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DVD Manhunter (Restored Director's Cut Divimax Edition)
Though it will always be remembered as the movie featuring the "other" Hannibal Lecter, Michael Mann's 1986 thriller Manhunter is nearly as good as The Silence of the Lambs, and in some respects it's arguably even better. Based on Thomas Harris's novel Red Dragon, which introduced the world to the nefarious killer Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter, the film stars William Petersen (giving a suitably brooding performance) as ex-FBI agent Will Graham, who is coaxed out of semiretirement to track down a serial killer who has thwarted the authorities at every turn.
Graham's approach to the case is a perilous one. First he seeks counsel with Lecter (Brian Cox) in the latter's high-security prison cell--an encounter that is utterly horrifying in its psychological effect--and then he begins to mold his own psyche to that of the killer, with potentially devastating results. As directed by Mann (who was at the acme of his success with TV's Miami Vice), this sophisticated cat-and-mouse game never resorts to the compromise of cheap thrills. Predating Anthony Hopkins's portrayal of Lecter by four years, Cox plays the character closer to Harris's original, lower-key conception, and he's no less compelling in the role. Petersen is equally well cast, and as always Mann employs rock music to astonishing effect, using nearly all of Iron Butterfly's heavy-metal epic "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" to accompany the film's heart-stopping climactic sequence. All of this makes Manhunter one of the finest films of its kind, as well as further proof that Harris's fiction is a blessing to any filmmaker brave enough to adapt it. --Jeff Shannon
Review(s): DVD Manhunter (Restored Director's Cut Divimax Edition)
FLASHY THRILLS
Over the years, critics have lauded this as the best of the movies featuring Hannibal Lechter. I found it a little more "flashy" and "artsy" rather than truly compelling, but one must credit Michael Mann for his mastery of the "music video goes cinema" look he does so well. Based on Thomas Harris' RED DRAGON novel, the movie follows William Petersen as the agent who captured Hannibal Lechter, only to find himself back on the scene again once the Tooth Fairy emerges. Petersen's performance is edgy, tight and believable; Tom Noonan is mesmerizingly evil as the fairy; Joan Allen has a supporting role as a blind girl who Noonan fancies; and Dennis Farina is competent as Petersen's boss. Brian Cox does well as Lechter, but he doesn't control the character as well as Anthony Hopkins does later. MANHUNTER has a very effective climax with a disturbingly good use of IN A GADDA DI VIDA during the pursuit and capture. While definitely a well done film, I don't think it's overall as effective as SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, but it's as good as RED DRAGON and better than HANNIBAL.
Absolutely Amazing
Plot: Will Graham (William Petersen) is pretty much set in his retirement from the FBI. But when approached with a new case -- that of a twisted and incredibly elusive serial killer nicknamed "The Tooth Fairy" (Tom Noonan) -- he decides to take up the assignment. He seeks help from the imprisoned Dr. Hannibal Lecktor (Brian Cox) in an attempt to get into the mindset of a serial killer -- a dangerous mental experiementation that nearly broke his mind in two in the past. Indeed, the case swells up over him. Soon, his job becomes his own personal burden. There is a race against time to make sense of this massive puzzle and save another victim, and through the mind games of Lecktor as well as the mysterious Tooth Fairy, it's going to be a no-holds-barred showdown for ultimate justice. It seems this extraordinary murderer may finally meet his match.
Manhunter is in every way a classic. Many have been known to say it is superior to Silence Of The Lambs, and I completely agree (not to say SOTL was any less of a classic, but you get the idea). Obviously there are many great aspects to the film, including an amazing score, a tense and nighmarishly realistic atmosphere, and superb directing by Michael Mann. But the thing that really hits me when watching this is the characters, as well as the actors playing them. William Petersen is incredible as the under-pressure Will Graham. There is an obvious sense of inner struggle and you get the idea there is much more going on than that which meets the eye. Definitely alot of psychological effect filling in the already mind-boggling atmosphere. And much of that psychological effect is driven to the edge by Brian Cox and Tom Noonan. Although the character of Hannibal "the cannibal" Lecktor will always strike the image of a creepy Anthony Hopkins in our minds, I believe Brian Cox was just as good. He seemed so well in-tune to the storyline and to the character that I for sure felt the sense that he deserved this role. For the movie's sake, he hit the nail on the head. The mind games between Graham and Lecktor are undeniably unnerving, and really jerk the viewer into their world -- easily, a world of pure madness. But for full psychological terror, we must turn our attention to Tom Noonan's legendary performance as The Tooth Fairy. Every bit freaky and creepy, Noonan's quiet, calm, and collective take on this mesmerizing character was a spooky touch of perfection. A man of profound theatrical talent, he truly brings the killer to life and could fool anyone into believing this was real. With the combination of Graham's near-breaking psyche, Lecktor's dark cleverness, and the shattered mind of The Tooth Fairy tearing across the script like broken glass, Manhunter becomes one of the greatest thrillers you could ever see.
In conclusion, Manhunter is a true masterpiece that deserves a spot in every DVD collection. And with excellent special features including an 18 minute featurette with Petersen, Cox, and Noonan (among others) as well as quite extensive bios for all of the big stars of the movie, you've got every reason to pick this DVD up.
