of England has funny scenes (among others some with the boss, played by Marián Labuda (Destová víla (2010))), lovely women and highly esteemed images (cinematography by Jaromír Sofr (S certy nejsou zerty (1985))). The film is a humanistic portrayal of courage, love, sex and the changing times.

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 3.2 mil. $

Box office: 7.3 mil. $

= Minor flop (returned 2.28 times its cost)

[I Served the King of England premiered 18 December (Prague) and runs 120 minutes. 10 companies and support bodies cooperated in the financing and production of the film. Shooting took place from March - June 2006 in the Czech Republic, including in Prague. The film opened #48 to a 53k $ first weekend in 8 theaters in North America, the film's 3rd biggest market, where it peaked at #42 and in 38 theaters and grossed 617k $ (8.5 % of the total gross). The film was #1 for 8 straight weekends in the Czech Republic, its biggest market, where it grossed 4.1 mil. $ (56.2 %). The 2nd biggest market was Spain with 621k $ (8.5 %). The film was nominated for a European Film award, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Menzel returned with Jirí Menzel: 7 Questions (2011, video documentary) and theatrically with The Don Juans/Donsajni (2013). Barnev returned in Nosht i den (2006); Kaiser in 3 TV credits prior to his theatrical return in Líbás jako buh (2009). I Served the King of England is certified fresh at 80 % with a 7.20/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of I Served the King of England?

The Invisible Man (1933) - Rains mounts the screen in Whale's memorable adaptation

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Sinister darkness and experimental menace hangs heavy over this fine poster for James Whale's The Invisible Man

A mad scientist is discovered to be an invisible man, hidden in a house in a village. Soon his pranks on his fellow men turn deadly.

 

The Invisible Man is written by R.C Sherriff (Miss Mabel (1958, TV movie)), with Preston Sturges (The Great Moment (1944)) contributing elements, adapting H.G. Wells' (Love and Mr Lewisham (1900)) same-titled 1897 novel, and directed by great English-born American filmmaker James Whale (Journey's End (1930)).

Wells' story of a scientist's clandestine hunt for success and power is the stuff of myths, and Whale has supplied fun supporting performances, rapidly edited action and high production values. Not least due to the perfect special effects, which are both amusing and far ahead of their time, The Invisible Man is a blast. Claude Rains (Naked City (1960, TV-series)) rules in the title part that changed his trajectory from a theater career that he was ready to vacate at this point, into major movie stardom.

 

Related posts:

James Whale: The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) - The magnificent and mysterious monster bride

Frankenstein (1931) - Whale's iconic, dark horror classic 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 328k $

Box office: Unknown

= Uncertain

[The Invisible Man premiered 31 October (Colorado) and runs 70 minutes. Several writers, directors and stars were attached to the film prior to production, and Universal Pictures were in bad shape at the time and had locked down completely for many weeks in early 1933. Shooting took place from June - August 1933 in California. The film opened to strong reviews and big audience interest, although the total gross is regrettably not known. Whale returned with By Candlelight (1933). Rains returned in Crime without Passion (1934); Gloria Stuart (Titanic (1997)) in Roman Scandals (1933). The Invisible Man is certified fresh at 95 % with an 8.40/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Invisible Man?

I Spit on Your Grave/Day of the Woman (1978) - Zarchi's infamous, unrelenting rape-and-revenge picture

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A sensation-promising and quite long tagline overheads an image of scantily clad Demi Moore (who does not act in the film, however!) with a bloodied hunting knife in a forest on this great poster for Meir Zarchi's I Spit on Your Grave

Jennifer is a short story writer from New York who arrives at a summerhouse in Connecticut, and her partially bared body induces four local men til beat her up, gang rape her and leave her for dead. But she doesn't die. In fact she wakes up with revenge on her mind!

I Spit on Your Grave is written, directed and edited by debuting Meir Zarchi (Rachel (1960, writer)).

