In Cold Blood

After viewing both of the more recent films (about Truman Capote) I had to go back and watch the film based on the novel about the Clutter killings in Kansas.

I don’t remember if I read the book first or saw the film. What I do remember is feeling sick inside for several days after seeing the photographs of the killers. It’s the same thing that gets us every time, why Dahmer was so successful, why Bundy took victim after victim. We see normal, even pleasing features and equate that with goodness. Not that the Clutters ever had the chance to judge the appearance of their murderers, but it’s what drew in Capote afterward as illustrated in the films. We think by exploring the source we can understand the madness, but we’re just kidding ourselves. Some acts, like some people, are simply beyond understanding.

The link is for an article that describes the effect the novel had on the town.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20091115/ai_n42101856/