"Red Dragon" is Hollywood´s second adaptation of Thomas Harris´ novel Red Dragon. The film was first adapted to screen in 1986 by director Michael Mann under the title "Manhunter." In 1991, the character of Hannibal Lector received quite a boost with Jonathan Demme´s powerful "Silence of the Lambs." "Red Dragon" came about after the success of "Hannibal" and the need to produce more films starring Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector. "Manhunter" was a relatively low-budget film with Brian Cox as Dr. Hannibal Lecktor (character name spelled differently), William Petersen as Will Graham, Dennis Farina as Jack Crawford, Joan Allen as Reba McClane, Stephen Lang as Freddy Lounds and Tom Noonan as Francis Dollarhyde (character name spelled differently). The big budget remake features a more recognizable cast with Anthony Hopkins reprising his role as Dr. Hannibal Lector, Edward Norton as Will Graham, Harvey Keitel as Jack Crawford, Emily Watson as Reba McClane, Philip Seymour Hoffman as Freddy Lounds and Ralph Fiennes as Francis Dolarhyde.
While an improvement over the earlier Thomas Harris adaptation, "Red Dragon" is improved mainly due to its larger budget, more expensive cast and stylistic differences that align the film closer to "Silence of the Lambs." Everybody has come to associate Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector, and those who looked towards "Manhunter" as the first chapter in the story found a different characterization by Brian Cox. Edward Norton is a brainer and less physical Graham and Ralph Fiennes brings a true creepy loneliness to the film´s villain. It is not too often that a film is remade after just fifteen years; aside from Japanese horror films that have continually been remade for American cinema. There was a large potential for profit by having Anthony Hopkins reprise Hannibal Lector in as many films as possible and after the success of "Silence of the Lambs" and "Hannibal," it did make perfectly good sense for Thomas Harris´ novel to once again be placed in front of the cameras.
In this prequel to "Silence of the Lambs," Hannibal Lector has been captured by Will Graham and finds himself in a maximum security cell in Baltimore, Maryland. Graham was nearly killed when he captured the carnivorous Lector and has retired from the FBI. However, a new serial killer called the Tooth Fairy has been on a murderous spree and Jack Crawford requests that Will Graham returns to the FBI to help solve the crime before more families are slain and to perhaps discuss the murders with Hannibal Lector and see if the imprisoned serial killer may be able to find something in the clues that Will Graham is completely unable to see. The Tooth Fairy is a lonely recluse who believes he has a hideous face and is tormented by a demon detailed in a painting "The Red Dragon." He is in correspondence with Lector and has discovered the identity of the FBI agent on his trail through Lector´s communications. Graham must discover the identity of the Tooth Fairy before he slaughters more innocents, or before his own family comes under danger by the serial killer. He must also conquer his own fears and face the man he jailed and that nearly killed him.
"Red Dragon" is a good crime/thriller that details for fans of Hannibal Lector the manner in which the cannibal was first captured and the man responsible. With a talented and impressive cast, "Red Dragon" is a flashier and better acted version of the earlier film "Manhunter." It is always fun to watch Anthony Hopkins slip into the skin of Lector and both Edward Norton and Ralph Fiennes are very talented actors who make any film a better film. Although I´ve never been a big fan of director Brett Ratner, he successfully connects this film to the mythology of "Silence of the Lambs." The prison cell visited by Jody Foster is recreated beautifully. Ratner keeps to the style and demeanor of Jonthan Demme´s film and doesn´t try to fully recreate or reinvent the world of Hannibal Lector. The film is certainly his own, but it is not the same breed as the live, fast edited "Rush Hour" films. This is a far better film than "Hannibal," but not nearly as powerful as "Silence of the Lambs." It is a good prequel that better fits into the Hannibal Lector mythology due to the inclusion of Anthony Hopkins.
While an improvement over the earlier Thomas Harris adaptation, "Red Dragon" is improved mainly due to its larger budget, more expensive cast and stylistic differences that align the film closer to "Silence of the Lambs." Everybody has come to associate Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector, and those who looked towards "Manhunter" as the first chapter in the story found a different characterization by Brian Cox. Edward Norton is a brainer and less physical Graham and Ralph Fiennes brings a true creepy loneliness to the film´s villain. It is not too often that a film is remade after just fifteen years; aside from Japanese horror films that have continually been remade for American cinema. There was a large potential for profit by having Anthony Hopkins reprise Hannibal Lector in as many films as possible and after the success of "Silence of the Lambs" and "Hannibal," it did make perfectly good sense for Thomas Harris´ novel to once again be placed in front of the cameras.