We get to know a repulsive sediment of men through fairly well-acted performances here, and Camille Keaton (The Butterfly Room (2012)) is beautiful as the victimized Jennifer, who exacts gruesome vengeance: SPOILER Especially the castration scene is grim.

Apart from this, the film actually has some fine imagery (cinematography by Nuri Habib (Bipanah (1953))) and is fundamentally ambiguous, - it seems simultaneously feminist and exploitation-minded, - and shocking. The trailer and poster indicates that audiences should be outraged that Jennifer would allegedly not be convicted for her revenge in any American court. The ascertainment is highly speculative, and most will probably also find that it is not her revenge that is outrageous but the crime that precedes it.

 

Watch a short trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 80k $

Box office: Unknown

= Uncertain

[I Spit on Your Grave premiered 23 May (Cannes Film Festival, out of competition) and runs 102 minutes. Zarchi has explained that inspiration for the story came from his meeting and helping a rape victim in New York in 1974. Keaton was reportedly chosen from a New York audition out of 4,000 women. Shooting took place from July - August (1978) in New York and Connecticut. 2 crew members resigned during production, because they could not take the portrayed violence. Zarchi limited mention of anal rape to obtain the R rating. Zarchi himself distributed the film initially at drive-ins, without much success, before Jerry Gross Organization eventually distributed it wider in North America, now under the title I Spit on Your Grave, although still to reportedly small results. Gross had the poster made seen above with a then unknown Demi Moore posing with her back to the camera, as she was working on another film for him at the time. I Spit on Your Grave was released in a handful of other markets but didn't find a mass audience before it was released on video. It was banned in many countries, including Norway, Ireland, Australia, the UK, Iceland, Canada and West Germany. Roger Ebert gave it a 0/4 star rating, translating to 3 notches under this one. The film inspired an unofficial 1993 sequel (with Keaton), three remake sequels (2010; 2013; 2015) and finally an official sequel by Zarchi and with Keaton, entitled I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu (2016). Zarchi first returned with Don't Mess with My Sister! (1985). Keaton returned first in Raw Force (1982). I Spit on Your Grave is rotten at 51 % with a 5.40/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of I Spit on Your Grave?

I'm for the Hippopotamus/Io Sto con gli Ippopotami (1979) - Spencer & Hill make a low-brow killing in Africa

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The beloved star duo are back for new shenanigans on this poster for Italo Zingarelli's I'm for the Hippopotamus

Two competing cousins find themselves in Africa, liberating animals and handing out punches.

 

I'm for the Hippopotamus is written by Barbara Alberti (Ernesto (1979)), Vincenzo Mannino (Cobra Mission (1986)), Amedeo Pagani (Colpita da Improvviso Benessere (1976)) and co-writer/director Italo Zingarelli (Una Prostituta al Servizio del Pubblico ed in Regola con le Leggi dello Stato (1971)). The title is a literal translation of the original Italian one.

Terence Hill (Botte di Natale (1994)) and Bud Spencer (Un Piede in Paradiso (1991)) goof around in many lame gags in this African comedy adventure that is often unreal. But it works well as warm and wacky, forgettable entertainment for fans of the star duo.

 

  

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: Unknown, projected 3 mil. $

Box office: Projected 25.1 mil. $

= Uncertain but projected a mega-hit (projected return of 8.36 times its cost)

[I'm for the Hippopotamus was released 1 December (Spain) and runs 104 minutes. Shooting took place in South Africa. Although the cost is unknown, it seems certain that the film was a major hit, based on the box office information available: It sold 2.251 mil. tickets in France, 4.91 mil. in West Germany, 720k in Italy, (ironically Spencer and Hill were bigger outside of their native country), and 286k tickets in Denmark. That is 8.167 mil. tickets in these 4 markets alone, with 12 more markets left unaccounted for, although two of them (Turkey and Hungary) did not get the release until far into to 1980s. It was not released in North America but it was released in Australia. With a conservative final projection of 10 mil. sold tickets at a 2.51 $ average prize, the film would have grossed 25.1 mil. $, an enormous sum. Zingarelli only returned as a producer of two more films more than ten years later. Spencer returned in Piedone d'Egitto (1980); Hill in Super Fuzz/Poliziotto Superpiù (1980). 9.4k+ IMDb users have given I'm for the Hippopotamus a 6.6/10 average rating.]

