Manhunter
AKA: Red Dragon: The Curse of Hannibal Lecter
Country: USA
Year:1986
Director: Michael Mann
Stars: William Petersen (Will Graham), Brian Cox (Dr. Hannibal Lecktor), Kim Greist (Molly Graham), Joan Allen (Reba McClane), Dennis Farina (Jack Crawford), Tom Noonan (Francis Dollarhyde)
Manhunter
25 years after its release, the first movie to feature film-land's most charismatic cannibal gets a bump-up to Blu-Ray. Here Will Graham, the FBI profiler who caught Lecktor and went a bit nuts as a result, is called out of retirement to help catch a killer dubbed 'The Tooth Fairy" in reference to the bite marks he leaves on his seemingly randomly-chosen victims. In requiring the assistance of his nemesis Dr Lecktor he opens himself not only to the madness that consumed him previously, but the attentions of another killer...
It had been a long time since I'd last seen this movie and for the most part it stands the test of time. It is difficult to watch without comparing it to the 2002 remake starring by far the better Lecktor (sorry, Brian Cox, I commend your portrayal but Anthony Hopkins scares the bejesus out of me!) and an actor with some emotional range (William Petersen: you're fab on CSI but this role required you to show something other than stunned, detached and slightly trembly - speak to Edward Norton!), but it does possess a far superior villain in Tom Noonan's chilling and emotionally fragile portrayal of Frances Dollarhyde. Generally it's worth watching - as any film with a sound story at its base is - but I can't help but think that for once (and with the exception of the wonderful Tom Noonan)... I actually prefer the remake!!
I can't believe I just had to write that! Shoot me now!
Reviewer - @helen_of_horror
Manhunter Trailer
