This is the lesser known Hannibal Lector film(to Silence of the lambs) but some consider it as good or even better than that film. I happen to feel that both have their plus points and this Michael Mann film has many strong points including an amazing soundtrack and great performance by William Peterson as Det. Will Graham. Brian Cox is chilling in his own way as Lector and his interactions with Peterson just show the kind of magnitude two capable and talented actors can bring to a scene. This is a must watch film.

I saw Red Dragon when it first came out and loved it. I never even heard of Manhunter until I was about 27 (I'm 34 now). In 2012, Manhunter came on one the Encore networks and I set my DVR to record it. I was sceptical at first, but after watching it, I was hooked. No Anthony Hopkins? So what? Brian Cox's Hannibal I found a bit boring in fact. Sir Anthony might be the true Hannibal, but Edward Norton could've learned a thing or two from William Petersen. Dennis Farina (RIP) became my favorite Jack Crawford and Stephen Lang is way more hip than Philip Seymour Hoffman. As far as the killer is concerned, well.....Tom Noonan I liked better I guess. Although Ralph Fiennes did scare me more in Red Dragon. Both are great movies no doubt, but Red Dragon would've been garbage without Hopkins. One final note before I post this review, Manhunter has a much better soundtrack.

I love this movie. I was hesitant about seeing it, as I had seen the 2000s version. Frankly, they don't compare one bit. While Ratner's movie wasn't bad at all, it completely pails in comparison. There's an attention to detail with Mann that goes way beyond Ratner's ability. Could Ratner ever direct the Insider with the precision and audacity that Mann brings? I doubt it. Not to mention that the cinematography by Spinotti is stellar. The whole movie, Manhunter, crackles--where as, Red Dragon smolders. Even the synthpop music in Manhunter, somehow, works masterfully. The whole adventure had me captivated for the entire time. And, I'm not even getting into the acting.Frankly, Brian Cox is superior, in my mind, to Hopkins who I love. But, Hopkins is Campy. There's something off with his portrayal of Lector/Lecktor. It's a tad bit contrived, while Cox seems like he's in his own element. Don't get me wrong, I think both portrayals are very good, and, frankly, I could get hypnotized listening to both. With that said, there's something truly disturbing with Cox in this movie that goes beyond Hopkins. Anyway, watch this movie. I think you'll like it. I only watched because I love The Insider so much, and I'm glad that I popped this on one day last year. Spellbinding might be a good way of saying what I think about this movie; it, utterly, reminds me of Argento and Suspiria--not to mention Inferno.

The novel 'Red Dragon' (1981) refers to 'The Great Red Dragon' paintings by William Blake, which depict scenes from the Book of Revelation. These allegorically describe an ongoing struggle between good and evil. The novel spawned the Michael Mann film 'Manhunter' (1986).Simpson in his book 'Psycho Paths: Tracking the Serial Killer through Contemporary American Film,' refers to 'Manhunter' as a 'profoundly ambiguous and destabilizing film' with 'uncomfortable affinities between protagonist and antagonist.' Conard in 'The Philosophy of Film Noir' is more to the point; "what it takes to catch a serial killer is tantamount to being one."Mann and cinematographer Dante Spinotti (who funnily enough also shot the 2002 remake 'Red Dragon'), make strong use of colour tints using cool blues in the scenes featuring Will Graham and his wife Molly, green for searching and discovery, and purple or magenta in the unsettling scenes involving Dollarhyde (the 'Tooth Fairy') and Doctor Hannibal Lecter. The foregrounding of glass, steel and concrete walls illustrates Mann's concern with estrangement and 'mirror images.' Graham is capable of apprehending Dollarhyde because he can get into his mindset and share similar psychological instincts, resulting in him struggling to regain his values. Dr Lector whom Graham visits in prison in order to gather a profile of Dollarhyde, recognises this.Both visually, and in regards to the feeling of alienation Mann is reminiscent of Michelangelo Antonioni. Mann borrows from Antonioni the concern for capturing the space that people inhabit. An early perfectly composed symmetrical shot illustrates the relationship between Graham and Agent Crawford, with the clear positioning of the characters on opposite ends of the frame as Crawford attempts to coerce Graham back to the FBI. The final shot of this sequence is of Crawford and Molly, and the physical distance between them is far greater than in the shot that opens the sequence.Towards the end of the chase, Graham (talking about Dollarhyde) could be discussing the key themes of Dario Argento's work, a director also influenced by Antonioni's visual asthetic "… because everything with you is seeing isn't it. Your primary sensory intake, the thing that makes your dream live is seeing. Reflections. Mirrors. Images…"The song by Iron Butterfly 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida' (a mondegreen for 'In The Garden Of Evil'), is memorably used in the climax, and reminds one of the thumping 'Goblin' scores employed by Argento, particularly in 'Deep Red' and 'Tenebre'.Argento has said he didn't like the film, disliking how the novel's ending was changed for the film. Argento's 'Opera' would incorporate the end of the novel 'Red Dragon.'