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Amazon.co.uk Review
Released to box-office indifference in 1986, Manhunter introduced Hannibal Lecter and established the rules of the modern race to find serial killer thriller five years before The Silence of the Lambs packed cinemas everywhere. This was Michael Mann's third feature, reuniting William L Petersen and Dennis Farina from his debut Thief (1981) as FBI agents hunting the killer dubbed "The Tooth Fairy". Petersen's Will Graham is the man who put Lecktor (as it is spelt here) behind bars, and as in Lambs consults with the Doctor, played with understated malevolence by Brian Cox. Manhunter is an exceptionally well-photographed film: Mann's regular cinematographer Dante Spinotti created sparse, elegantly framed, often mono-chromatically lit compositions which are essential to the shifting psychological moods. The performances are very good, and the typically 1980s, Vangelis-esque electronic score effectively sustains tension. Once the killer is introduced the scenes with Joan Allen have a genuinely unsettling, almost surreal quality. There is at least one serious plot flaw--how does "The Red Dragon" get his letter to Lecktor? Manhunter never packs the sheer excitement of Lambs, nevertheless, it is a powerful and compelling thriller which remains far superior to the third instalment in the series, Hannibal (2001).
On the DVD: In addition to the trailer there is a revealing 10-minute conversation with Dante Spinotti in which he explains how he created the very distinctive look of Manhunter. Also included is a more general 17-minute retrospective "making-of" documentary. This is good but too short, the extras failing to live up to the wealth of material on the Lambs and Hannibal DVDs. The anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 image is generally very good, being just a little soft in one or two early scenes. The sound is listed as Dolby Digital 5.1, but appears to replicate the main stereo signal in the rear channels. Audio is none the less powerful and clear, though lacks the sheer edge and atmospherics of some more recent thrillers. --Gary S Dalkin
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The opening sequence keeps me awake at night, years on from watching this film from Michael Mann. Understated, and very, very believable, it taps into our worst fears about our home being invade by a psycopathic killer in the dead of night.
What was that creaking noise? Was it the wind, or - should I get up and go and have a look? If you are of a nervous disposition, best get something else as this is about the creepiest cop hunts killer film ever, in my humble opinion.
Of course, Mr Mann is a genius, so what do you expect.
My advice, 1. watch the film, and 2. never read reviews, it only spoils the experience by prejudging it.
So why write one? Well I have not mentioned the plot, the acting or the other films of Thomas Harris's books. This one is easily the best in my view, although the Silence of the Lambs was a bit good too.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Manhunter is an absolutely fantastic film full stop - the only niggle is that every time it's released (in the UK at least) it always turns out to be a slightly different version of the film. The video was a different cut to the first DVD which is a different cut to the two on here, although at least one of these now claims to be the definitive director's cut. Strangely in these later cuts Michael Mann has removed once and for all a 30 second sequence where Will Graham expresses a great sympathy for the Tooth Fairy on one level before declaring that the Tooth Fairy should be executed as soon as possible. It's a strange cut because the rest of that scene is left completely intact - he's just removed 3 lines of dialogue from the middle. As an aside, for fans of the soundtrack 2 of the 3 previously hard to find Shriekback songs used in the film are now readily available on the CD Oil & Gold.
36 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
First of all: Accept no imitations - Manhunter will always be the definitive Hannibal Lecter movie, even if they do decide to 're-make' the film under the original title of 'Red Dragon', which has been widely rumoured for many months now.
After the disappointing original UK DVD release of Manhunter from BMG, and the ambitious, but ultimately flawed Region 1 editions from Anchor Bay, this new release is the definitive edition of the film to own.
Momentum have wisely decided to avoid using the obscure Director's Cut of the film and have stuck with what appears to be the original theatrical cut, which is a great start. Whilst some of the extras included here are identical to those found on the USA release, as a bonus you also get a 53 page book about Manhunter and the other Lecter films called 'Michael Mann's Head Games.' Although the book is far from being a 100% definitive guide to the film, it is still the finest companion to this excellent film which has been written to date.
Overall then, this is another highly impressive release from Momentum and one which will satisfy all fans of the work of Michael Mann, Thomas Harris and Hannibal himself! Don't miss it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The best Hannibal ever.
The very first version of 'Hannibal the Cannibal' to hit the big screen and to me it is the best. Forget Hopkins, Brian Cox is Hannibal. Read more
Published 18 hours ago by K Dickinson
Very disappointed
To put it in short... very disappointed with this Blu-ray release of Manhunter.
Perhaps it's because I'm such a huge fan of the film, or perhaps it's the fact that... Read more
Perhaps it's because I'm such a huge fan of the film, or perhaps it's the fact that... Read more
Published 20 days ago by MPS
Finally the proper version is released and in glorious Blu-ray!
The Blu-ray release of Manhunter will be cherished by fans of this superb film. For one this features the proper theatrical release with the missing dialogue where Graham... Read more
Published 1 month ago by GeneralCromwell
Never wanted to die sooo much until I watched this film!!!
Okay, so here's my two pennies worth...
Was it as good as 'The Silence of the lambs' - NO WHERE NEAR
Was it as bad as 'Hannibal' - INFINITLY WORSE... Read more
Was it as good as 'The Silence of the lambs' - NO WHERE NEAR
Was it as bad as 'Hannibal' - INFINITLY WORSE... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Critic Al
Good film.
Good film, not great, definitely prefer the more modern Hannibals but still worth a watch. Great value and if you're a fan of the series you will like it.
Published 7 months ago by J Cossey
Chilling!
Simply brilliant, far better than Red Dragon. A really interesting and truly creepy film to behold. It holds you almost in a vice, refusing to allow you to stop watching. Read more
Published 8 months ago by The Badgers
Manhunter
The original film introducing Hannibal Lecter. And the best in my opinion. A must see film. It's one of my favorite films.
Published 19 months ago by Angela
It's OK and just OK but lose the synths
It's become of the one of the biggest cliches in movie criticism: "of course, Anthony Hopkins was good as Hannibal but Manhunter is far, far superior; Brian Cox is much more... Read more
Published 21 months ago by D. S. Bell
Great film and very stylish
A great film to own on DVD - you can keep coming back to it. Dolarhyde is just brilliant - so much better than in Red Dragon. Read more
Published 22 months ago by jtsfife75
William Petersen (not at his best)
After watching Red Dragon, I remembered it was based on this earlier take on the book staring the brilliant and multifaceted actor Brian Cox as Lektor (? Read more
Published 22 months ago by Connie Lindquist
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