In this prequel to "Silence of the Lambs," Hannibal Lector has been captured by Will Graham and finds himself in a maximum security cell in Baltimore, Maryland. Graham was nearly killed when he captured the carnivorous Lector and has retired from the FBI. However, a new serial killer called the Tooth Fairy has been on a murderous spree and Jack Crawford requests that Will Graham returns to the FBI to help solve the crime before more families are slain and to perhaps discuss the murders with Hannibal Lector and see if the imprisoned serial killer may be able to find something in the clues that Will Graham is completely unable to see. The Tooth Fairy is a lonely recluse who believes he has a hideous face and is tormented by a demon detailed in a painting "The Red Dragon." He is in correspondence with Lector and has discovered the identity of the FBI agent on his trail through Lector´s communications. Graham must discover the identity of the Tooth Fairy before he slaughters more innocents, or before his own family comes under danger by the serial killer. He must also conquer his own fears and face the man he jailed and that nearly killed him.
"Red Dragon" is a good crime/thriller that details for fans of Hannibal Lector the manner in which the cannibal was first captured and the man responsible. With a talented and impressive cast, "Red Dragon" is a flashier and better acted version of the earlier film "Manhunter." It is always fun to watch Anthony Hopkins slip into the skin of Lector and both Edward Norton and Ralph Fiennes are very talented actors who make any film a better film. Although I´ve never been a big fan of director Brett Ratner, he successfully connects this film to the mythology of "Silence of the Lambs." The prison cell visited by Jody Foster is recreated beautifully. Ratner keeps to the style and demeanor of Jonthan Demme´s film and doesn´t try to fully recreate or reinvent the world of Hannibal Lector. The film is certainly his own, but it is not the same breed as the live, fast edited "Rush Hour" films. This is a far better film than "Hannibal," but not nearly as powerful as "Silence of the Lambs." It is a good prequel that better fits into the Hannibal Lector mythology due to the inclusion of Anthony Hopkins.
"Red Dragon" is Hollywood´s second adaptation of Thomas Harris´ novel Red Dragon. The film was first adapted to screen in 1986 by director Michael Mann under the title "Manhunter." In 1991, the character of Hannibal Lector received quite a boost with Jonathan Demme´s powerful "Silence of the Lambs." "Red Dragon" came about after the success of "Hannibal" and the need to produce more films starring Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector. "Manhunter" was a relatively low-budget film with Brian Cox as Dr. Hannibal Lecktor (character name spelled differently), William Petersen as Will Graham, Dennis Farina as Jack Crawford, Joan Allen as Reba McClane, Stephen Lang as Freddy Lounds and Tom Noonan as Francis Dollarhyde (character name spelled differently). The big budget remake features a more recognizable cast with Anthony Hopkins reprising his role as Dr. Hannibal Lector, Edward Norton as Will Graham, Harvey Keitel as Jack Crawford, Emily Watson as Reba McClane, Philip Seymour Hoffman as Freddy Lounds and Ralph Fiennes as Francis Dolarhyde.
While an improvement over the earlier Thomas Harris adaptation, "Red Dragon" is improved mainly due to its larger budget, more expensive cast and stylistic differences that align the film closer to "Silence of the Lambs." Everybody has come to associate Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector, and those who looked towards "Manhunter" as the first chapter in the story found a different characterization by Brian Cox. Edward Norton is a brainer and less physical Graham and Ralph Fiennes brings a true creepy loneliness to the film´s villain. It is not too often that a film is remade after just fifteen years; aside from Japanese horror films that have continually been remade for American cinema. There was a large potential for profit by having Anthony Hopkins reprise Hannibal Lector in as many films as possible and after the success of "Silence of the Lambs" and "Hannibal," it did make perfectly good sense for Thomas Harris´ novel to once again be placed in front of the cameras.
