In Cold Blood (1967): Film vs Book
Film · 1967 · Directed by Richard Brooks · Starring Robert Blake, Scott Wilson
About the film
A black-and-white reconstruction of the true story of a murdered farm family in rural Kansas and the two men who were later caught.
How close is it to the book?
Close to the bookThe film follows the facts of the book and uses real locations, which gives it a cold, documentary feel. The author's long reflections on the killers' minds are mostly left out.
Read or watch first?
The book is a landmark of narrative nonfiction and shows how a true story can be told with a novelist's art.
What the book gives you
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
A gripping, beautifully written account that reads like a novel, giving real insight into people and a landmark event. Powerful and thought-provoking.
Who will like it: Readers who like true crime written with the care of a novel.