The new French film SAINT OMER fictionalizes the true story of an inexplicable crime, giving the perpetrator’s story a full airing in a way that recalls Truman Capote’s formative non-fiction novel IN COLD BLOOD, and by extension director Richard Brooks’ near-contemporaneous film of the same name. So this week we’re looking back at how IN COLD BLOOD shaped the true-crime genre for better and worse, how Brooks and cinematographer Conrad Hall used expressive yet revealing black-and-white photography to create the cinematic equivalent of the non-fiction novel, and how the film’s unusual structure affects the impact of seeing its central crime play out. Plus, we respond to some feedback inspired by our recent episodes on CHILD’S PLAY and GLASS ONION.

Please share your comments, thoughts, and questions about IN COLD BLOOD, SAINT OMER, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email to [email protected], or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.

Outro music: “Kansas (Remembers Me Now)” by Orville Peck

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