Rating: 
Summary: far more superior than Silence of the Lambs??????????
Review: whoever came up with that statement which is clearly printed on the cover of this DVD edition should definitely seek professional help on judging film. I had never seen Manhunter before and being a big fan of Silence of the Lambs I finally gave in and bought this Dvd. I wasn't too familiar with works of Michael Mann besides "Heat" which wasn't a bad film at all and I was aware that he was the brain behind Miami Vice which only when I was about eight years old seemed entertaining. the only good thing in Manhunter is the cinematography, nothing else. the rest is your typical '80s cat and mouse police hunt filled with "cheesy" electro-pop music and bad acting. this is an overrated film and it's in no way superior to Jonathan Demme's Silence of the Lambs. William Petersen plays an over-dramatic cop and cannot even be compared with Jodie Foster's performance which has quality in every way. Manhunter might be for those that watch a film reading the book at the same time, worring more how good the adaptation is that the film itself. I would skip it if I had to make that decision again.
Rating: 
Summary: A waste of time and money!
Review: Please do yourself a huge favor! Do not buy this DVD. If youmust suffer through it, ... rent the ....Extremely poor videotransfer (even on a high end system that is well calibrated). Simplyunbearable. Audio track no better. Makes Iron Butterfly sound likethey are playing in a garage....
Rating:
Summary: WHAT HAVE ANCHOR BAY DONE TO THIS FILM???
Review: I had been eagerly awaiting the release of Manhunter from Anchor Bay - a company I had alot of time and respect for... before this dvd arrived through my letterbox... I decided to try the directors cut first, to see those enigmatic cut scenes - now while I found those scenes interesting, the picture quality was absolutely abysmal! Surely Anchor bay could have taken the time to have this print re-mastered as well. On the whole, the quality on the Directors Cut is barely watchable for those accustomed to the delights of dvd - with a film as reliant on use of colour as Manhunter, this is painful to watch. To make matters worse, the scene where Graham is sympathising with the Tooth Fairy (you know, he says something like "my heart bleeds for him as a child") is AWOL in the Directors Cut - some directors cut, first ive ever heard of that leaves integral dialogue out. (this is alos missing in the theatrical cut) And so I turned my attention to the "Theatrical Cut", which was anything but. I think the term "alternate cut" would have been more appropriate here. Not only does the Theatrical Cut feature scenes that arent even supposed to be in there (ones from the DC') but the line where Graham is explaining what happened to Lektor's victims is missing - now why would they leave that out? The scenes Anchor bay have chosen to edit in do not add anything to the film, it's more what they left out that angers me though. The only good thing about this 2 disc set are the documentaries, which provide entertaining viewing. Does anyone know the e-mail address for Anchor Bay, I want to complain to them...
Rating:
Summary: Overrated 80's relic
Review: Read the hype online and bought it cheap at my local store. Disappointed by the dated score (cheap 'lectronic ala M.Vice) and TV-movie standard of acting. The scenes where Will Peterson's detective acted outraged-yet-exhilerated when he finaly "saw" with the killer's eyes were painful to watch. The over-emoting was really laughable. One thing I couldn't understand was the lack of subtitles. Brian Cox's accented dialogue sounded terrible and not too terribly menacing. Which makes it harder to convince audiences of Will Graham's terrorised state of mind. The final showdown was choppily edited (on purpose I suppose). Lacked dramatic tension, excerbated by the terrible rock 'n' roll music accompanying the scene. Can't wait for a updated remake...
Rating: 
Summary: Overblown and overrated
Review: Too many people are trying to read way too much into this standard police film just because Hannibal Lector makes an appearance. This film is good on its own, although the scenes with Noonan and Allen come out of nowhere and drag down the suspense that Mann was able to build up. This is all right, but do not look for Anthony Hopkins!
Rating: 
Summary: manhunter an excellent film
Review: the film was good from the start i think they should re release to theatres just to see what people think of it bot i give it four stars a must see go and rent it and see for your self and see what i mean but brian cox made a pretty good hannibal lecter but anthony is better and petersen did good as graham i hope you liked my review
Rating:
Summary: Anchor Bay Strikes again
Review: I can't say it much better than those before me, but I would like to add- How or Why is Anchor Bay allowed to continue putting out poor product? I'm staying away from all things Anchor Bay until whatever licensing needs to occur before their "library" can be handled and produced on DVD with respect by another company. If anyone has to see their pressings please rent and do not buy.
