Manhunter

Rating:
Summary: This film has a brain behind it unlikeThe Silence of the Lam
Review: This film has a brain behind it unlike (The Silence of the Lambs). Buy it you will not be disappointed.A Low budget film but solid all the way...Be witness to the birth of good and evil in man as the two main characters (the red dragon and Will Graham)build to a stunning conclusion! What Silence of the lambs should have been rather than the stumble-bum conclusion it had.

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Summary: The best of the three Hannibal movies
Review: Even though Lecter doesnt appear in more than a few scenes in Manhunter, I much preferred his subtle, psychological approach to Anthony Hopkins(although I did enjoy his performance, too) and as much as I liked Jodie Foster as Agent Starling, I liked William Petersens character a bit more. He was more hard edged, on the edge and interesting. Petersen, for me, is the heart and soul of this movie. He brings tension and life to the scenes he is in and is very underrated as an actor. I also loved the bad guy, Tooth Fairy played by Noonan. He is far, far more interesting than Buffalo Bill. Here is a man who is at heart a child, who loves with passion, but has no one to love so he invents that love in the guise of other families he murders. This is a complicated and deeply felt character who its very easy to feel sympathy and disgust towards. When he does find someone, played by Joan Allen, he reacts in the way a child would when he doesnt get his way. He throws a tantrum, but a for him, that means killing. The only area I feel that Silence of the Lambs is superior to Manhunter is in production. It is clear that Silence had a monster budget and Manhunter didnt. This proves fairly well that budget, or lack thereof, equates to a good or bad movie. Both movies are good. I recently sat down to watch all three movies, Hannibal last, which is not very good, unless you are a fan of the Friday the 13th movies and like to see disgusting scenes. Without question, Manhunter is the best. Its not the most Hollywood, but its the best. Silence of the Lambs, although a very good movie, is over the top in so many ways. The ending with Jodie Foster shooting into the darkness to hit Buffalo Bill is poor at best. I liked the movie as Ive said. It has a lot of very good scenes but in terms of quality moviemaking, it is not as good as Manhunter.

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Summary: What Jeff Shannon said...
Review: Believe it or not, this overlooked film directed by Michael Mann of "Miami Vice" fame is better than Silence of the Lambs. If you liked Silence then you will like this film as well.

Rating:
Summary: Superior in every way to Silence of The Lambs!
Review: Michael Mann uses sure genious in bringing Thomas Harris' Red Dragon to the screen. While the subject matter of a serial killer is dark and ominous, he uses bright stylistic lighting to underscore the duality that exists in the mind of a dark psychopath. His depiction of Lecktor as an everyday guy (in attitude and appearance) is what empowers any psycopath: The ability to blend in. Hopkins, by his own admission after Hannibal, believes that is how Lecktor should be depicted, and that is why his portayal in Silence of the Lambs (although powerful) is inconsistant with the author's (Harris) vision of the character. This story is more suspenseful, the acting more powerful (From Hannibal, to the FBI agent played by William Petersen, the hunted serial killer, and the supporting cast), and the direction much better than Silence if the Lambs could ever have hoped. True Harris and Lecktor fans will admire the brilliance of Manhunter!

Rating:
Summary: Quite awful.
Review: I'm not sure exactly what the people who like this movie see in it, but what I see is a blandly directed, ineptly acted thriller that features zero suspense. Anybody who says this is better than The Silence of the Lambs probably just doesn't like a film that has garnered much acclaim and attention. Manhunter is just a dull waste of time. For crying out loud, who would you choose: Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster, or Tom Noonan and William Petersen?

Rating:
Summary: Better than 'Silence'? Hardly.
Review: Somehow, inexplicably, one of the professional reviews of "Manhunter" actually writes that in some ways, this movie was better than "Silence of the Lambs." Let me offer a profound dissent. Rather than creating a sleek, suspenseful thriller like Jonathan Demme would later do with "Silence," Michael Mann's gloppy, dark direction reminds me of some of his least interesting episodes of "Miami Vice." Brian Cox, though a talented actor in his own right, can't possibly compare with Sir Anthony as Hannibal Lecter. I'll admit, having seen "Silence" first, I had a preconceived notion of what Lecter should look, sound and act like, but trying to stay as objective as possible, I can't think of one relative strength of Cox's performance. What made "Silence of the Lambs" such a great movie? Great direction, great acting (Hopkins, Foster, Glenn), and also great writing. "Manhunter" (based on Thomas Harris' "Red Dragon") falls short of "Silence" on all these measures, even though the plot bears much resemblance to Harris' later novel. It's simply not as compelling a movie. If you're interested in a different perspective on Hannibal, you might enjoy the film. Just temper your expectations -- it is OK, but can't compare to the movie that swept all of the main Oscar categories when it came out.

