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Manhunter [VHS] [1989] starring: William Petersen, Kim Greist, Joan Allen, Brian Cox, Dennis Farina

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Rating: - A Fantastic Classic - The Influence for 'Cracker' and 'CSI' !

'Manhunter' is a product of the marvellous director Michael Mann (Thief, The Last of the Mohicans, Heat, The Insider, Collateral), who applies his usual array of cinematic, artistic and musical application talents to make a film which is my all-time favourite.

It has all the ingredients you could wish for: a stylistic production, excellent acting, realistic characters, a thrilling tempo, mystery, terror, drama, human emotions and (above all) a fantastic accompanying soundtrack.

The film is based on the Thomas Harris book 'Red Dragon' from his Hannibal Lecter series; this story being the 'prequel' to 'The Silence of the Lambs'. The book has more recently been remade into a film with the 'correct' title, but whilst it follows the novel storyline more accurately it does not compare to 'Manhunter' as a cinematic experience...

Dating from the mid-80's, the plot and film are most certainly the stimulus for such programmes as 'Cracker' and 'CSI' (and latterly series like 'Criminal Minds'), due to the forensically detailed nature of the investigation, but especially the criminal psychology aspect depicted superbly by the character Will Graham (it is probably no coincidence that he is played by the subsequently famous star of CSI, William Petersen !).

The way the film shows the tracking down of the serial killer, and the fact that he is revealed to the viewer before the detectives have found him, helps to build a multi-layered storyline as well as being unusual (until copied by the later programmes mentioned above). Although obviously covering extreme violence, the film rarely depicts it in any other way than by implication, description and/or aftermath imagery. This does not detract from the horror theme and, in my opinion, enhances the chilling nature of the subject !

Various matters that I have already alluded to mean that first-time viewers of Manhunter should avoid perhaps being slightly 'under whelmed', by remembering that any similarities to other films they have seen are because they copied it ! Also, to avoid any perception of it being dated, it is essential to watch the restored version as that brings the picture quality and soundtrack up to modern standards...There is also some rather 'clunky' dialogue at the beginning between Graham and his detective friend Jack Crawford which might make some stop watching there and then, but things improve dramatically from then on...

Despite the viewer already knowing who the murderer is, the 'revelation' of him being detected is stunningly portrayed by Peterson as he speaks his thought processes out loud. Whilst the key clue is there all along, I doubt any viewer will have figured it out before he does !

William Petersen portrays his disturbed and gradually fixated/overwhelmed character extremely well, Hannibal Lecter (Brian Cox) is played beautifully as a chillingly reserved monster, and the serial killer (Tom Noonan) shows all the character 'flaws' required of someone who feels killing is a solution to their issues with great skill; the book obviously covers those aspects more fully than the film....

Finally, a few words about the soundtrack. Mann is well-known for his talent to apply suitable music to his productions and this is no exception (which is why the best sound quality DVD issue is worth getting !). The original music blends beautifully with the plot progression but, more significantly, the addition of existing commercial tracks from talented groups such as 'Shriekback' and 'Iron Butterfly' make the production quite outstanding (they prompted me to explore the music of those groups more and buy their albums).

The background of Shriekbacks 'Evaporation' to Graham's back yard detection scene is enthralling, 'This Big Hush' provides a marvellous backdrop to the serial killer 'love' scene. However, the true highlights are the use of 'Coelocanth' to support the 'Tiger in the vet's' scene and the climax of the film relying on 'In A Gadda Da Vida' by Iron Butterfly.

It is noteworthy that the artistic nature of Mann's direction is especially evident in the climax, as the film is edited to fit in with that 10 minute-long music track, rather than the music being applied to the film.

SEE THIS FILM !!!

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One point worth bearing in mind that a definitive DVD edition does not really exist as the various issues all have flaws and varying 'cuts' (variations even exist between those issues labelled 'Theatrical Cut' and 'Director's Cut' !).

I own the Region 1 Limited Edition Anchor Bay 2-disc effort (as it was the 1st special re-issue), the Restored Region 2 UK Directors Cut (for the commentary and other extras) and lately have acquired the Region 2 issue originating from Japan which has DTS, a good image transfer and has the 'definitive' Theatrical cut !

All these newer issues have a very good picture quality and soundtrack, so you can't really go wrong with any of them.

However, various tweaks (mostly detrimental) have been made to later issues, including the omission of crucial exchanges between Graham and the police and latterly between Graham and Crawford. Whilst the addition of some scenes is welcome, I cannot fathom why some scenes have been 'cut' like this when they are so important to the overall plot...

Rating: - Manhunter

Simple review really, forget all the other take offs this is the best of all of them, superb acting & it was directed by the best Michael Mann. If you have not seen it then buy it now & be amazed.

