In the Heat of the Night The Criterion Collection US Edition

In the Heat of the Night (1967) is a groundbreaking American crime drama directed by Norman Jewison. The film stars Sidney Poitier as Virgil Tibbs, a Black Philadelphia homicide detective, and Rod Steiger as Chief Bill Gillespie, a white Southern police chief. Set in the racially tense town of Sparta, Mississippi, the film explores prejudice, justice, and unlikely cooperation during the investigation of a murder.

The story begins when Tibbs is wrongfully arrested while passing through town, but after his identity as a respected detective is revealed, he’s reluctantly asked to assist in solving the murder of a wealthy industrialist. Despite facing hostility from the townspeople and local law enforcement, Tibbs methodically investigates the case, challenging both racial stereotypes and institutional racism. His evolving relationship with Chief Gillespie becomes a central element of the narrative, showcasing grudging respect between two men from vastly different worlds.

The film was a major critical and commercial success, winning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Rod Steiger), and Best Adapted Screenplay. It’s widely praised for its powerful performances, sharp social commentary, and historical significance during the Civil Rights era.

4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack

• Alternate 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack

• One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features

• Interviews with director Norman Jewison and actor Lee Grant

• Segment from a 2006 American Film Institute interview with actor Sidney Poitier

• Interview with Aram Goudsouzian, author of Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon

• Audio commentary featuring Jewison, Grant, actor Rod Steiger, and cinematographer Haskell Wexler

• Turning Up the Heat: Movie-Making in the ’60s, a program about the production of the film and its legacy, featuring Jewison, Wexler, producer Walter Mirisch, and filmmakers John Singleton and Reginald Hudlin

• Quincy Jones: Breaking New Sound, a program about Jones’s innovative soundtrack, including the title song sung by Ray Charles, featuring interviews with Jones, lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman, and musician Herbie Hancock

• Trailer

• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

• PLUS: An essay by critic K. Austin Collins

Cover by Sean Phillips