Rating:
Summary: Do I HAVE to give it a whole star?
Review: This film is the Great Satan of Thomas Harris film adaptations. "Black Sunday" was made into a very good film with Bruce Dern and Robert Shaw..."The Silence of the Lambs" (of course)...and "Hannibal" (while not exactly top-notch) was good, as well. What this atrocity of a film does, however, is take Harris' greatest novel to date ("Red Dragon") and mutilate it as Dr. Lecter might mutilate a psychiatric patient. The screenwriters for this film excised nearly every element which made the novel so intensely brilliant and (by some twisted logic) left in parts of the novel which became irrelevant in the film, due to the changes made.

Why does the character of Reba even EXIST in this film? Her role in the novel was of paramount importance in the closing chapters of "Red Dragon"...in "Manhunter," however, she is all but a throwaway character. My second problem with the film is this...since when is Hannibal Lecter SCOTTISH? That's right, Scottish thespian Brian Cox portrays Lecter with a distinct accent, despite the fact that Harris' works state that Lecter was born in Lithuania in 1938.

A further problem, and certainly the aspect of the film which garners most of my animosity toward it...how can any screenwriter justify reducing Harris' breathtaking finale in "Red Dragon" to a trite "good guy vs. bad guy" showdown? Some people who actually READ "The Silence of the Lambs" may remember the following statement made by Jack Crawford about the condition of Will Graham following his final encounter with Dolarhyde..."Will's face looks like damn Picasso drew him." I think that should say enough. They left in the TIGER, but left out the ending.

All in all, this film is absolute trash, and the most blatent smearing of a great novel it has ever been my misfortune to witness. Luckily, Ted Tally (screenwriter of the film version of "The Silence of the Lambs") is currently working on his own screenplay for the novel. Hopefully, he won't repeat the same mistakes that the "Manhunter" screenwriters made, and the new "Dragon" film will live up to its source. Bottom line: "Manhunter" was a great cosmic mistake and a painful viewing experience for true Harris fans. Read "Red Dragon" instead...you'll thank me later. And if you've already read the novel, wait for the new film...don't bother with this cliched Hollywood tripe.

Rating:
Summary: The 1-Disc MANHUNTER is the way to go
Review: MANHUNTER was a flop when it was released in the mid-1980s, but has enjoyed a much-deserved renaissance in the past few years with the box office success of HANNIBAL and SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. And now, finally, it has been released on DVD for a second chance with audiences.

The debate rages on as to whether MANHUNTER is the best of the trilogy, and you can read numerous postings below about this. Personally, I think MANHUNTER is superior because it deals with the detailed investigation of horrific crimes versus the crimes themselves, its villain is much more terrifying because he's portrayed with more humanity, and the tone overall is creepy and serious versus horrific and campy.

If you're seeing MANHUNTER for the first time and are a fan of the other two films, be forewarned that:

1. This is a crime drama, not a horror movie. And while it is well shot, it is a low budget film with production values just slightly above a TV-movie. But you will be so engrossed in the story that this won't matter.

2. It is definitely a film of its time period, with 80s fashions and a MIAMI VICE-type booming soundtrack that tends to interfere with otherwise quiet and introspective moments. But the music, as with most of the other films directed by Michael Mann, is excellent, well chosen and progressive (for the mid-1980s). Even though the film seems dated to some, if we are to judge movies forever by the time periods they were created in, then we might as well stop going to the cinema.

3. If Hannibal Lector and Anthony Hopkins are one and the same to you, then seeing Brian Cox in the role might be jarring. He plays Lector (spelled "Lecktor" here) with much more subtlety than Hopkins, and may disappoint those who are fans of Hopkins's over-the-top (though enjoyable) portrayal.