 

What do you think of I'm for the Hippopotamus?

In the Line of Fire (1993) - Clint and co-stars on fire in one of the decade's finest thrillers

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Star Clint Eastwood runs alongside a motorcade on a security detail on this poster for Wolfgang Petersen's In the Line of Fire

Frank was serving in the Secret Service during JFK's assassination. He is not about to see a repeat, and so he is 100 % dedicated to the hunt for a new, very competent maniac, who wants to murder the current US President!

 

In the Line of Fire is written by Jeff Maguire (Gridiron Gang (2006)) and directed by German-born American master filmmaker Wolfgang Petersen (One or the Other/Einer von uns Beiden (1982)), whose 7th feature it was. 

It is a perfect piece of thriller entertainment with Clint Eastwood (Hereafter (2010)) in top shape as the old-timer protagonist, who doesn't take no bullshit. The dialog creates sparks, and Eastwood's romance with Rene Russo (Nightcrawler (2014)) here is both elegant and sexy.

John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich (1999)) is eerie. Ennio Morricone's (The Hateful Eight (2015)) music is subdued and effective. In the Line of Fire leaves you breathless with its sophisticated, realistic thrills.

 

Related posts:

 

Wolfgang Petersen: 2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

Poseidon (2006) - Petersen's disastrous disaster flick

Top 10: Best epic movies reviewed by Film Excess to date

The Boat/Das Boot (1981) - Petersen's awe-inspiring WWII epic 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 40 mil. $

Box office: 187.3 mil. $

= Big hit (returned 4.68 times the cost)

[In the Line of Fire premiered 8 July (California) and runs 128 minutes. Eastwood was paid 7 mil. $ for his performance; Malkovich received 1 mil. $. Shooting took place from October 1992 - January 1993 in Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, Colorado, Michigan and in California, including in Los Angeles. The film opened #3, behind holdover hits The Firm and Jurassic Park, to a 15.2 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 5 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#2-#2-#3-#5), grossing 102.3 mil. $ (54.6 % of the total gross). The film was nominated for 3 Oscars, winning none. It lost Best Supporting Actor (Malkovich) to Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive, Editing to Schindler's List and Original Screenplay to Jane Campion for The Piano. It was also nominated for 3 BAFTAs and a Golden Globe, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 3.5/4 star review, in line with this one. Petersen returned with Outbreak (1995). Eastwood returned in A Perfect World (1993). In the Line of Fire is certified fresh at 96 % with a 7.70/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of In the Line of Fire?

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 (2024) - Costner's glorious cinematic passion project needs your theatrical support now

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Star-filmmaker Kevin Costner is the lone man in the wild west on this sparse poster for his Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1

Along a river in the open desert range landscape of Arizona, settlers attempt to start a new life with a town called Horizon, but the surrounding Apache natives don't welcome their advance. In Montana horse trader Hayes Ellison meets beautiful prostitute Marigold and soon have to flee the mining town with her following the murder of local hood Caleb Sykes.

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is written by Jon Baird (National Parks (2022, executive producer)) and co-writer/co-producer/co-star/director Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves (1990)), with Mark Kasdan (Silverado (1985)) contributing story elements. It is the first in an epic 4-part film series devised by Costner.

If Costner succeeds in making and releasing 4 epic Horizon westerns, it is quite a feat, especially since the first one has not landed to the audience reception one would have hoped for but rather to widespread indifference, regrettably. Costner is an incredible character in the film world with both towering highs (Field of Dreams (1989), Dances with Wolves (1990)) and stupefying lows (Waterworld (1995), The Postman (1997)) in his long career. This western mega-project will be one for the history books, IF he succeeds.

