BEFORE: My initial plan was to watch this after "To Live and Die in L.A.", then I thought it might be more appropriate to watch in October, with other films about serial killers - this was the first movie made based on the book "Red Dragon" and the first screen appearance of Hannibal Lechter. But I think it might fit best here, with the focus on the people who catch killers. Director Michael Mann and actor Tom Noonan carry over from last night's film.
THE PLOT: An FBI specialist tracks a serial killer who appears to select his victims at random.
AFTER: Another element which carries over from last night's film is the discussion of the nature of police work (or the work of FBI agents, as seen here). A policeman is called upon to track and hunt criminals - but at what point does a "good" cop become a predator himself? To catch a crook, one must think like a crook, by extension to catch a killer, one must think like a killer. This film takes that even further, with an FBI agent who has to profile and get inside the mind of a serial killer - what are the professional and psychological consequences of that?
Like "Bullitt" inspired many other car chases, this film probably inspired dozens of crime dramas, everything from "The Silence of the Lambs" (based on a book by the same author), to "CSI". And "CSI" itself launched a whole wave of TV crime shows - "Bones", "Cold Case", "Lie to Me", "The Mentalist", "Monk", etc. Basically, if you enjoy a show about the private lives of people who solve crimes and catch killers, the makers of "Manhunter" have a message for you - "You're welcome."
That doesn't mean that "Manhunter" is the BEST example of the genre, merely one of the earliest and most influential. I'm hard-pressed to think of an earlier example, but if there is one, I'm sure one of my friends will correct me. With William Petersen appearing in the title role here, the influence on "CSI" is quite apparent. In fact, I'd go so far to say that his "CSI" character, Gil Grissom, is a huge nod to Will Graham, the FBI agent he plays here.
I learned of this movie when Tom Noonan guest-starred on "CSI", and the TV critics pointed out that it was sort of a reprise of their roles here (though they don't share many scenes here, just the end-game) Tom Noonan is a large, but gentle man who got typecast as movie thugs and killers, in films like "F/X" and "Last Action Hero", probably due to his size and his oddly-shaped head. But I've spent time with the man, he did a voice in an animated feature I produced, and came with us to the Slamdance Festival in 2004 and stayed in our Park City ski loft. A very nice, soft-spoken man (still, I'm glad I hadn't seen this film before spending a week as his roommate...) Seriously, though, it must be tough to play a serial killer in a film and walk away intact.
Brian Cox (last seen in "The Rookie" - the baseball movie) has the distinction of being the first actor to play Hannibal Lechter (spelled "Lecktor" in this film) and when Will Graham goes to visit the notorious killer in prison, to get an opinion on the new killer, it's a precursor to Jodie Foster's Clarice Starling visiting him in "The Silence of the Lambs". But here Hannibal is portrayed just as a wayward genius, it took Anthony Hopkins to really bump up the creepiness.
It's just too bad that the movie doesn't take the time to explain HOW the "Tooth Fairy" or Dr. Lecktor got to be the way they are, or WHY exactly they do what they do. The nature of Lecktor's crimes is alluded to only vaguely, we see only the mental scars that Graham's previous encounters with Lecktor have left behind.
I also have to take points off for the bad, dated 80's soundtrack - one piece just sounds like Vangelis ripped off the chord progression from Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb".
Also starring Dennis Farina (last seen in "Get Shorty"), Joan Allen (last seen in "Face/Off"), Kim Greist, with cameos from TV's Dan Butler ("Frasier") and Chris Elliott.
RATING: 5 out of 10 blindfolds (again, this is purely a reflection of tonight's entertainment value - if I were judging on cultural influence, this would be at least a 9)
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