You can read plot details in the many postings below - the real question is how good is the DVD? Since I was forewarned about the bad video transfer on the 2-disc Director's Cut, I bought the 1-disc Theatrical Cut, which has all the extras of the former. I am very pleased with the transfer I've seen. There is some graininess at times, but the picture is generally sharp with vivid colors. Probably the best version I've seen since I saw it in a theater in the 80s - maybe better. The audio can be muddy in spots, but the soundtrack booms out of the speakers, particularly the excellent Shriekback songs.

There are a couple of scenes on this DVD that I don't remember seeing before - someone can correct me if I'm wrong. One involves Will Graham touring the empty home of one of the murder victims with a real estate agent, the other is a love scene with his wife in a hotel room. The former seemed unnecessary, but the latter only heightened the emotional stakes in Will's pursuit of the killer.

There are a couple of short, but very informative, documentaries at the end of this film - one featuring the actors, the other featuring the cinematographer. It was very interesting seeing Tom Noonan (the villain) interviewed, as I've never seen him in any other context but this film. There are some great nuggets of information for fans of the movie, as well as a collection of movie posters from around the world.

The glaring omission is any input from Michael Mann himself. I, for one, am not as enchanted with running audio commentaries on DVDs, as I feel they tend to take away some of the "magic" of the film itself. But it's too bad he didn't contribute to the docs at the end. There is a sense from the actors' interviews that the crew had had it with Michael Mann toward the end, and began walking off the set, leaving a skeleton crew for the final action sequence. Perhaps this has something to do with it.

To sum up, the 1-disc MANHUNTER DVD is probably the best version we'll ever get of this classic film. Picture and audio are excellent, and the film itself - at least to this viewer - has aged well. The solving of the crime is so complicated that repeat viewings are beneficial and enjoyable. And the extras are very informative without being long and overwhelming. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Good but takes a back seat to "Silence"
Review: "Manhunter", based on the novel "Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris provides the introduction of Dr. Hannibal Lecter (spelled Lecktor in this film). He is in prison here as well and serves as a consultant to the FBI agent who nabed him and gives his insights on a serial killer who is killing entire families.

The blurb on this dvd case says that "fans and critics alike feel that "Manhunter" is a far superior film to "Silence of the Lambs". I have to disagree with this. "Manhunter" is indeed a very good thriller but it does not have the taut pacing or the suspense of "Silence". "Manhunter" is beautifully photographed with sharp details and brilliant color and the set designs (there is lots of glass everywhere) are well done. The acting is good - Tom Noonan is very creepy as the killer and Joan Allen, who plays a blind girl that befriends him, is memorable. William Petersen, as the FBI agent, is adequate but he has a lot of scenes where he talks aloud to himself and here he sounds unconvincing and awkward. Brian Cox plays Hannibal Lecter. It is strange seeing an actor other than Anthony Hopkins in this role, but Cox is a believable Hannibal.

On the negative side, the soundtrack is horrendous and does not fit the film. The heavy rock vocals used here kill the tone and mood of the film and it is very annoying. They make the film feel like a tv movie.

Overall, this is definately a film to see especially if you enjoy the FBI serial killer profile procedural. Just don't get your hopes up and expect another "Silence of the Lambs".

Rating:
Summary: MANHUNTER ... SILENCE GOOD TENEBRE AWESOME
Review: I heard so many good things about this movie, how it's better than silence of the lambs, this and that. I guess the people who liked this must've been real big fans of miami vice(a show that i really loathed). Luckily I didn't spend too much money on this movie so I can get at least most of it back from ... (an) auction. Now the good parts of this movie:

1. Acting great 2. Camera work great 3. Story great

Bad parts of the movie: 1. The movie didn't even need to have Hannibal in it. HE'S ONLY IN THE MOVIE FOR LESS THAN 10 MINUTES.

2. We don't really get to find out much about the killer. The overall story's good but important details about the killer aren't there as in Silence

3. THE MUSIC IS SO 80's. You might not think it's a big deal but when you're watching the movie, the music seems so out of place and downright annoying.

Lastly if you want to see a really good serial killer movie I recommend Dario Argento's Tenebre which I feel is better than Silence and tons better than Manhunter.