Horizon moves along with what may be termed a 'luxurious' pace, somewhat akin to a fine TV-series, because it means to tell its multi-character tale over the course of not 90 minutes but rather something like 720 minutes (4 x 180 minutes). For those willing and able to appreciate fully immersing in an epic narrative, it is a luxurious treat to get into a work such as this. Horizon is a gift for every western lover out there, and one that demands to be seen on the big screen. Fabulous American landscapes are captured magnificently (by cinematographer J. Michael Muro (Parker (2013))), and the score (by John Debney (Luck (2022))) thunders appropriately up and down as suspense wanes and accelerates. 

The impressive production has a fine cast behind Costner in the ten gallon hat: Sienna Miller (Live by Night (2016)), Sam Worthington (Lansky (2021)), Danny Huston (Succession (2019, TV-series)), Abbey Lee (Caprice (2018)), Michael Rooker (Fairfax (2022, TV-series)), Elizabeth Dennehy (Hancock (2008)), Jamie Campbell Bower (The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013)) and Charles Halford (Joe Bell (2020)) all give full, engaged, commendable performances. A large Native American cast also lend authentic feeling and insight into the film's fabric.

There's plenty to admire and become taken in by in the first part of Costner's opus magnum, and I will surely be ready to enjoy Part II as it releases in a good month's time.

Related posts:

Kevin Costner: Molly's Game (2017) - Chastain is luminous in Sorkin's great true-crime debut (co-star)

Man of Steel (2013) or, Superman v Zod: Sunset of Destruction (co-star)

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 

Open Range (2003) - Costner impresses with fabulous classic western

Thirteen Days (2000) - Electrifying Cuban Missile Crisis thriller (actor/producer)  

The Postman (1997) - Costner's colossal apocalyptic turkey 

Dances with Wolves (1990) - Costner's triumphant, simpatico western

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: Reportedly 100 mil. $

Box office: 17.2 mil. $ and counting

= Too early to say

[Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 premiered 19 May (Cannes Film Festival, out of competition) and runs 181 minutes. Development of Horizon reportedly began in 1988. Costner has allegedly injected 38 mil. $ of his own money into the making of the film and reportedly also pays for marketing on top of this, possibly, although the details are hazy. Shooting took place from August - November 2022 in Utah. The upcoming Part II has been shot, and shooting of Part III is seemingly taking place right now. Whether all three remaining parts will see their day of release is unknown. The film opened #3, behind holdover hit Inside Out 2 and fellow new release A Quiet Place: Day One, to an 11 mil. $ first weekend in North America. The film's foreign numbers look abysmal so far. The film has one market yet to release in: Germany on 22 August. Costner returns with Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 (2024), also as an actor. Miller also returns in that film; Worthington returned first in The Exorcism (2024). Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is rotten at 46 % with a 5.60/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1?

The Incredible Petrified World (1959) - Descend into the movie world of Jerry Warren

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Several natural sensations and a buxom blond in the grasp of a giant octopus are teased on this poster for Jerry Warren's The Incredible Petrified World

A team of four descend into the sea in a diving bell, but when the wire snaps they manage to rescue themselves into an enormous underwater cave, where they fall upon a kind of caveman, who thinks they will never escape!

The Incredible Petrified World is written by John W. Steiner and produced and directed by Jerry Warren (Man Beast (1956)).

John Carradine (House of Dracula (1945)) is the engineer behind the catastrophic underwater mishap, but his character immediately gives up, which is very inauspicious as far as our sympathy for his character goes. Lighting, sound and image quality stinks here. The opening has a fascinating (archive footage) octopus/shark fight, and the idea of the lost underwater world is pure adventure and exciting. But the acting and dialog is also lame here. In the end everyone become friends again. The Incredible Petrified World is a bizarre trip to the ultra-low budget world of Jerry Warren.