Still the best film in the Hannibal Lecter legacy.
Back in 1986, when this film was released and before any of the movie-going audience had a real grip on who Hannibal Lecter was, I thought this was one of the most intense police thrillers I'd ever seen.
I was not a watcher of MIAMI VICE, so I didn't even try to use Michael Mann's original police creation as a method of comparison. It was fresh journey into the mind of a serial killer, with actor William Peterson (who had scored in TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. just one year before) taking us inside.
While Anthony Hopkins may have won his Oscar for his portrayal as Lecter in THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, I always felt the "scary-eyed, slithering tongue, over-the-top" approach to the character was overdone and overbakes. Brian Cox's simple and subtle approach to the character was equally, if not more frightening.
Dino DeLaurentis produced MANHUNTER, which was not a great box office success. For this reason, he turned down producing SILENCE. Bet he's just a little sorry now.
And finally, just a reminder that when we last left HANNIBAL, both movie and book, Hannibal Lecter was still on the loose. Wonder what authour/creator Thomas Harris has in mind next?
Related DVD's Manhunter (Restored Director's Cut Divimax Edition)
William Friedkin briefly revived his faltering career with this sleek, bleak thriller of a pair of secret service agents on the trail of a counterfeiter. William L. Peterson is the hotshot protégé of a career agent killed by the ruthless, almost feral counterfeiting genius Willem Dafoe (Platoon). Now Petersen, teamed with the smart but still green John Pankow (TV's Mad About You), is ready to twist arms, lean on criminals, steal, and even murder to exact his revenge. The harrowing chase through the streets of Los Angeles that climaxes on the freeway at rush hour, where Friedkin's brilliant twist sends them heading the wrong way, careening through a sea of cars coming straight at them, is still one of the most breathtaking car chases ever filmed. Friedkin's edgy... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): William L. Petersen - Willem Dafoe Director(s): William Friedkin DVD Release Date: Released the 02 December 2003 Usually ships in 24 hours
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A lot could've gone wrong in Red Dragon, but the movie exceeds expectations. Replacing the acclaimed Manhunter as an "official" entry in the Hannibal Lecter trilogy, this topnotch thriller--the second adaptation of Thomas Harris's first Lecter novel--returns to the fertile soil of The Silence of the Lambs, serving as both prequel and heir to the legacy of Lecter as portrayed, with mischievous menace, by the great Anthony Hopkins. Familiar faces and locations reappear (along with Lambs screenwriter Ted Tally) as Lecter coaches FBI profiler Will Graham (Edward Norton) in tracking the horrific "Tooth Fairy" killer (Ralph Fiennes), whose transformative killing spree is inspired by a William Blake painting. By dutifully serving Harris's potent material, Tally and... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Anthony Hopkins - Edward Norton - Ralph Fiennes Director(s): Brett Ratner DVD Release Date: Released the 01 April 2003 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Yes, he's back, and he's still hungry. Ten years after The Silence of the Lambs, Dr. Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter (Anthony Hopkins, reprising his Oscar-winning role) is living the good life in Italy, studying art and sipping espresso. FBI agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore, replacing Jodie Foster), on the other hand, hasn't had it so good--an outsider from the start, she's now a quiet, moody loner who doesn't play bureaucratic games and suffers for it. A botched drug raid results in her demotion--and a request from Lecter's only living victim, Mason Verger (Gary Oldman, uncredited), for a little Q and A. Little does Clarice realize that the hideously deformed Verger--who, upon suggestion from Dr. Lecter, peeled off his own face--is using her as bait to lure Dr. Lecter out of... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Anthony Hopkins - Julianne Moore Director(s): Ridley Scott DVD Release Date: Released the 21 August 2001 Usually ships in 24 hours
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I love William Petersen, in anything he does, but he's played in some really crappy movies, & he's so good, this is OK, Liked where he was downing the straight shots, of boos very realistic- he's so incredible to look at that you kinda of forget how lousy the movie is. Diane Lane is as always good & beautiful, the chemistry between her & WP was pretty good, lucky girl, to be in bed with him. I liked the last line he spoke in his jail cell, very profound & prolific. Have never seen before or since the other guy, don't have much of an opinion of him!!! More Info about this DVD Director(s): Jeff Celentano DVD Release Date: Released the 29 February 2000 Usually ships within 24 hours
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In a classic instance of a film's reach exceeding its grasp, Kiss the Sky has the outline of greatness about it. The final result, though, is something less: a deeply flawed but genuinely interesting work. Nothing wrong with that.
More ambitious and less clichéd than American Beauty, Kiss the Sky stars William L. Petersen and Gary Cole as long-time friends evaluating how they arrived in middle age feeling dispirited and empty. Desperate to reconnect with their lost vitality, they pursue the obvious by zipping off to a tropical island to chase the local girls. Instead, they both end up falling for the same woman (Sheryl Lee), who in turn loves both of them. Opting for the unorthodox, the trio becomes a threesome with little internal jealousy, deep... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Roger Young DVD Release Date: Released the 07 October 2003 Usually ships within 24 hours
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