Rating: - [3.5]--The forgotten movie that is taken on its own terms

Like many people who have seen "Silence of the Lambs," I didn't know of "Manhunter," the first in the series, and by far one of the best one. This film was not only far ahead of its time but also a fantastic bit film making (Michael Mann once again hits the spot) in every sense of the word. The plot is the now basic serial killer on the loose/ cop must stop him and save his next victim. However, there are some very original and brilliant inventions in this film that separates it from the rest.

William Petersen is the cop, Will Graham and brilliant he is at playing him. He plays his psychological torment smoothly but making it unnerving for us. Tom Nooman is quite brilliant and in that way I mean terrifying at `The Tooth Fairy', the killer of the story. (Be sure to note the "wings" of blood under his arms after he has been shot and killed. This is, apparently, as close as he will get to becoming the "Red Dragon" he believed he was metamorphasizing into.)
He's multi-layered and he makes you both hate and feel sorry for him. Brian Cox is Lector in this tale. I won't bother with comparisons between him and Hopkins, because they both play Lector differently. Full credit must go to Cox though, he doesn't need masks or camp one-liners to try and make him scary. He is scary, his eyes, the deceiving way he talks. This is acting, not prop work but Anthony is still Lector to me.

Sure, "Manhunter" has weaknesses. Graham's acting is sporadic. The scenes where he is getting riled up at the as-yet-unknown killer are a bit weak. ("You son of a b****! You wanted them to watch, didn't you?") Also, as much as I enjoy Mann, it's probably too stylized for its own good. This is properly Mann's first masterpiece. The opening scene pans down from a blue sky to Graham and Crawford sitting on a branch on the sand. Freeze frame that. It is a perfect composition. A Vettriano image. This respect for composition is echoed through the movie. There are so many opportunities here to see the visual, the lighting, the camera all coming together. Yes, it is a 1980's pic. It was made in the 1980's and is a tribute to the look and feel of the time. He directs the film with so much skill and style. If I could get anyone to film night's scenes, it would be Mann. His night scenes (The Insider, Last of the Mohicans, Heat) are fantastic to look at and this is no exception and we get a lot of it as the film is mostly filmed at night. The screenplay is a cracker (again by Mann) and the music is class as well. For those who haven't seen this film should and for those who had see this again please.

Rating: - Better than Red Dragon

This is the first film to feature Hannibal Lecter. It predates Silence of the Lambs by five years and is frequently forgotten because of the later film. However be assured this is a marvellous film in its own right and superior to Red Dragon (which is the same story) in every way.

The reason for its excellence is mainly due to Michael Mann, the director who was meticulous in the design and look of the film. His use of colour and the way the film was lit are crucial and as he said "all are there to create dread".

The casting is very good; Brian Cox plays Lecter completely differently from the way Hopkins plays him. In Manhunter it is a smaller role, but Cox's performance is crucial to the films success. Cox spent time researching criminal psychology and preparing for the role and he is the most important actor in the film. Having said that Tom Noonan is truly terrifying as Francis Dollarhyde, and if the film does have a weakness it just might be William Peterson...

This DVD is well worth getting as it includes the paperback book 'Michael Mann's HeadGames' which contains a lot of information and an interview with Brian Cox.

Rating: - A taut chiller

Michael Mann's adaptation of Thomas Harris' "Red Dragon" is a wonderfully acted and filmed thriller. William Petersen plays Will Graham, a retired FBI profiler who is persuaded to rejoin the Police Force to lead a case to capture a serial killer nicknamed "The Tooth Fairy". However, Graham's talent is also his greatest weakness; he can think like the killer. Whilst this helped him capture the infamous Dr Hannibal Lecktor - played with a wonderfully quiet malevolence by Brian Cox - it also ensured that he suffered a mental breakdown forcing his retirement and that he has never recovered from. In his pursuit of "The Tooth Fairy" Graham enlists the help of his nemesis, Dr Lecktor, who revels in the power he still holds over his captor. And so begins a race against time as Graham tries to unravel the killer's mindset whilst holding onto his own sanity and family, culminating in a fantastic finale played out to the strains of Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida."

The acting throughout is of the highest standard, with the standouts being Brian Cox's' Lecktor and Tom Noonan's spooky performance as Francis Dollarhyde. Michael Mann's direction is taut, with no scene being wasted and always beautifully framed by Dante Spinotti's cinematography. The use of colour is extraordinary throughout, from searing whites and neon's to washed out blues, ensuring that Manhunter looks beautiful.

The DVD includes some limited extras, namely an interview with Dante Spinotti and a short documentary with interviews of the cast. So whilst the extras are not as good as you would want the movie itself is fantastic and well worth watching.

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