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Manhunter (Limited Edition 2-Disc Set)
DVD Review by Yanman |
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"If one does what God does enough times, one will become as God is." Most people are probably unaware that Anthony Hopkins was not the first Doctor Lecter, and that Silence of the Lambs was a sequel. For those that don't know Manhunter is our introduction to Hannibal Lecter (ala Silence of the Lambs and the upcoming Hannibal), and is based on the book "Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris. In Manhunter, Scottish actor Brian Cox (Braveheart, Rushmore) artfully plays Lecter. Many critics believe that Manhunter is even better then it sequel (which is usually the case), while we feel that the story is better/stronger here the acting is just less inspiring then Silence of the Lambs, but for any Lecter/ Silence/Thomas Harris fan out there this one is still a must see. When FBI Agent Will Graham (William Peterson) is called out of early retirement to do what he does best, track a serial killer, he is more then just a little bit reluctant and with good cause. The last time that Will was involved with a killer of this magnitude it was the notorious Doctor Hannibal Lecter. And even though he was able to capture Lecter, by getting into his thoughts, Hannibal was able to injure Will in more then just a physical way, there are mental scars that therapy just can't heal. But Graham needs Lecter to help catch the new killer "the Tooth Fairy", he needs him to help him find the "scent", because the best way to catch a killer is to think like one. The question for Graham, however is just how easy is it to stop thinking like one? There are two versions of the film included here and video and audio quality vary based on which version of the film we are talking about. In the theatrical version the video quality is far superior to the Director's cut of the film. While both are anamorphic widescreen at an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, the director cut looks like it was transferred from a bad videotape rather then from film. The fact that this "cut" of the film was originally created for and aired on Showtime. The audio presented on the theatrical DVD is also markedly better offering a remastered 5.1 Dolby Digital Soundtrack versus the original 2.0. Clearly the only reason to view the director's cut is for the few additional scenes adding three minuets to the total running time. While the extras here are not vast in there numbers, one must remember that this film is from 1986, a time where there were not a lot of extras to be had. In addition to the two included featurettes, there is one real unique extra here. The 24-page "Collector's Booklet" is not really a booklet at all, but a small manila folder like the one the FBI agent in the film carries. Stuffed inside you will find, rare photos, posters, and trivia. This limited addition is also numbered. We have reviewed a lot of serial killer movies here lately, including Se7en, The Cell, Silence of the Lambs and American Psycho, but Manhunter is the granddaddy of these, even if it is the least known. What better way is there to get ready for the soon to be released Hannibal, then to watch the movie where he got his start? I'll get the wine you bring the beans…
This DVD was reviewed on Yanman.com's Reference Theater #1, using a Toshiba SD-5109 DVD player, Toshiba TW56X81, and M&K 750 THX Speakers. Panamax protects all systems at Yanman.com. |
Manhunter Manhunter is our introduction to Hannibal Lecter Staring: William Petersen Directed By: Michael Mann Running time: 121 Bonus Materials
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