Blu-ray Movie Reviews

In Cold Blood: Video: 4/5
Audio: 3/5
Extras: 0/5

"Capote" Famed author Truman Capote befriends two murderers while researching his celebrated book "In Cold Blood" - and finds himself changed to the core. "In Cold Blood" The powerful true story of a callous murder from the minds of the criminals who performed it. Based on Truman Capote's best-selling novel.

Sony did a tremendous job with this package. Rather than just releasing the recent hit Capote which won Philip Seymour Hoffman a deserving Best Actor Academy Award, they’ve also included the theatrical version of Capote’s best seller. The newer film focuses on Capote and his journey through the process which starts off on a high note and ends up draining him to his core as he becomes intamitely familiar with the case and the killers. The film adaptation of the novel covers the events up to and through the murders and the police efforts to track them down. It was interesting to see that the film adaptation left out all of Capote’s dealings with the criminals, which was extensive during the court proceedings and through their appeals. Both films are strong and it was great to see the same story from different perspectives, despite the age difference of the films.

The newer film looks a bit better on Blu-ray than the classic In Cold Blood. The older film is black and white but retains an impressive amount of detail and dimensionality. Subtle banding is noticed here and there but is never intrusive. Contrast is strong and I was impressed with the shadow detail and depth of image the older film delivered. Capote is a bit soft for a newer film but has a very moody look that fits well with the subject. I noticed some intrusive ringing in the first half of the film that tapers off a bit as the film progresses, but is unusual for a Sony release. Colors are a bit muted and give a fitting look to the time period and contrast is generally good overall.

Both films have a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack and both sound good for the most part. In Cold Blood has an aged quality that is a bit front heavy and thin in dynamics. I didn’t care for the score much. The soundtrack plays to emotion giving the lost family an almost whimsical character early on and a foreboding score for the killers. It makes for an overly dramatic presentation at times. Capote has a far more spatial soundtrack with nice ambiance and a fitting score. Dialogue is very natural in balance and tone and the mood of the film is conveyed nicely in the sound stage. Subtle dynamics are impressive and the soundtrack does open up on occasion.

Extras are limited to Capote and include some production features, a great documentary on the real Capote and two audio commentaries.

Sony made a great package with this set. I loved the opportunity to see the different viewpoints and the finished product of Capote’s work on film. The A/V presentations are strong making this a perfect package for fans and followers alike.