In the Heat of the Night (1967)

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

He handles the racism and prejudice like a class act and paves the way for other African American actors.

This is possibly a very rare flawless mystery thriller. Everything goes well and the audience are attracted to it. It is also elevated by the stellar performances of Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger, and by the social satire theme about racism. Most of the white men in the town are prejudiced against black people. Yet in the end it is a negro who solves the murder case.

In the Heat of the Night is a very well executed crime-thriller with a clear message against racism and i can fully understand why this movie got all the praise (and Oscar's) i heard about.Technically it's very well made, the cinematography is dark and gloomy, and has that slick style, which became a popular trademark for following the thriller of the 70's like Dirty Harry. Also the editing is very neat, the movie has a good pacing, even for the time it was made.But it's biggest strength lies in the content of the story and the interacting of the characters. The dumb and racist town-folk are people you wish to get a hard slap in the face, and there are many moments in this film where you can't believe how intolerant even the policemen are. The dialogue is very well written and the search for the killer is a tense plot devise, but not really the focus of the plot, which is comprehensible.If you like dark, gritty murder-tales, and/or movies who deal with interesting social issues, then you have to watch this movie, you won't regret it.

'In the Heat of the Night' was the winner of five Oscars with Norman Jewison for Best Director and the sound editing also receiving nominations, all richly deserved, especially the Best Picture and Best Actor.Although the Best Picture was a strong one, apart from 'Doctor Doolittle', 'In the Heat of the Night' this reviewer finds the best of the five and also one of the greatest films of the 60s.Visually, 'In the Heat of the Night' is an incredibly well-made film with cinematography that's both beautiful and gritty. It is immaculately directed also by Norman Jewison, who directed several other great films, and film and sound editing are also very good, fluid with a suitable unpleasantness which suits the atmosphere well and thrillingly authentic. Quincy Jones' soundtrack at least fits and evokes some good atmosphere, the title song sung by Ray Charles is a classic.The script is incredibly thought-provoking with the racial tension tensely and vividly drawn, never resorting to heavy-handedness or talking at you, something that films with heavy subjects don't always achieve. The "they call me Mr Tibbs" line is iconic. The story is a gripping powerhouse and very ahead of and daring for its time with tremendous power, edge and emotion.Characters are compelling, and the acting couldn't have been better. Rod Steiger has never been better as the bigoted police chief, and Sidney Poitier matches him every step of the way in a subtler and no less powerful performance. Warren Oates and Anthony James stand out in the uniformly strong supporting cast.Overall, fantastic film and one of the greatest films of its decade. 10/10 Bethany Cox