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"Have you ever seen blood in the moonlight, Will? It appears quite black."
Michael Mann is a director who went on to get a number of big titles against his name. Heat and Collateral are my personal favourites of director Mann.
However, little do people remember that he directed this classic mystery thriller back in the 1980s. After the success of the movie Silence of the Lambs audiences never really realised that it was the sequel to Manhunter; a film that introduced us to the psychotic genius known as Dr. Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lector (incorrectly spelt as 'Lecktor' in the film).
I had seen both Silence of the Lambs and its eventual follow-up Hannibal before laying my hands on this film. In hindsight I really wish that I watched them all in order because I guess my opinion has been tainted with the image of Anthony Hopkins playing Hannibal Lector as menacing and unbeatably brilliant.
Because Hopkins walked away with an Oscar for his portrayal in Silence of the Lambs I approached Manhunter with caution because Brian Cox portrays the role. Manhunter is an exceptional film on its own merits without taking its sequels into consideration.
The film's style is vastly different to the style utilised by those who helmed the sequels. Mann skilfully uses long shots, full faces, large spatial separation, or cutting from one character to another in isolation, all with slightly out-of-focus backgrounds. Because of Mann's unique directorial style Manhunter is a film with something new to offer with each new screening. Clues are easier to pick up, more cinematic techniques noticed, etc.
The character of Hannibal Lector (Cox) takes a sideline position in this film. He appears very rarely throughout the film's duration because the focus is on other characters. The main character of this story is a former FBI agent named William Graham (Peterson) who has been hurt physically and mentally while in the process of apprehending the serial killer Hannibal Lector.
In this film, Graham is coaxed out of retirement to help the FBI track down a serial killer nicknamed "The Tooth Fairy" (Noonan). Graham seeks minor assistance from Lector while he tries to solve the case.
Manhunter is a chilling thriller as well as a captivating character study. Mann is notorious for expertly crafting dialogue scenes that drive the movie with incredible pace. Some may find the pacing slow because of so much dialogue. If you listen to the lines you won't find the pacing as painfully slow as some people have complained.
William Peterson is very skilled in the leading role. The purpose of his character was to dissect all the clues that will lead to revealing the identity of the serial killer. As his character tries to get into the mind of the killer he's tracking, he says a lot of strange things out loud that help the audience understand what he is thinking about. This is an intriguing character trait without making things too blatant.
Brian Cox plays a very unique Hannibal Lector. While my personal preference is Anthony Hopkins' more menacing image, I thought Cox still did a fantastic job.
Tom Noonan's performance is chilling and intimidating. The film is powered by not only the performances and proficient direction, but the right script is also vital. The dialogue was sometimes convoluted but becomes easier to decipher when you watch the production multiple times. This dialogue is realistic; however I would have preferred some lines that were easier to understand.
At first I thought that there were a number of useless dialogue scenes. With closer inspection I realised that these were pivotal scenes to include in order to get into the mind of the characters.
Manhunter is a film with very few flaws. Mann is a director who rarely delivers a faulty product. Definitely worth seeing!
8/10
