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The Thin Blue Line (1988)

Directed by Errol Morris · Cinematography by Stefan Czapsky, Robert Chappell

101 min56 frames

CrimeDocumentary

Erases the border between art and activism.

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Stills, screencaps & shots from The Thin Blue Line

16 of 56 frames — the full set is searchable by lighting, lens, shot size, color and mood with a free account.

The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: establishing — A wide aerial view shows a sprawling metropolitan area with a winding river valley. Densely…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: closeup — A circular neon sign features a black silhouette of a bucking horse. The sign is encircled by…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: medium — A grassy outdoor area with trees and a small wooden structure in the distance. A man wearing a…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: closeup — A silver Olympus Pearlcorder L200 cassette recorder rests against a smooth black surface. The…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: closeup — A close-up view shows a sheet of paper fed into a metal typewriter carriage. Dark, crisp ink…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: medium — A man sits in front of a wall lined with many leather-bound books. He faces the camera while wearing…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: establishing — A dark city skyline features tall glass skyscrapers under a night sky. A tall communications…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: closeup — A close-up view shows a section of a printed road map of Texas. The map features labels for cities…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: wide — A dark, asphalt road is illuminated by a single harsh, cold overhead streetlamp. A human shadow…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: closeup — A close-up of a clock face displays the number twelve in large black font. The clock hands are…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: closeup — A grainy black and white portrait of a young man against a plain background. The subject stares…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: closeup — A discarded fast food paper cup lies on a patch of dark, textured asphalt. A beige liquid contents…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: medium — A man stands before pleated vertical blinds in a residential interior setting. He wears a beige…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: closeup — A close-up view of a printed paper road map highlighting various Texas towns. The map displays…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: closeup — A close-up view shows the metallic barrel of a revolver against a dark background. Wisps of grey…The Thin Blue Line (1988) movie still: medium — A young child stands in an outdoor area before a small wooden shed. The boy smiles directly toward…
The Thin Blue Line (1988) — © American Playhouse, Third Floor Productions

The Thin Blue Line — official trailer

What is The Thin Blue Line about?

This unique documentary dramatically re-enacts the crime scene and investigation of a police officer's murder in Dallas.

Where can you watch The Thin Blue Line?

US availability for The Thin Blue Line (1988). Data by JustWatch, listings on TMDB. Availability changes — check the provider for current listings.

Who stars in The Thin Blue Line?

Who made The Thin Blue Line?

What does the cinematography of The Thin Blue Line look like?

Across 56 sampled frames, The Thin Blue Line builds its coverage from close-ups (41% of the sample), with medium shots (36%) carrying much of the rest. Cinematographer Stefan Czapsky keeps 46% of it in naturalistic light. Focus stays shallow in 59% of the frames, isolating subjects from their surroundings.

What is the color palette of The Thin Blue Line?

The dominant colors across the sampled frames of The Thin Blue Line (1988) are #0d0d0e, #2e2d2d, #cfcfce, #f5f5f4, #8c8f8c, #abadac — measured from the per-frame color data FrameThrower extracts for every film.

  • #0d0d0e
  • #2e2d2d
  • #cfcfce
  • #f5f5f4
  • #8c8f8c
  • #abadac

See the full The Thin Blue Line colour palette — every hex with its share, plus warmth, saturation and luminance.

A reference database for filmmakers

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