Manhunter [Collector's Edition] [Blu-ray] [2 Discs] [1986]
- Details
- Format: Blu-ray
- Program Type: Movie
- Other
- Product Name: Manhunter [Collector's Edition] [Blu-ray] [2 Discs] [1986]
- UPC: 826663166859
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- Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Pre Hannibal 80s goodness
When Miami Vice creator Michael Mann jumped into film, he stayed in the dayglo synth heavy seedy side of things. Translating the book Red Dragon into Manhunter with a lot of style (and a radically different Lecktor than the one we are used to) in this Police procedural, one of the best films about catching a serial killer that exists. Tom Noonan is perfect as the bad guy, a man torn between his urges and wanting to be normal. As is To LIve and Die in LA's Will Graham, he also struggles with being too good at having insight into the criminal mind. Mix with interesting music and stark visuals, Mindhunter is a moody 80s noir with a savage side. Extras are plentiful and the HD is great, 2 versions are included for the purists.
Posted by Stanis78
- Rated 5 out of 5 stars
The Tooth Fairy is real and were going to get him.
Michael Mann's film adaptation of Thomas Harris' novel Red Dragon is probably closest to nailing the vision of the book down, as opposed to some of the other adaptations. By now we have seen several incarnations of the Hannibal Leckter character and everybody has their favorite, so I won't really bother getting into this character too much - other than to say that Brian Cox does a great job portraying the good doctor in a very realistic way. Very subtle, but also very dangerous. The character I would mainly like to point out and focus on is the serial killer at the heart of the hunt - The Tooth Fairy. Tom Noonan does an amazing job with the character, genuinely creeping me out in some scenes. This is a person I would avoid at all costs based on his looks alone - he's just that creepy. You can't help but fear for anyone who shares a room with this guy, let alone the blind woman that does end up embracing him in warming way in the film. There's some good tension between these two, as they get very close to one another and she has no idea what the monster next her even looks like, she just knows his shy, slightly gentle voice and his even more fragile touch. The man on the other end of the hunt is ex-agent Will Graham. Will has the gift of a certain brand of clairvoyance, one that allows him to put himself in the shows of the killer and see what the killer sees - and does. Is this really a gift, or is Will just as crazy as the killers he chases. When we meet Will at the beginning of the film he is no longer an active agent, as his backstory goes he had captured Doctor Leckter, but not without taking his "gift" to some very dark places. Reluctantly, Will decides to come on board and offer what ever help he can, but as the case grows, so does Will's obsession with finding the killer - ultimately driving him back into depths of mental madness that he was previously so afraid of reaching. The film is an exceptional crime film, especially for anyone that is a fan of the Hannibal series, whether it be book or film. In my opinion, these are the type of films Michael Mann really shines on and Manhunter is no exception. Though, with this being an early Mann piece, there are some errors intact, mostly near the end when the production had run out of money. These scenes are very obvious, but when you find out the techniques employed to achieve certain effect, you cant help but have more praise from Mann as a creative talent. Another minor grip is with the Director's Cut, the DC scenes weren't given the HD treatment and actually look like the grainy stock footage straight from the cutting room floor. From what I've read this is just something we have to deal with. Fortunately the rest of the scenes are in HD. The Theatrical Cut is completely HD. There is a ton of content in the directors cut to really make a huge difference in the film, but the DC is definitely the preferred version for me. For casual viewers, the theatrical cut is still just as good of a film, so you can stick with this version if you are bothered by the DC insertions.
Posted by LordSteve01
- Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Mann's Horror Masterpiece, with Solid New Extras
Michael Mann's 1986 crime/horror thriller Manhunter, is best known as the film that first introduced the cinematic world to cannibal killer Dr. Hannibal Lecktor (later portrayed as Hannibal Lecter by Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs). Making little fanfare during its initial release, it is now regarded as one of the best films in its genre, anchored by a great performance by William Peterson as Will Graham, a former FBI profiler brought out of retirement to hunt a serial killer called the Tooth Fairy, who slaughters whole families every full moon. Graham quit the FBI due to serious injuries he suffered when he caught Lecktor, and because his ability to assume the mindset of a killer pushed him to the edge of madness. Now he must seek out Lecktor in prison to get his advice on how to catch the Tooth Fairy...and to "pick up the old scent," as Lecktor puts it. Stylish and slick with a strong 1980s Miami Vice sheen (down to the very 80s soundtrack), Manhunter is very much a product of its time, but that in no way diminishes the craft with which Mann tells the story, or the suspense as Graham struggles to catch the Tooth Fairy before he claims another family. The Blu Ray features two versions of the film, the theatrical cut which looks very good, and a director's version, which is pieced together from many sources including old TV scans and in some places looks very rough. This new edition features fresh interviews with William Peterson and fellow actors Joan Allen, Tom Noonan, and Brian Cox, as well as Director of Photography Dante Spinotti, and many of the musicians who contributed to the soundtrack. A Mann commentary and several old featurettes are also included. If you're a fan of Manhunter a purchase is a no-brainer.
Posted by ANDM