Manhunter (1986)

4 Stars (out of 4)

Hannibal Magnetism

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Manhunter on DVD.

Not many folks know it, but Manhunter is based on Thomas Harris' first novel in the Hannibal series, Red Dragon, the title of which was changed to avoid sounding like a martial arts film. Brian Cox plays Hannibal, who only has an incidental role here, and William L. Petersen plays Will Graham, a super-sleuth who catches serial killers by trying to understand their thought patterns. Tom Noonan (What Happened Was...) plays the scary killer, and multiple-Oscar nominee Joan Allen plays a blind woman, the object of the killer's affections.

Director Michael Mann lays on the style with thick, neon colors and a deliberately staged widescreen frame. And, unlike Hannibal, he's able to balance style and substance with a late-night hearse pace. For those of us who only saw this film on panned-and-scanned VHS, this is now the prime format to see it in. The new DVD shows every grain razor-sharp and the sound is spectacular. Unfortunately, this only goes for the theatrical release. The director's cut looks like it was transferred from videotape and the sound is thick and ugly. But for the purpose of comparing the two versions, the package works just fine. (I found one extra scene towards the end of the picture in which Petersen visits a victim's family.) It lacks any commentary by Mann, but includes a brief making-of documentary featuring interviews with most of the cast. This version is a limited-release and only 100,000 units will be available. (The theatrical cut by itself will be available in a wider release.)

DVD Details: (Sept. 4, 2003) In 2001, Anchor Bay released a special 2-disc Limited Edition (only 100,000 units), which contained the original 121-minute theatrical version on one disc and an unofficial 124-minute "director's cut" on the second disc. The theatrical cut was presented in a beautiful, crystalline picture and flawless sound, optimal for the film's brilliant pastel colors. But the director's cut was mastered from a fuzzy videotape. This new disc combines the two, mixing three minutes of bad video with 121 minutes of sharp film. The whole shebang was supervised and approved by director Michael Mann, who also provides a commentary track. (He reveals that Brian Dennehy was an early contender for Hannibal Lecter!)