Rating:
Summary: Dated & Overrated
Review: The movie looks and sounds like an old Movie of the Week circa early 1970s. It looks and feels dated. The screenwriter and director maintain the suspense. But it misses being a truly great film because of average performances by the actors and its "low-budget" feel. Some low budget films have a gritty feel and work remarkably well because of their intimacy and honesty, but the intimacy seems corny and goofy in this film. The print DOES look like a copy of an old VHS. Wait until this goes into the bargain bin - there is no way it is worth the current asking price.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Believe the Hype
Review: I remember the Manhunter movie vaguely, so when this DVD came out, I was hesitant to buy it. I am a huge fan of "Silence..." and of all Thomas Harris's novels, but I remember the movie being somewhat uneventful. But after reading all the reviews, I figured it was worth another look. WRONG! Those who think this is a superior movie to "Silence" are just trying to either cash in on all the hype surrounding "Hannibal" or trying to seem fashionably elitist! Brian Cox is good as Lector, but none of the performances last in memory. Good cop drama, but not a thriller.
Rating: 
Summary: Where it began...
Review: The Movie: Some have dared to call 'Manhunter' better than 'Lambs'....And in some ways, it actually is. For the uninitiated, Manhunter was based on Thomas Harris' novel Red Dragon (which was the precursor to The Silence of the Lambs). The novel, and ultimately the film, deal with Will Graham's (William L. Petersen: The Skulls, To Live and Die in LA) attempts to catch a vicious serial killer dubbed "The Tooth Fairy". Graham is a young retired cop living in south Florida after suffering near fatal wounds in the capture of Dr. Hannibal Lektor (who would become Hannibal Lecter in Lambs). He's got an uncanny knack for getting inside the heads of the killers-a gift that sometimes becomes more like a curse, as he occasionally finds himself lost in the madness. The presence of evil haunts Manhunter, intangibly. The graphic forensics reports Graham prepares, outlining the macabre crime scenes in vivid detail, allow the imagination to fill in what happened within the silent houses and rooms he explores. Graham flatly describes blood on the wall from arterial spray as the victim tried to fight, knowing that the killer was headed for the children's room. All of which translates into a vague unease that is arguably more disturbing than anything in Lambs. Silence Of The Lambs is violently passionate. Manhunter takes the opposite tack, showing the murder scenes-complete with blood stains and tape outlines-after the bodies have been carted away, allowing the viewer to fill in his own images. It's a fine example of how less can sometimes actually be more in film. Manhunter's performances are all very good, but the real standout is Cox's 'Lektor'. The fact is, Hopkins hammed it up big time in his portrayal of Hannibal. Cox plays the role with an understated sense of menace. It's clear from the early going that Lektor is brilliant, yet Cox also makes it apparent that he's a complete predator. Lektor sits staring, jaw slightly open, beady eyes sizing up everything around him-this is essence of the predator. Lektor's a genius, but he's an animal too, and Cox brings this side of the character to life in a brilliant way. That Cox wasn't brought back for 'Lambs' was unfortunate. Mann's direction is as inspired as always. The film has that engaged style used so well in Mann's masterpiece 'Heat' -- long, steady shots that add a terrifying stillness. This is a flashy film, but in a dark, nihilistic way. If you, like so many, were let-down by 'Hannibal', check out Manhunter to see the formula that made 'Lambs' such a hit. The DVD: Anchor Bay is releasing this film on DVD in 2 versions - a 2-disc limited edition (which contains the theatrical cut as well as a new director's cut) and a single-disc (of just the theatrical version). The theatrical version of Manhunter is presented in anamorphic widescreen (framed at 2.35:1), and thankfully looks better than I was anticipating. The overall presentation is a bit on the hazy side, but the transfer is damn good given the age and relative obscurity of the film. On the other hand, the Director's Cut of Manhunter (found on the second disc of the limited edition) is just terrible. The anamorphic transfer is pervasively soft, with no detail or clarity, and colors have an obvious red push. It's hazy, dull and looks no better than a discarded Beta master that Mann might have found in his office. The picture is virtually unwatchable, which is a real shame - especially considering that the Director's Cut is the preferred version of the film. So did Anchor Bay live up to expectations with their DVD handling of Manhunter? Pretty much. Dampening my enthusiasm somewhat is the lousy transfer of the Director's Cut on the 2-disc set, but I'm sure that Anchor Bay did the best they could to make a lousy source look as good as possible. I might have liked to see the deleted scenes simply pulled and isolated as a supplement, but I can't really complain considering.
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