Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34245 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-05-19
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 115 minutes

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-the-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 Silence of the Lambs, he is forced to consult the Doctor, played here with understated malevolence by Brian Cox.

Manhunter is an exceptionally well-photographed film: Mann's regular cinematographer Dante Spinotti creates sparse, elegantly framed, often monochromatically lit compositions 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, although there is at least one serious plot flaw--how does "The Red Dragon" get his letter to Lecter? Manhunter never packs the sheer excitement of Silence of the Lambs, nevertheless, it is a powerful and compelling thriller which remains far superior to the Anthony Hopkins-starring Hannibal (2001) and Red Dragon (2002). --Gary S Dalkin

DVD Description
DVD Special Features:

Disc One:

• Theatrical version of Manhunter
  
• x 2 documentaries - The Manhunter Look and Inside Manhunter
  
• Trailer
  
• Photo Gallery
  
• English subtitles

Disc Two:

• Michael Mann approved new hi-def colour
  
• Corrected version of the film, with the Director’s Cut missing scenes inserted
  
• Commentary with Michael Mann
  
• English subtitles

Special Features
English
Region 2

Customer Reviews

Better than the Dragon
Forget if anyone tells you different, the remake of this, Red Dragon, however close to the book it was, is no match for this original version of Tom Harris' book.
Allthough the actors in this might not be as well known as RD's cast, the performances are spot on. Mainly thanks to the fantastic direction from Michael Mann.
Brian Cox is especially brilliant in a small role as the original Hannibal Lecktor and William Petersen is suprisingly good as Will Graham, capturing the emotional vulnerability of the character, again this is thanks to a super script from Mann.
The plot in case you didn't know it is Will Graham (Petersen) is brought back from retirement by FBI boss Jack Crawford (Dennis Farina, another wonderful performance) to hunt down a brutal serial killer known as the "Tooth Fairy" (played with exceptional chillingness by Tom Noonan) however, he is not the man he once was and is forced to consult imprisoned Hannibal Lecktor (Cox) for help in the case.
This disc has been released twice before, but never as good as this, a two-disc version with two cuts of the film, a couple of documentaries and an insightful commentary from Michael Mann.
If you haven't seen this before, I couldn't recommend it enough.

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 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...

Manhunt this
This movie is the first incarnation of Dr. Hannibal Lector on the silver screen, played here by Brian Cox and directed by Michael Mann. This movie was released in 1986, predating "Silence of the Lambs" by 5 years. Hannibal is already in prison, and is visited by the profiler-detective who aided in his capture. FBI Agent Will Graham is haunted by his experiences and has semi-retired, enjoying life by the sea with his wife and son. Knowing that Graham has been recalled to track a particularly nasty murderer, Hannibal plays on his demons, calling them two of a kind. Graham is on the trail of "The Tooth Fairy", who has savagely slaughtered two families already. Factor in communication between Lector and the Tooth Fairy, and the stage is set for a tense and chilling tale.

This is a good adaptation of the "Red Dragon" novel by Thomas Harris, definitely much better than the recent adaptation starring Ralph Fiennes and Hopkins. In that version, Hannibal seemed toothless and Hopkins just seems to have reprised the role for the money. In this original adaptation, Cox shines as the nefarious Lector, while Petersen plays a great Agent Graham who struggles with internal demons. Add a rather naff eighties synthesizer sound track and enjoy.