In this prequel to "Silence of the Lambs," Hannibal Lector has been captured by Will Graham and finds himself in a maximum security cell in Baltimore, Maryland. Graham was nearly killed when he captured the carnivorous Lector and has retired from the FBI. However, a new serial killer called the Tooth Fairy has been on a murderous spree and Jack Crawford requests that Will Graham returns to the FBI to help solve the crime before more families are slain and to perhaps discuss the murders with Hannibal Lector and see if the imprisoned serial killer may be able to find something in the clues that Will Graham is completely unable to see. The Tooth Fairy is a lonely recluse who believes he has a hideous face and is tormented by a demon detailed in a painting "The Red Dragon." He is in correspondence with Lector and has discovered the identity of the FBI agent on his trail through Lector´s communications. Graham must discover the identity of the Tooth Fairy before he slaughters more innocents, or before his own family comes under danger by the serial killer. He must also conquer his own fears and face the man he jailed and that nearly killed him.
"Red Dragon" is a good crime/thriller that details for fans of Hannibal Lector the manner in which the cannibal was first captured and the man responsible. With a talented and impressive cast, "Red Dragon" is a flashier and better acted version of the earlier film "Manhunter." It is always fun to watch Anthony Hopkins slip into the skin of Lector and both Edward Norton and Ralph Fiennes are very talented actors who make any film a better film. Although I´ve never been a big fan of director Brett Ratner, he successfully connects this film to the mythology of "Silence of the Lambs." The prison cell visited by Jody Foster is recreated beautifully. Ratner keeps to the style and demeanor of Jonthan Demme´s film and doesn´t try to fully recreate or reinvent the world of Hannibal Lector. The film is certainly his own, but it is not the same breed as the live, fast edited "Rush Hour" films. This is a far better film than "Hannibal," but not nearly as powerful as "Silence of the Lambs." It is a good prequel that better fits into the Hannibal Lector mythology due to the inclusion of Anthony Hopkins.
While an improvement over the earlier Thomas Harris adaptation, "Red Dragon" is improved mainly due to its larger budget, more expensive cast and stylistic differences that align the film closer to "Silence of the Lambs." Everybody has come to associate Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector, and those who looked towards "Manhunter" as the first chapter in the story found a different characterization by Brian Cox. Edward Norton is a brainer and less physical Graham and Ralph Fiennes brings a true creepy loneliness to the film´s villain. It is not too often that a film is remade after just fifteen years; aside from Japanese horror films that have continually been remade for American cinema. There was a large potential for profit by having Anthony Hopkins reprise Hannibal Lector in as many films as possible and after the success of "Silence of the Lambs" and "Hannibal," it did make perfectly good sense for Thomas Harris´ novel to once again be placed in front of the cameras.
In this prequel to "Silence of the Lambs," Hannibal Lector has been captured by Will Graham and finds himself in a maximum security cell in Baltimore, Maryland. Graham was nearly killed when he captured the carnivorous Lector and has retired from the FBI. However, a new serial killer called the Tooth Fairy has been on a murderous spree and Jack Crawford requests that Will Graham returns to the FBI to help solve the crime before more families are slain and to perhaps discuss the murders with Hannibal Lector and see if the imprisoned serial killer may be able to find something in the clues that Will Graham is completely unable to see. The Tooth Fairy is a lonely recluse who believes he has a hideous face and is tormented by a demon detailed in a painting "The Red Dragon." He is in correspondence with Lector and has discovered the identity of the FBI agent on his trail through Lector´s communications. Graham must discover the identity of the Tooth Fairy before he slaughters more innocents, or before his own family comes under danger by the serial killer. He must also conquer his own fears and face the man he jailed and that nearly killed him.
"Red Dragon" is a good crime/thriller that details for fans of Hannibal Lector the manner in which the cannibal was first captured and the man responsible. With a talented and impressive cast, "Red Dragon" is a flashier and better acted version of the earlier film "Manhunter." It is always fun to watch Anthony Hopkins slip into the skin of Lector and both Edward Norton and Ralph Fiennes are very talented actors who make any film a better film. Although I´ve never been a big fan of director Brett Ratner, he successfully connects this film to the mythology of "Silence of the Lambs." The prison cell visited by Jody Foster is recreated beautifully. Ratner keeps to the style and demeanor of Jonthan Demme´s film and doesn´t try to fully recreate or reinvent the world of Hannibal Lector. The film is certainly his own, but it is not the same breed as the live, fast edited "Rush Hour" films. This is a far better film than "Hannibal," but not nearly as powerful as "Silence of the Lambs." It is a good prequel that better fits into the Hannibal Lector mythology due to the inclusion of Anthony Hopkins.
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