Comparisons between Michael Mann's MANHUNTER and the other films that followed the Hannibal Lectar franchise are inevitable but unnecessary . Stylistically and context wise MANHUNTER is an entirely different movie from its successors which makes it difficult to say whether it's a better or worse film
As a stand alone movie it just about works . The audience needs no pre knowledge of Dr Hannibal Lector because he's very much a peripheral character so much so that if you cut him out of the story no plot changes would be needed at all , in other words Hannibal is a disposable character and to be honest when I first saw this movie in 1990 I found Cox's performance very distracting as I tried to figure out where in the British Isles the accent was from ! Perhaps if Dr Lector didn't appear this film would be entirely forgotten today ? It certainly has little to do with Hannibal the cannibal and concentrates on FBI specialist Will Graham tracking down a serial killer dubbed " The Tooth Fairy "
Michael Mann directs in a minimalist 80s style which I'm afraid appears somewhat dated viewed today . Mann was well known at the time as the creator of Miami VICE and like the 80s cop show the synthesiser soundtrack coupled with non original rock tracks often seems the most important aspect . In the mid 1980s I was a teenager and used to love movies and TV shows that had pop music playing over the narrative but like I said this type of directorial flourish quickly become dated . Though to be fair to Mann he does manage to bring a depressing and bleak atmosphere to the movie without ever having to resort to blood and gore and gimmicks unlike Ridley Scott did with HANNIBAL
If you like murder mysteries or films that have a typically mid 1980s feel then I can certainly recommend MANHUNTER
As a stand alone movie it just about works . The audience needs no pre knowledge of Dr Hannibal Lector because he's very much a peripheral character so much so that if you cut him out of the story no plot changes would be needed at all , in other words Hannibal is a disposable character and to be honest when I first saw this movie in 1990 I found Cox's performance very distracting as I tried to figure out where in the British Isles the accent was from ! Perhaps if Dr Lector didn't appear this film would be entirely forgotten today ? It certainly has little to do with Hannibal the cannibal and concentrates on FBI specialist Will Graham tracking down a serial killer dubbed " The Tooth Fairy "
Michael Mann directs in a minimalist 80s style which I'm afraid appears somewhat dated viewed today . Mann was well known at the time as the creator of Miami VICE and like the 80s cop show the synthesiser soundtrack coupled with non original rock tracks often seems the most important aspect . In the mid 1980s I was a teenager and used to love movies and TV shows that had pop music playing over the narrative but like I said this type of directorial flourish quickly become dated . Though to be fair to Mann he does manage to bring a depressing and bleak atmosphere to the movie without ever having to resort to blood and gore and gimmicks unlike Ridley Scott did with HANNIBAL
If you like murder mysteries or films that have a typically mid 1980s feel then I can certainly recommend MANHUNTER