All Rise...

Judge Patrick Naugle likes neither Chianti nor Fava beans.

Editor's Note

Our reviews of The Hannibal Lecter Collection (Blu-ray) (published September 21st, 2009), Manhunter (published October 12th, 2007), Manhunter (Blu-ray) (published October 12th, 2011), Manhunter: Limited Edition (published August 21st, 2001), and Manhunter: Restored Director's Cut (published August 20th, 2003) are also available.

The Charge

"It's just you and me now, sport…"

The Case

Will Graham (William Peterson, Young Guns) is a former FBI criminal profiler who has retired after a terrifying run in with Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter (Brian Cox, X2: X-Men United). Graham is pulled out of retirement—and his beach house with his wife and child—to help Jack Crawford (Dennis Farina, Crime Story) catch a new and deadly killer known as "The Tooth Fairy". This malevolent force of nature is Francis Dollarhyde (Tom Noonan, Robocop 2), who has somehow eluded capture as he breaks into families homes and brutally slaughters them as they sleep. Graham realizes that to catch a killer he'll need a killer's help, which means facing his past and asking the maniacally cunning Hannibal for his help to catch Dollarhyde before another innocent family succumbs to Dollarhyde's twisted desires.

There appear to be two camps when it comes to the Michael Mann's Manhunter: those who think it's a masterpiece, and those who think it's a dated, neon-drenched piece of 1980s cinema. Frankly, I have to admit to falling into the latter camp—when compared to director Brett Ratner's superior 2002 adaptation Red Dragon, there's no contest. Manhunter just doesn't work as well as Red Dragon. Putting aside the fact that Ratner's film smoothly connects two previous films featuring Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter (Jonathan Demme's 1991 Oscar winner The Silence of the Lambs and Ridley Scott's 2001 sequel Hannibal), Ratner's Red Dragon is moody and atmospheric in a way that Manhunter isn't.

Of course, I could write all day comparing Red Dragon and Manhunter, but that seems somewhat unfair to Manhunter. Mann's adaptation isn't bad, it just has the disadvantage of using a lot of the trappings of the decade which in turn make it feel dated and dulled. Unlike The Silence of the Lambs, which would be released only five years later, Manhunter doesn't feel timeless—the fashions draw attention to themselves in the worst way and the film score by The Reds sounds an awful lot like a cheap Tangerine Dream knockoff.

Putting aside some of the decade's trappings, it's worth noting that Manhunter does work wonderfully at times. William Peterson, so familiar to audiences on TV's long running series C.S.I., makes for a competent if sometimes overwrought detective Will Graham. Peterson sometimes overplays Graham's emotional side (often talking to himself so the audience can follow along), but the actor still inhabits the role with conviction. The imposing Tom Noonan is sufficiently frightening as the film's main antagonist Francis Dollarhyde. Noonan's lanky, freakish frame and eerie line delivery is enhanced by his fake teeth and bizarre attire which is what makes Dollarhyde such a memorable villain. Noonan's performance is a rather tour-de-force that certainly kept me on edge; watch the scene where Dollarhyde threatens a panic-stricken Freddie Lounds—strapped to a wheelchair—to see how frightening he can be . The supporting cast of Manhunter includes Dennis Farina as FBI higher up Jack Crawford, Kim Griest as Will's wife, and Joan Allen (The Upside of Anger) as the blind woman who comes close to humanizing that monstrous Dollarhyde.

Michael Mann both penned the screenplay and directed Manhunter and his command of the story is strong. When it's not soaked in too many brightly lit colors Manhunter can be terrifyingly atmospheric; witness a scene where Dollarhyde and a blind female co-worker (Allen) sit on the killer's couch, she staring into the void while Dollarhyde watches vacation film strip footage of his victims. It's a chilling moment that Mann brings into full focus. Manhunter is at its best when it just lingers on the unsettling moments, underscored by slow camera moves and thick tension.

Probably of most interest to viewers is the chance to see the first iteration of Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecktor (for some reason the character's name is spelled differently in this film than in subsequent versions), played much differently by a young Brian Cox. It's impossible to look at Brian Cox's performance without immediately thinking of Anthony Hopkins; so indelible is Hopkins to the character of Hannibal that everyone else tends to pale by comparison. Taken on its own merits, Brian Cox's Hannibal is menacing and cunning but with less elegance than Hopkins brought to the role; Cox seems a bit rougher around the edges when he chews the scenery. Although history will remember Hopkins as the definitive Hannibal, Cox's interesting take on the character shouldn't be dismissed.

Manhunter is my least favorite of the Thomas Harris / Hannibal Lecter films. I have a soft spot for Scott's geek show Hannibal, but that doesn't mean it's not worth seeking out—there's enough here to recommend for those who can stomach the violence, even though Manhunter is probably the least grotesque of the four films. This can be seen as an alternate version of one of cinema's darkest, most hated (and loved) villains.

Manhunter (Blu-ray) is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen in 1080p high definition. This newly minted version from Scream Factory title (which includes both the theatrical and director's cut) boasts a very attractive transfer that features bright, bold colors and solid black levels. There's a rather heavy grain structure to the film but it gives Manhunter a warm, filmic feel and never intrudes on the viewing. The soundtrack is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround in English. This is a very enveloping, atmospheric track that features a fine 5.1 remix. There are a few well placed surround sounds and the music often seeps through all five channels. While a lot of Manhunter is dialogue driven, there are also some heavy action sequences (especially the flaming wheelchair, of which I'll say no more). Also included on this disc are English subtitles.

Bonus features for this 2-disc Scream Factory Collector's Edition include a commentary from director Michael Mann, brand new interviews with Will Peterson ("The Mind of Madness"), Joan Allen ("Courting a Killer"), Tom Noonan ("Francis is Gone Forever"), Brian Cox ("The First Lecter"), director of photograhy Dante Spinotti ("The Eye of the Storm", "The Manhunter Look"), and composers Michel Rubini, Barry Andrews, Gary Putman, Rick Shaffer, and Gene Stashuk ("The Music of Manhunter"), a still gallery, a featurette ("Inside Manhunter with Stars William Peterson, Joan Allen, Brian Cox, and Tom Noonan"), and a theatrical trailer for the film.

Manhunter is a divisive film that is loved by some and loathed by others. I fall somewhere in the middle—there are certainly things to really like about Manhunter, and things that have not stood the test of time. Even so, I feel it's worth your time to check out Mann's version of this story if only for watching Tom Noonan with pantyhose on his head while giving a speech that would make General Patton tremble.

The Verdict

Fans will want to hunt down this version.

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