Forsaking pyrotechnics and taking, instead, a more considered, not to mention less politically charged, view (no one will mistake this telefilm for an anti capital punishment treatise), “In Cold Blood” can now be said to have completed its transformation from groundbreaking literature to provocative film to thoughtful, compelling TV.Earlier this month, alt-J marked their return with the new song “3WW” and the announcement of their forthcoming new album, Relaxer. The soundtrack makes use of Perry’s actual tunesmithry, and Hummie Mann’s music adds to the overall introspective atmosphere.
Cinematographer Peter Woeste has a keen eye for the slowly unfolding stretches of farmland that make Alberta pass for Kansas he and Kaplan pay homage to Brooks by shooting Perry’s flashback scenes in B&W. All the secondary roles are well cast, with dead-on appearances by Gwen Verdon and Bethel Leslie as a kind of Greek chorus, along with a terrific cameo by Stella Stevens as a blowzy hotel keeper. Neill is just fine as the sensitive G man. Mark Greene of “ER” to nasty, odd-eyed Dick Hickock, while Roberts is insinuatingly morose as Perry Smith, warding off demons with a bottleneck slide along the neck of his Gibson Hummingbird guitar. Youngsters Margot Finley and Robbie Bowen radiate britches-busting youth on the verge of adulthood as the Clutter teenagers.Įdwards does a neat turnaround from dedicated Dr. Kevin Tighe has a still-centered dignity as the prosperous, not entirely likable Methodist wheat farmer who just can’t abide his daughter’s attraction to a Catholic boy Gillian Barber acracked veneer of fragility as his damaged, prescient wife.
The biggest change is the heartbreaking depiction of the Clutter family as more than a two-dimensional portrait of ’50s Bread Belt Americana. Result may indeed be a star vehicle for Anthony Edwards and Eric Roberts (as the killers) and Sam Neill (as the lawman), but it’s also an effectively moody, grim downer that makes few concessions to the usual telepic demands.
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