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: Unknown

Box office: Unknown

= Uncertain

[The Incredible Petrified World was released 12 November (South Carolina) and runs 67 minutes. Carradine was paid 100 $ a week for his performance. Phyllis Coates (Cattle Empire (1958)) was reportedly persuaded by ex-boyfriend Warren to be the film's main female star with a promise that the film would not be released in California. Coates was never paid for her performance, and the film was released in California, where it seriously damaged her acting career. Shooting took place around March 1957 in New Mexico, Arizona and California. The 'monsters' teased on the film's poster are not to be found in the film, as the monster suit Warren had made was deemed too bad by even him and was thrown away during production. The film went unreleased for more than 2½ years, before Warren released it in South Carolina, then North Carolina, and then wider, on a double bill with his Teenage Zombies (1959). Internationally, the film is only listed as having had a release in Argentina in 1962. Cost and gross details are regrettably not to be found. The film is now in public domain and can be seen and downloaded free and legally right here. Warren returned with Teenage Zombies. Carradine returned in 5 TV credits prior to his theatrical return in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1960). 1.3k+ IMDb users have given The Incredible Petrified World a 3.1/10 average rating.]

What do you think of The Incredible Petrified World?

In Cold Blood (1967) - Authentic chills and insigth in Brooks' marvelous true-crime drama

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The frightening, guilty eyes of the actual murderers are used effectively on this strong poster for Richard Brooks' In Cold Blood

A family of four in a Kansan countryside home gets slaughtered one night by intruding strangers for the meager sum of 40 $. The two culprits are later arrested and put to trial.

 

In Cold Blood is written, produced and directed by Pennsylvanian master filmmaker Richard Brooks (Crisis (1950)), adapting the same-titled true-crime novel by Truman Capote (The Grass Harp (1951)).

Brooks' film is a role-model piece of true-crime storytelling, preoccupied with the actual crime, the actual criminals, and a close adaptation of Capote's masterwork. The film also gives a dimension that the novel cannot with its human portrait of the murderers, and especially Robert Blake (Second-Hand Hearts (1980)) as Perry Smith is excellent. Scott Wilson (Bottlewood (2009)) is also great as the other bastard, Richard. The scenes of Smith's childhood are devastating, yet subtle. The sudden, inexplicable, violent crime together with the film's strangely hard-boiled imagery (cinematography by Conrad L. Hall (Jennifer 8 (1992))) is part of its fascination.

SPOILER Despite the sympathy for Perry that the film and Blake's performance creates, also through Brooks' advanced narrative, the punishment for the two, their execution, still stands as the only correct verdict, in my opinion.

In Cold Blood is eerie, disheartening, with great performances and outstanding cinematography and score (by Quincy Jones (Roots (1977, miniseries)).) A masterly film.

 

Related post:

 

Richard Brooks: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) - He's GAY, ya get it?!?...

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 3.5 mil. $

Box office: 13 mil. $ (North America alone)

= Uncertain, projected huge hit but at least a big hit (projected return of 5.71 times its cost)

[In Cold Blood premiered 14 December (New York) and runs 135 minutes. Capote was paid 400k $ for the rights to his novel, which reportedly earned him a total of 2 mil. $. Shooting took place from March - June 1967 in California, including in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Nevada, Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri and in Mexico, including in the area and actual home where the murders took place. The film earned 13.5 mil. $ in North America. A conservative projected total gross of 20 mil. $ would rank it as a huge hit. It was nominated for 4 Oscars, winning none: It lost Best Cinematography to Burnett Guffey for Bonnie & Clyde, Director to Mike Nichols for The Graduate, Score to Elmer Bernstein for Thoroughly Modern Millie and Adapted Screenplay to Stirling Silliphant for In the Heat of the Night. The film also won a David di Donatello award, was nominated for a Golden Globe and won 2 National Board of Review awards, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 4/4 star review, equal in rating with this one. Brooks returned with The Happy Ending (1969). Blake returned in Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969); Wilson in Castle Keep (1969). In Cold Blood is certified fresh at 76 % with an 8.20/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of In Cold Blood?